Cedar Rapids, Iowa – February 9, 2026 – Buckle up, RC racing fans! The inaugural Iowa 28th Scale – Mini Z Championships roared to life at Crash N Bash Hobbies Raceway this past weekend, turning a cozy indoor track into a battlefield of pint-sized powerhouses. With 23 entries from 12 drivers zipping through a whopping 2,374 laps, this event was a roller coaster of highs, heartbreaks, and hair-raising close calls. From novice newcomers dodging walls to pro-level lipo beasts battling for every inch, it was a day where tiny cars delivered massive drama. Let’s dive into the action!
Novice Mini Z: Where Heroes Are Born (and Walls Are Met)
Kicking off the fun in the beginner-friendly Novice class, we saw young guns learning the ropes – literally, as these Mini-Zs hugged the track like magnets. High point? First place channeling his inner speed demon to snag the A-Main win with 20 laps in a blistering 6:08.047, edging out Second place by two laps. But oh, the lows! Third lived up to his magical moniker with some wizardly recoveries, yet finished third after a tough qualifier where he trailed by laps. Close racing shone through in Qualifier 3, where first and second traded paint (or pixels?) with average laps separated by mere seconds – talk about a photo finish for the future stars!
Stock Mini-Z: Consistency is King, But Chaos Lurks
Shifting gears to Stock, where reliability meets raw talent, Chris Simmons dominated like a boss, sweeping the A-Main with 27 laps. High five to him for consistent qualifiers, peaking at 30 laps in Round 3! Jason Euchner and Eric Norris kept it tight, with Jason nipping at Chris’s heels for second – their 27-lap duel in the main was so close, you’d need a magnifying glass to spot the difference (just 6 seconds apart). Low blow? Chris Rodriguez’s slide to fourth after a shaky Qualifier 2, and Jario Rodriguez rounding out fifth amid some lap-dropping mishaps. This class epitomized close racing: multiple drivers hitting 29-30 laps in qualifiers, proving that in Stock, every tweak counts.
AAA Sportsman: Underdog Uprisings and Epic Comebacks
Ah, AAA Sportsman – the class where sportsmanship met speed! Jake Tuel stole the show with a commanding A-Main win (26 laps in 5:02.166), turning qualifiers into a launchpad for glory. Highs abounded with Brian Godwin’s blistering Round 2 (32 laps!), but lows hit when he dropped to fourth in Round 3. Jason Euchner and Chris Simmons fought valiantly for podium spots, but Jario Rodriguez’s distant fifth highlighted the class’s brutality. The close racing? Look no further than the A-Main, where Jake and Brian finished within 4 seconds – a heartbeat in Mini-Z time – after qualifiers where top spots flipped like pancakes.
2500 Lipo Spec: Battery-Powered Bedlam
Things heated up in 2500 Lipo Spec, where power met precision. Nick Williams clinched the A-Main with 34 laps, but Chris Simmons was hot on his tail, matching laps but trailing by just 2 seconds – that’s closer than a bad haircut! Highs included Nick’s stellar Qualifier 3 (35 laps!), while lows struck Brian Godwin mid-Round 3, plummeting to 19 laps after early promise. Eric Murray and Jake Tuel kept the pack honest, with Jake’s 32-lap finish in the main showcasing resilience. Close calls? The top three in qualifiers often separated by single laps, turning every corner into a potential upset.
3500 Lipo: The Grand Finale of Fireworks
Saving the best (and fastest) for last, 3500 Lipo was pure adrenaline. Nick Williams owned it with back-to-back 34-lap qualifiers and an A-Main win, but Brian Godwin pushed him to the brink, finishing second by a razor-thin 0.5 seconds in the main! Highs: Nick’s consistent sub-10-second laps. Lows: Jake Tuel’s DNF after 24 laps – ouch, but what a fight! Chris Simmons grabbed third despite a DNS in Round 1, proving comebacks are real. The close racing here was legendary: Qualifier 3 saw Nick and Brian trading 34 and 33 laps, with average times differing by fractions – a true testament to Mini-Z mastery.
In the end, Chris Simmons emerged as the unofficial “King of the Track” with podiums across four classes, racking up versatility points like a pro gamer. But shoutout to all drivers, including our very own Jake Tuel, for bringing the heat and building Iowa’s Mini-Z community. With practice sessions buzzing the day before and awards flying post-mains, this event wasn’t just racing – it was a celebration of speed, strategy, and those “almost” moments that keep us coming back.
If you’re itching for more Mini-Z mayhem, mark your calendars for future Iowa Racing Club events. Who knows? Next time, the highs could be yours!