For the first time since 2021, the Nor Cal RC Monster Trucks Points Series held a night race in Chico, this time at the AMain Hobbies Outback Raceway oval track. The hard surface and track layout proved to be challenging and led to a night of unpredictable racing. The trucks would start on opposite sides of the oval going over a jump in the middle of the track before choosing an inside or outside lane to go around the turn in the oval before going over the middle jump in the opposite lane and then rounding the oval again before finishing over the middle jump in the lane they started. The setting sun and depth perception from the driver’s stand led to racers being penalized for not getting both front tires up the ramps or missing altogether.
Things kicked off in the 2.2 Mini Monster class where Dave Lucas would take the momentum of winning the Novice Class to a final round appearance after qualifying 4th upsetting the top-seeded “PistenBully” of Charles Leggette in the semi-finals. After missing the first round of the 2025 Points Series, Brian Romo has been unstoppable going undefeated into the finals and took his second straight racing win putting “Hater Maker” on top.
In the 2.6 Monster Truck class, Isaac Soria would set the fastest qualifying time with the 2024 champion truck “Lemon Lime Prime” while Chuck Vasquez made his return to the Series from Oregon with his Charlie’s Angel’s scheme “Bigfoot” qualifying in second as well as fifth with his other “Bigfoot Racer” entry and Zac Soares took the third and fourth spots with his “Excaliber” and “Prospector” trucks rounding out the top five.
These three racers would make it to the semi-finals where Soria would eliminate Vasquez advancing “Lemon Lime Prime” to the finals over “Bigfoot”. On the bottom half of the bracket, Soares would power “Excaliber” to a win over Soria’s “Nor Cal Hobbies”. In the finals it would be a close one, but a slight bobble coming out of the final corner would cost Soria and Soares would stay smooth giving “Excaliber” the win.
In the Challenger Class, Vasquez would take the top qualifying spot running his “Bigfoot Racer” setting the second fastest time of the day in all classes with Jeremy Bunting’s “Bad Company” second fastest and the new “Excaliber” of Soares rounding out the top three. In the semi-finals, Vasquez would eliminate Bunting’s “Titan” entry to advance to the final round. Meanwhile, the race between “Bad Company” and “Excaliber” was shaping up to be a close one until Bunting took the wrong lane in the turn, colliding with “Excaliber” causing a disqualification and putting “Excaliber” in the finals for the second straight race. However, it would be Vasquez putting “Bigfoot” in the winner’s circle this time making a smooth, fast pass.
The Retro class would see some destruction before the brackets were even set with the “Jarritos” truck breaking an axle and not being able to make the racing rounds. Vasquez would also suffer a mechanical issue in qualifying with his “Silver Dollar Bandit” having steering issues and getting a DNF in qualifying. Soares would put “Excaliber” in the pole position with his “Kodiak” in second and Bunting’s “Carnage” right behind him. In elimination racing, “Silver Dollar Bandit” would make the call and advance to the semi-finals to take on “Excaliber”. Vasquez would pull a wheelie off the line and bobbled in the first turn which was enough for Soares to take the lead and get the win. Meanwhile, Bunting would get the win over “Kodiak” setting up another battle between Soares and Bunting in the finals. In a close race, “Carnage” would take the victory, remaining undefeated on the season.
Freestyle would kick off with the optional Challenger class bonus runs with “Lucas Motorsports” getting 5, “Bad Company” 4, “Bigfoot” 3, “El Matador” 2, and “Titan” receiving just one. From there, the 2.2 class would take the track with all trucks struggling to fill the clock and it would be Jordan Jensen’s “Thicc Blue Line” lasting the longest taking the win with a score of 16.
The night would be capped off with the 2.6 Monster Trucks going big and with Jensen again setting a high mark with an incredible run with his “Silver State Smasher” featuring some huge backflips and a beautiful transfer jump scoring 22 after a rollover deduction. Jensen would then top that with his new “Under Construction” truck scoring a 24 filling the clock without a rollover. Bunting’s “Carnage” would also fill the clock but come up a point short before early rollovers and breakage would keep scores low for much of the remaining field until Soria’s “Nor Cal Hobbies” took to the track in a run full of wild saves and backflips, he was on his way to taking the lead before the truck would cut out with time left on the clock tying Jensen. Soria’s other entry “Lemon Lime Prime” would also have a top contending run scoring 23 with just one truck remaining. Unfortunately, Soares would have breakage that would cut his run short leaving a tie for the win. Both trucks did not have a rollover, so the next tie breaker per the rules is which filled the clock longer giving Jensen the freestyle win.
In a Points Series first, we had an overall winner that did not win racing or freestyle, but when combining the top qualifying points with being the runner up in racing and freestyle, Soria would get the overall for Round 3.
The next Points Series race will be September 13th in Rescue, however the next event will be the much anticipated Nor Cal RC Monster Trucks Summer Showdown happening August 16th at the AMain Silver Dollar RC Raceway in Chico.
As always, a big thank you to the racers who made it out to Round 3, AMain Hobbies for letting us use their awesome facilities, and our Points Series Sponsors for their continued support and providing great event prizes: JConcepts, Blackmarket RC, AMain Hobbies, EcoPower RC, Flyin’ Hawaiian RC, and Gens Ace!