August 4, 2010

Futaba 1/8 Electric challenge – Announcement

Futaba 1/8 Electric challenge - Announcement

The organisers of the 2010 Futaba 1/8 Electric challenge were in touch to tell us about this exciting two day competition will take place on August 28 at RJD Hobbies in Lincoln, Illinois and on August 29 at JTec Raceway in Tilton Illinois. The event lasts for two days but only one entry fee is required. The best will win the cash and merchandise but all pre registered drivers will take home a free event t-shirt and goody bag. Open for 4 classes of 1/8th scale competition that include Pro 1/8th electric buggy and truggy and Sportsman 1/8th electric buggy and truggy.

More information can be found here.


August 3, 2010

Nacho López wins Valladolid 1/8th National

Nacho López wins Valladolid 1/8th National

The 1/8th scale Spanish national championship moved to Valladolid last weekend and front running Serpent driver Nacho López sent us the following report. We arrived to Valladolid on Friday before lunch, with many new things to test such as W2 Rear uprights, link set for the radio-tray, and other setup changes in order to adapt the car to the sinuous track of Valladolid. Another important issue of this track was the tyre wear! With new tyres, if we pushed hard the life of the tyres were from 15 to 18 minutes. Anyway, after the two firsts fuel tanks I had good sensations and the car worked very well. The rest of the Friday we were testing minor changes in the car and different engines. We changed from Zytec V1 to Zytec V2 with a big improvement in my laptimes! So we ended the free practice day happy with the setup and also with the engine.

Continue reading the report here


August 1, 2010

Ralph Burch is World Champion

Ralph Burch is World Champion

He was last after the first corner but Ralph Burch didn’t let the opening drama get to him as the Texan climbed his way back through the field to take a convincing victory at the Gulf Coast Raceway to become the 2010 Nitro Touring Car World Champion. Starting from fourth on the gird, the 43-year-old American got spun out at the first corner and was hit by most of the pursuing field dropping him down to tail of the pack. Taking a few laps to regain his composure he set about a stunning recovery that would see him hit the front just before 10-minutes after a thrilling battle with the then leader Marc Rheinard and the sensation of these championships Takumi Matsuda.

View our full event coverage here.


July 31, 2010

2010 World Final Grid finalised

2010 World Final Grid finalised

The second of the Semi Finals has seen another of Japan’s super quick teenagers take victory even with his Novarossi powered Mugen suffering a late flame out.  Takehiro Terauchi won the race with the fastest of time of the two Semi’s recording the only 100 lapper to finish ahead of European Champion Dirk Wischnewski.  The race saw three of the last World Championship finalist eliminated with Paul Lemieux and Christopher Tosolini both running out of fuel.  Getting back into the race they managed to battle their way back to finish 3rd and 4th respectively but with faster race times in the earlier Semi it is Team Shepherd’s Marc Rheinard and Australian Champion Philip Woodbury who get the final two places in the Main.

View our full event coverage here.


July 31, 2010

Euro Touring Series announce 2010/2011 schedule

Euro Touring Series announce 2010/2011 schedule

Although its less than two weeks since the climax of the 2009/2010 Euro Touring Series, the organisers of the hugely popular electric Touring Car Championship have already announced the schedule for season number 4. Coming off the back of an ultra successful third series, that saw almost 600 drivers register points, the ETS will once again be run over six rounds and visit five different countries.

View the full 2010/11 calendar here.


July 30, 2010

Joseph Quagraine wins Day 1 of Nitrocross Championship

Joseph Quagraine wins Day 1 of Nitrocross Championship

Joseph Quagraine has won the first day of the Nitrocross Championship in Finland, an event run alongside the Finnish round of the World Rally Championships. In an exciting final Ari Heinonen took second and Jarno Siltanen third. “I haven’t previously driven on this surface with my car. It has been challenging to find the right setup” said Quagraine who is one of the first Finnish manufacturers of RC cars. The final turned to advantage for Quagraine, when runner up driver Heinonen began to suffer drive train problems. “It has been tough with Heinonen during the day. I have to be able to win tomorrow too if I want to take overall win” says Quagraine who is pleased with his effort today. Tomorrow will see the second race in the Nitrocross Championship driven and is similar to today’s, so there will be controlled practice, qualifying, heats and then final.

View some more images here


July 30, 2010

Pietsch is Top Qualifier in Texas

Pietsch is Top Qualifier in Texas

Robert Pietsch has become only the second driver to TQ both nitro onroad World Championships after he was declared Top Qualifier for the IFMAR 1/10th 200mm World Championship at Gulf Coast Raceway in Houston, Texas, late tonight.  Held under flood lights the fifth and final round of qualifying failed to see anyone better the time set in Q4 by the factory Mugen driver who last year was the Top Qualifier at the 1:8 Worlds in Switzerland.

View our full event coverage here.


July 30, 2010

Pietsch ends Japanese rule in Texas

Pietsch ends Japanese rule in Texas

He was the Top Qualifier at the 1:8 World Championship last year and now Robert Pietsch is on target to repeat that achievement in 1:10 having just set the fastest run in the penultimate round of qualifying here at Gulf Coast Raceway. The factory Mugen driver ran 35 laps in 10:14.072 to move into provisional pole from factory Kyosho driver Takaaki Shimo who also broke into the 35 laps for the first time.  The German, who was on a TQ run in the third qualifier until he stripped second gear, said his MTX-4R was again really good but at the start of the run he didn’t feel the track conditions were good enough for a TQ run until he heard his lap times.  Pietsch said while his car is not the fastest in terms of lap times it is very consistent and unlike many of his rivals, run time with his factory Novarossi is no problem.

View our full event coverage here.