Red RC » Xray

December 22, 2023

Senesi leaves Xray

1:8 GT Specialist and World Championship finalist Natanaele Senesi has announced he is leaving Xray after just one year with the Slovakian manufacturer. Taking the GTX8 to fourth place having topped a round of qualifying at the recent World Championship in Sydney, Australia, the Italian had done a lot of own development work on the car and appears this is one of the reasons for both parties having decided not to continue into 2024. On his social media he posted, ‘Here it ends. After only one year with XRAY both the company and I have decided to parts away. I think that this season we really showed the potential of the cars, but after trying to develop and doing my best to improve the car even more I found myself very tight in the team. For this reason I decided to not continue with the brand and move on. In this cases you should ready “stay tuned for an announcement”, but no announcement this time since I decide to don’t team up with any brand that knocked at my door. What does this mean? Well… stay tuned to discover on what we are working. Now I need to rest and prepare for the next season. Cheers Guys!’

Source: Natanaele Senesi [Facebook]

December 15, 2023

Xray XB4 ’24 4WD Buggy

Xray has officially unveiled its latest 1:10 4WD Buggy, the XB4 ’24. Key features of the latest kit release from the 2-time World Champions of the category include a redesigned chassis which offers short and long configurations to adjust wheelbase and weight balance to match any track conditions. Front & Rear LSM arms in Medium composite provide better crash durability and are suitable for all conditions. The Steering Blocks & C-hubs are also moulded from new medium composite hardness for extra reliability and crash resistance. The XB4 ’24 gets new rear uprights that provides a lowered roll centre positions to improve stability and reduce suspension collapse in high speed corners. All-new big bore 13.2mm shock design features new shock bodies, 2.0 and 2.5mm piston choices, shock caps, nuts and shock shafts. The front shock tower gets wider positions increasing the set-up adjustment range for different track conditions while the rear shock tower with lowered shock positions improves roll characteristics and increases cornering speed. Available in a Dirt and Carpet edition kit the front and rear differentials on the XB4C use steel satellite gears for improved efficiency and increased lifespan. Finally a new ‘Lush’ rear wing with significantly increased lifespan improves airflow and maintains chassis attitude over large jumps while improving traction in all conditions.

View the full XB4’24 presentation here

December 14, 2023

Xray X4’24 Alu Flex Chassis 1.5mm – Swiss 7075 T6

Xray have released a special 1.5mm thick aluminium chassis with unique flex characteristics generates more overall traction and improves steering on its X4’24 Electric Touring Car. Suitable for low to medium traction carpet conditions, as well as high traction asphalt tracks. The narrow chassis is 84mm wide with tapered bottom edge of the chassis to reduce contact between the chassis and the ground during cornering to improve speed. Specially CNC-machined countersunk screws from HUDY Spring Steel #913305 (M3x5), #913308 (M3x8) and #913312 (M3x12) must be used to make the assembly possible.

Source: Xray [teamxray.com]

December 13, 2023

’23 1:12 World Championship Chassis Focus Index

Last weekend 1:12 concluded the 2023 IFMAR World Championship calendar in Cocoa, Florida. While the entry may have been small, at the front of the field things were ultra competitive as some of the biggest names in the sport battled it out to win the smallest scale and the original electric World Championship. A beautifully presented track, Beachline Raceway was the battle ground with the TQ going to Awesomatix’ Kemp Anderson ahead of Marc Rheinard and Michal Orlowski – each taking 2 TQ runs from the six rounds. In the finals we witnessed next level driving skills as painted was swapped in battle before Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski finally became a World Champion. In 1:12 Spec, Awesomatx’ Max Machler did the double taking the TQ and the manufacturer’s first ever World title. With the Schumacher team running a different front end on their car specifically to suit the black carpet in use, we didn’t get to take our traditional ‘World Champion Chassis Focus’. Over the event however we did however photograph 10 cars from four of the six different manufacturers represented at the 21st running of the championship and we have compiled them all here in our latest Chassis Focus index.

View Chassis Focus Index here

December 5, 2023

‘Preparations for Worlds has to be exceptional to win’ – Alexander Hagberg

IFMAR’s original electric World Championship takes place in Florida this week where the 21st Champion will decided among a small but ultra competitive field. One of those drivers who will be vying for success is Alexander Hagberg who, as one of the great specialists of the category, is also one who holds a membership to one of RC racing’s most elite clubs. In 2014 he claimed his first World title when he won 1:10 Nitro Touring Car in Thailand, and then in 2018 he took the sport’s biggest prize in 1:12 in South Africa. As the reigning European 1:12 Champion, equalling David Spashett’s record of 8 titles when he won in April of this year, it is fair to say he isn’t going into these Worlds on the back of a run of impressive form since.

Continue reading here

December 5, 2023

Offroad talent Bajusz joins Xray Factory team

Xray has announced that up & coming offroad talent Zsolt Bajusz will be part of the Xray Factory team from 2024. The multiple Hungarian National Champion will race the Slovakian manufacturer’s XB2, XB4, XB8 and XB8E platforms. Commenting on the news Bajusz said, ‘It is with great pleasure and excitement that I announce that I am joining the Xray factory team. I am very grateful for the opportunity to join the Xray team. It is a dream come true to join this professional team. I am looking forward to the races and I will try to do my best both on and off the track. Thanks to Martin Bayer, Mario Hudy, Juraj Hudy and the whole Xray team for this opportunity.’

Source: Xray [teamxray.com]

November 28, 2023

Tessmann dropped by Xray

Former 1:8 Buggy World Champion Ty Tessmann has announced he has been dropped by Xray and their US distributor RC America. The Canadian driver will depart after a 7-year stint with the Slovakian manufacturer whom he joined after a lengthy stint with Hot Bodies. Posting confirmation of the much rumoured news, fuelled by the recent signing of his former HB team-mate David Ronnefalk, on his social media, Tessmann said, ‘There have been a lot of rumors about my future with Xray. For the last 7 years I have raced for and been committed to Xray and RC America, my Dad and I helped develop the Xray offroad cars, and grow the Xray brand in North America, and we have had a lot of successes over the last 7 years with their cars’. Listing his achievements with the brand which included the TQ & 2nd at the 2018 1:8 World Championships in Australia, he continued, ‘That being said I will not be continuing with Xray for 2024 and beyond, this was not my choice, but Xray and RC America have decided to not renew my contract. I would like to thank Xray and RC America for the opportunity and support over the past 7 years. Stay tuned for an announcement on what 2024 holds for me.’

Source: Ty Tessmann [Facebook]

November 26, 2023

Hebert wins U.S. Indoor Champs

Canada’s Keven Hebert is the Modified Touring Car Champion of the 43rd running of the U.S. Indoor Champs Presented by Hobbywing. The Xray took the win at the Cleveland, Ohio, classic having earlier secured the TQ for the single A-Main. From the front he would set the fastest lap of the race to lead home the Awesomatix of former multiple World Champion Marc Rheinard, the separation 0.816 at the end of the 5-minutes. Starting from P3 on the grid Rheinard’s team-mate & 2022 Champion Sam Isaacs completed the podium ahead of the Xray of Alexander Hagberg. Double champion of last year’s event, Isaacs would retain his 1:12 title securing the TQ and victory with wins in the opening two encounters of the triple A-Mains. Winning A3, Kemp Anderson took second overall with Rheinard making it an all Awesomatix podium. Hebert would be best of the rest for Xray in P4 ahead of team-mate Hagberg.

Image: RCAmerica [Facebook]