Round 2 of the inaugural JConcepts Outdoor National Series (ONS) came to Adrenaline RC Racing in Winchester, Virginia and what a weekend it turned out to be. From a race track that almost didn't exist to three rounds of competitive 1/10 scale 2WD Modified Buggy qualifying, here's everything that went down.
What Is the JConcepts Outdoor National Series?
The ONS is a brand-new series for the 2025 season, presented by JConcepts and operated by the Elite RC crew. The goal is simple: bring fun, competitive 1/10 scale outdoor racing back on natural, loose dirt tracks. Adrenaline RC was selected as Track #2 of the series — a huge honor for our Winchester facility and a testament to the quality of our outdoor course.
Track Prep: A Race Against the Rain
Getting the outdoor track ready for this event was nothing short of an adventure. Within days of finishing our last 1/8 scale race, we fired up the Bobcat, tore down the previous layout, and had a brand-new track built in roughly 2–3 days. Then the sky opened up.
It rained — and kept raining — right up until the night before the event. With the outdoor track soaked and muddy, we had a backup plan ready: the indoor track was freshly repainted, tilled, and on standby just in case. But when we got up that morning, the outdoor surface had soaked up the rain like a champ. The transformation from the night before was remarkable.
Starting at 6:30 AM, our crew — including factory driver Lee Setser — got to work. We laid down a ton of peat moss to pull moisture out of the soft spots, finished all the pipe work, and had the track race-ready by 9:45 AM. Drivers were on track by 11:30 AM. What looked impossible just hours earlier came together perfectly.
Lee designed a more traditional, old-school style layout — flowing and fun without oversized jumps, which was exactly the right call for a loose, loamy surface. The Elite crew, who had initially staged everything indoors, tore it all down and reset it outside once the weather cooperated. Both crews absolutely killed it.
The Rental Ride: A 22X Mod 2WD Buggy
Here's the thing — I'm primarily an 1/8 scale racer. I don't own a 1/10 scale vehicle. So for this event, I was incredibly grateful to my good buddy Ryan Harris, who let me race his fully built 22X in mod configuration. I even rented the wheels and tires for the weekend. The only change I made was swapping in my own receiver — everything else was Ryan's setup, including some seriously clean wiring work.
This was my first time behind the wheel of a 2WD buggy on a loose, natural surface since roughly 2017–2018 (B5M/early B6 days, for those keeping track). Needless to say, the rust was real — but so was the fun.
Thursday Practice: Finding Our Feet
Practice day brought a solid learning curve. We started on Double D rears and Rip fronts, but quickly discovered that the rib-style fronts made the car overly aggressive and rolled too much in the corners. Switching both ends to Double D's immediately smoothed things out — less initial steering aggression, better overall balance, and no need to touch the geometry.
Lap times came down noticeably with that tire change. The main areas to gain: a hesitation through the rear chicane and inconsistency on the left-side tabletop, which the fast guys were jumping cleanly. We weren't quite there yet — but we were close.
Qualifying Round 1: Clean Racing, One Costly Bobble
With entry counts around 240+, racing got underway Saturday morning at 9:00 AM with a three-round qualifying format. Round 1 had a randomized heat sort — you never know who you'll end up racing against.
We ran the Double D's and had a genuinely solid race, holding P2 or P3 for most of the run. Then came a costly moment: got held up by a lapper on the second-to-last lap, lost about 2.5 seconds, and then fumbled in the second-to-last turn on the final lap. Not ideal — but we came away with a 5th place finish and solid qualifying points for Round 1.
For Round 2, we mounted up a fresh set of Sprinters — a tire pattern I had never run before — as the track was cleaning up and grip levels were climbing fast.
Qualifying Round 2: Fast Early, Traction Roll Issues Late
Round 2 started strong. We were sitting P3 for most of the race on the fresh Sprinters. Then the tires broke in, the track gripped up, and the car started rolling more than we wanted — especially on corner exit at the end of the front straight, where it traction-rolled completely.
Two mistakes cost us positions. The setup that worked earlier in the weekend when grip was low was now working against us. Too much roll, too loose of a diff — things that felt like features on Thursday were now bugs on Saturday.
Between rounds, we made chassis changes: reduced rear sway bar spacing from 4mm to 2mm to flatten out the roll, tightened up the diff, and went stiffer on the shock oil. All of it done in the window between our race and Round 3 going live.
Qualifying Round 3: Dialing It In
With the car changes in place, Round 3 was about validating the setup work and driving clean laps. The results from the board showed Lee Setser dominant at the top — running a 12-lap, 5:20 — with Spencer Rivkin, Ryan, Chad Due, and the rest of the field close behind. Competition was fierce throughout the mod class, with Maifield, Rivkin, and Setser all on hand making for a stacked field.
The goal for the final round was simple: hit the marks, drive consistently, and prove the setup changes made a difference. With two rounds of hard data to learn from, this is exactly the kind of racing the ONS series is designed for — progression, fun, and getting back to the roots of 1/10 scale outdoor RC.
Final Thoughts on ONS Round 2 at Adrenaline RC
Hosting the JConcepts Outdoor National Series was an incredible experience. Between the weather drama, an early morning track rescue mission, and the actual racing — it was the kind of weekend that reminds you why this hobby is so great.
Shoutout to the Elite crew for their flexibility and professionalism, to Lee Setser for getting the track dialed in and helping make the morning work, and to Ryan Harris for lending me a truly excellent piece of equipment to race.
If you want to see the full race footage, overhead cam laps, and all the pit wall commentary, watch the full video on our YouTube channel and subscribe so you don't miss the next one.
Want to get set up for your own 1/10 scale outdoor program? Shop Adrenaline RC Racing — we carry JConcepts tires and accessories, same-day shipping from Virginia, and our team knows what works on real dirt.