July 3, 2024

2025 Charity Race – Announcement

Having raised thousands of euros for local charities since its inception, the organisers of the annual Charity Race in Italy has announced a new earlier date for the 2025 edition of the popular Electric Touring Car event.  Organised each year by ASD Team La Gang, the Charity Race will take place on January 11/12 at the RC Landia indoor carpet track in Scandiano.  Having clashed with the legendary TITC in Bangkok, Thailand, this year, the earlier running of the 2025 edition should boost the number of factory drivers in attendance.  Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski has won the past two editions of the race which over the years since beginning in 2010 counts reigning World Champion Bruno Coelho and former Champions Marc Rheinard, Ronald Volker and Alexander Hagberg among its winners.  The club are always keen to highlight the main goal of the race stating, ‘Remember, this race is all about giving back!  All proceeds will be donated to support children in need.  Join us for a fun-filled weekend of racing while making a positive impact on the lives of these youngsters.’

Source: Team La Gang [teamlagang.it]


July 2, 2024

Thurston makes it 4 out of 4 at British Nationals

Alex Thurston’s impressive 2024 BRCA 1:8 Onroad British National Championship season continued as he made it four from four at the Halifax track over the weekend.  In qualifying it was the Shepherd of reigning Champion Tim Wood who secured the TQ with the fastest time from the four rounds of qualifying.  1.2-seconds off the new nitro track record set by Wood, Thurston would line up P2 for the half hour final with his YMC Racing Mugen Seiki with Karl Dransfield’s Shepherd completing the Top 3.  A great battle between Wood & Thurston would see the championship leader eventually coming out on top with Wood just holding off team-mate Dransfield.  The win puts Thurston on 402 points out of a potential maximum of 404.  With three rounds still remaining, and 5 to count, Thurston will be aiming to get the title wrapped up at the fifth round at Wombwell on August 3/4th.  Wood won in Wombley last year en route to the title but a year early it was Thurston who took the win at South Yorkshire track.

Image: Alex Thurston [Facebook]


July 1, 2024

Hall defends British 4WD title with Rd 4 double win

Team Associated’s Tommy Hall has successfully defended his BRCA British 4WD Buggy National Championship title with his fourth consecutive win of the 2024 season.  Winning the title for the first time last year at the penultimate round, Hall got the job done a round earlier this time round as he took the win at the fourth round hosted by Bury Metro Radio Car Club.  Qualifying 2nd behind team-mate Thomas Phipps, who claimed his first ever Nationals TQ, Hall took the opening two A2 mains to secure the win and put the title beyond the reach of his rivals.   With Phipps second, the Xray of 3rd place qualifier Jonny Skidmore completed the Round 4 podium.  The day before his title win, Saturday’s wet 2WD action would also see Hall come away with victory.  Qualifying third behind reigning Champion Neil Cragg and Top Qualifier Ben Smith, Hall managed to take A1 & A3 to deny Smith and take his second win of the season while Cragg, winner of the season opener, completed the podium.  With two rounds remaining, Hall holds a 2-point championship advantage over Smith with Cragg a further point behind.

Image: Racewayone [racewayone.com]


July 1, 2024

Harper wins BRCA Round 3 at Adur

Schumacher’s Elliot Harper has won the third round of the BRCA 1:10 Electric Touring Car British National Championship.   Having lead a Schumacher 1-2 at the previous round last month at West London, Harper this time lead an all Mi9 podium at the Adur track with Andy Murray second and Chris Grainger 3rd.  In qualifying it was Harper who took the TQ ahead of Grainger but a p5 in A1 would allow Murray to demote him one place over the double A-Mains.  In 13.5T it was also victory for Schumacher with top international 1:12 racer Ollie Payne taking the TQ and win ahead of young Charlie Colby and Billy Fletcher.  The penultimate stop of the 5 round British Nationals travels to Stafford on August 3/4.

Image: Schumacher [Facebook]


July 1, 2024

Catanzani wins Italian National Constructor C/ship

Factory Serpent driver Andrea Catanzani took the win at the AMSCI Italian National Constructor Championship which took place in Gubbio over the weekend.  Racing at the always immaculately presented multiple World Championship host Club Automodellistico 5 Colli track, qualifying would see the Xray of Luca Romagnoli secure the TQ on tiebreak with Catanzani, both drivers posting two TQ runs each over the four rounds. Capricorn’s Mirko Salemi would complete the Top 3.  In the 45-minute final, the opening 10-minutes saw good battle as Romagnoli lead the way closely chased by Catanzani and Salemi.  Having got to the front unfortunately Salemi would eventually have to retire from the race leaving Catanzani who set the fastest lap of the race to take the win by 2/3rd of a lap over Romagnoli.  Having qualified P9, the Mugen Seiki of Massimo Aliprandi would come through to complete the podium ahead of the Serpent of Mattia Collavo.  In the Sport Category young Mugen Seiki talent Luca Betti took both the TQ and the win.

Image: Club Automodellistico 5 Colli [Facebook]


June 30, 2024

Kato & Kaino crowned JMRCA National Champions

Team Associated pairing Kouki Kato and Yui Kaino took the titles at this year’s JMRCA 1:10 Electric Offroad Japanese National Championships.  Returning to the indoor RC Park Gojo track where he won both the 2WD and 4WD Buggy titles last year, 18-year-old Kato would secure the TQ in 2WD after topping 2 of the 3 rounds of qualifying with team-mate Yui Kaino topping Q3 to secure P2 on the grid.   In 4WD qualifying the pair switched order with fastest times in Q1 & Q3 giving 2022 2WD Champion Kaino the TQ.  In the finals Kato successfully defended his 2WD title with wins in the opening two A-Mains while in 4WD Kaino regained the title as he also won the opening two encounters.  In both categories the podiums were completed by Xray drivers with third place going to Shoya Yamazaki in 2WD and Nana Kaiho 4WD.

Image: Kouki Kato [Facebook]


June 30, 2024

Orlowski wins European C/ship Warm-up Race

The Warm-up Race for this year’s EFRA Electric Touring Car European Championships took place over the weekend with Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski taking the win ahead of reigning Champion Bruno Coelho.  Racing at the Roeselare track in Belgium, which hosts the 23rd running of the European Championships for the category on August 23-25, it was the very much on-form Orlowski who secured the TQ on tiebreaker as he and Coelho had two fastest runs each over the four qualifiers.  Marc Rheinard would complete the Top 3 for Awesomatix ahead of the Mugen Seiki of the championship’s most successful driver 6-time Champion Ronald Volker.  In the finals, Orlowski took the first A-Main from Coelho but in A2 it was the Portuguese Xray driver, who will chase a record breaking four titles in a row,  that took the win from Orlowski who has yet to hold the title.  In A3 however Orlowski got the win for the overall victory ahead of Coelho with the Awesomatix of 5th place qualifier Lucas Urbain completing the Top with Yokomo’s Antoine Brunet missing the podium on tie break.  In Stock, top Belgian driver & 2022 Champion Olivier Bultynck had the perfect weekend taking the TQ and victory for Awesomatix over team-mate Lukas Ellerbrock.

Image: Michal Orlowski [Facebook]


June 26, 2024

Brazilian Paulista Championship Round 2 – Report

The 2nd Round of Paulista Championship took place recently at AARC Speedway in Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil where a large number of racers energised the scene in the country, with many surprises and the consolidation of a new generation of racers.  In the 1:8 Onroad it was well known international racer Flavio Elias and his Capricorn that led the race from start to finish, breaking the record for the fastest lap at AARC Speedway with 14.021 seconds.  Behind the multiple champion, the Mugen Seiki of Pedro Fausto delivered a consistent performance, handling his car to second spot while the similar car of Marcos Pinheiro completed the podium despite some difficulties.  In 1:10 young João Dulac took the win.  The 8-year-old Capricorn driver, who is the son of international 1:8 racer Eduardo Dulac, amazed everyone with his skill and consistency, taking advantage of opponents’ mistakes to win the race.  Setting a new lap record for the 1:10 category at AARC Speedway, 15.867 seconds, Cesar Salvador took his KM Racing chassis to second while Issao Takara overcame significant overgrip challenges late in the race to secure third place.  In 1:8 GT Final Hernan Uner took his WIRC Racing chassis to victory with consistency and strategic overtakes, using the Senesi GT engine tuned by Jefferson Elias.  Behind him the Hong Nor of Cesar Passaretti, the Top Qualifier in 1:10, took second place with Top Qualifier Sandro Cabrera driving a WIRC completing the podium having set a new fastest for the category around the track.  The event highlighted the high level of competitiveness and emerging talent in Brazilian RC motorsport.

View 1:10 and GT podium here