Having found success at Thornhill back in 2016, it was hard not to consider Spencer as one of the favorites once Thornhill was announced as the host track for the 2019 ROAR Fuel Nationals. His driving style just suits this kind of racing and is arguably one of the best drivers when it comes to high traction surfaces. Spencer’s relentless pursuit of speed along with his hunger makes him one of the fiercest drivers out there. Congratulations on your 2019 national buggy title Spencer!! We couldn’t be happier with Spencer’s performance at this year’s nationals and we’re certain he’s here for more. Here’s his winning Team Associated RC8 B3.1!
Spencer has the option to run whatever body JConcepts makes for the RC8 B3 series cars and he chooses the OG Silencer body while some of the other team drivers, including Maifield and Cavalieri, have moved towards the JConcepts S15 body. With the Silencer being less aggressive than the S15, it was more comfortable to drive on the high grip Thornhill surface, especially when your tires turn into slicks.
The front end is actually very stock besides the use of Lunsford titanium screws. Spencer has done a lot of testing before the Nationals and prefers his buggy with the standard AE shock caps for these conditions. Being a Savox pro driver, he chooses the Savox SB-2290SG for both throttle and steering. These things have serious power with 555 oz-in of torque at 6v! Adding a bit of stiffness and style, Spencer is using the JConcepts Aluminum RC8 Servo Bracket in black for a stealthy look.
Spencer’s power comes from the Maxima B2 engine paired with the Protek RC2090 pipe for plenty of power even after 1 hour of going full gas.
With the track grooving up and getting super grippy, there was no need to run the brass weight that you often see in the rear of the 1/8th buggies.
Also, it’s not often we get to see the stock nose cone as there was no need for the RC8 front scoop. Most drivers were trying to make their car easier to drive for more comfort and consistency. As you can see, the front tires are almost completely bald after 60 intense minutes on the track. Despite no tread, Spencer was still very fast towards the end of his run on the slicked out gold compound Ellipse tires. The key was staying in the line allowing you to limit mistakes, which Spencer was very exceptional at.
The JConcepts Bullet Wheels are stiff and perfect for high-speed, grippy tracks like the one at Nationals and paired with the durable 1/8th Dirt Tech foams, made for a winning package this weekend.
At the rear of the car, Spencer has been running the HB rear wing and likes the stability over the AE wing. Part of the HB rear wing setup is to put a bunch of holes in it to take away rear downforce, which is a nice tunable feature.
Overall, the Team Associated RC8 B3.1 has enjoyed a lot of success in the hands of Davide and Spencer and it doesn’t look as if the RC8 B3.1 is slowing down anytime soon. You can guarantee that Spencer isn’t going to be slowing down any time soon too.
Thanks for joining us for another awesome addition of Inside Look! Follow along, give a like and share the love!
++ Nationals Winning Product Used by Spencer Rivkin ++
Body – JConcepts Silencer body in lightweight (#0371)
Tires – JConcepts gold compound Ellipse 1/8th buggy tires (#3184)
Wheels – JConcepts Bullet Wheels (#3357)
Foams – JConcepts Dirt Tech 1/8th buggy foams (#3233)
Accessories – JConcepts Aluminum Servo Bracket (#2505)
