Welcome to the Factory Spotlight of the 2016 ROAR 1:8 Fuel Off-Road National Champion Spencer Rivkin and his RC8B3. This is Spencer's first major title in 1:8 off-road and we're here to give you all the details of his winning vehicle. Follow through the photos and learn what took his RC8B3 from kit box to the winner's circle.
Front End
Utilizing the innermost hole of the front shock tower, Spencer's RC8B3 has an aggressive laid-down look to the shocks. This provides support to the front end through the high-speed corners, while giving a forgiving feel on-center. He also chose to use #81068 Aluminum Pillow Balls, which reduces the unsprung weight to give the car a more nimble feel on the tight and twisty Thornhill Racing Circuit.
Rear End
There is still some residual ShoeGoo shown on the shock pins and spring collars. This is part of preparation for the grueling hour-long main event seen at the Nationals. There's nothing worse than a preventable failure like a lost spring cup to ruin a shot at the title. There is also some rust showing on the steel screws. Believe it or not, this is from Spencer's post-race "bath" that he and his RC8B3 got from his competitors celebrating his victory.
Inside Front End
Here you can see the evolution from the initial kit-spec'd drag link to a combination of B5 ballcups and ballstuds. This is plenty strong for this location and cleans up the look of the assembly. Combined with the #27107 Reedy RS2207A and #1363 Factory Team Aluminum Servo Horn, the steering was both durable and precise throughout the event.
Inside Rear End
Spencer chooses to use the #81059 Mud Guards to shield his rear shocks from the grime and exhaust that tortures the rear suspension. You can also see a steel weight that has been added to the rear "C" arm mount. This helps increase rear grip and is one of the fine-tuning options used during the event to dial in the team.
Body, Wing, and Tires
Spencer chooses to use the full line of JConcepts tires, wing and body. For the hour-long main event, the Detox tire in Blue compound provided enough tread to last the entire event while providing a forgiving feel that allowed Spencer to get into a flow and put together consistent, fast laps. Leading up to the event, Team Associated conducted some testing and communicated the need for a new body design to the JConcepts engineers. They were able to produce the Strike 2 body just in time for Spencer to successfully debut it at the event. Spencer also used the JConcepts Hybrid wing with the normal center fin and small gurney. Both of these items provided more downforce to help secure the RC8B3 to the track on its way to the winner's circle.
Click on the targets to learn more about the components.
Electronics
Spencer went with the Reedy RS1806A Digital HV Hi-Speed Aluminum Competition Servo for quick, responsive input to control his throttle and brake and the Reedy RT2207A Digital HV Hi-Torque Aluminum Competition Servo for maximum durability and feel to control his steering.
To control power the servos Spencer went with the Reedy LiPo 2100mAh 7.4V RX/TX Battery for more front weight bias and charges all of his equipment with the Reedy 1216-C2 Dual AC/DC Competition Balance Charger.
Gallery: Spencer Rivkin's RC8B3
