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May 20, 2024

Butterfield doubles at ROAR Onroad Nitro Nationals

Serpent’s Bryce Butterfield completed a title double at the 2024 ROAR Onroad Nitro Nationals regaining his 1:10 title he lost last year and adding the 1:8 title to his CV. With rain reducing track time at the Tri-State Radio Controlled Auto Racers hosted event in Ohio, in qualifying for 1:10 200mm Butterfield would top 2 of the 3 rounds to secure the TQ from the Infinity of DJ Apolaro and the Serpent of defending champion Jose Almonte P3. In 1:8 again it was Butterfield with the TQ from the Mugen Seiki of Ralph Burch and Apolaro. In the 1:10 final, with Apolaro going out early Butterfield would take a convincing win from David Dunn. Also a 45-minute encounter, in 1:8 Apolaro would lead the first half of the race with Birch an early retirement. Posting the fastest lap of the race however Butterfield would hit the front in the second half to do the double taking the title with a 2-lap advantage over Apolaro with Joachim Bruneau completing the podium.

Image: Bryce Butterfield [Facebook]

May 20, 2024

Ongaro wins Italian Nationals second round

Having taken maximum points from the opening round of the AMSCI Italian 1:8 Buggy National Championship held in March, defending Champion Davide Ongaro extended his points lead with a repeat victory at Round 2. Attracting 67 entries, it was to be a very challenging weekend for the host club Nitro Buggy Genzone as the event started with Friday’s practice being cancelled after heavy rain flooded the track. Preparing the track for a Saturday morning start having pumped out the water the club was dealt a second blow when they arrived Saturday morning to discover thieves had stolen equipment and catering supplies. Despite the incident, the club did manage to get the event underway with Ongaro’s Team Associated securing the TQ, after topping 2 of the 4 rounds, from Sworkz’s Mattia Polito and WIRC Racing’s Marco Baruffolo who topped one round each. After the Semi finals it was Polito who lined up on pole for the 45-minute final ahead of Ongaro, WIRC’s Andrea Trevisan and Infinity’s Riccardo Bertin. Over the race, the order would settle into a repeat of the season opener with Ongaro taking the win from Polito after a close battle with WIRC Racing’s Marco Baruffolo again completing the podium.

Image: Riccardo Verardo [Facebook]

May 16, 2024

Brazilian Nitro Onroad Nationals Round 1 – Report

The first round of the 2024 Brazilian Nitro Onroad Nationals was held in Florianópolis, SC, Brazil, recently. Despite delays caused by heavy rains in the area which decreased practice times for all participants, the finals happened on Sunday under much desired sunny weather. With record attendance for such an event after an ongoing economic downturn and some long term effects of the pandemic on the closure of many tracks and shops, the event was a success, with 46 registered drivers including two from Argentina as well. The event was divided in four categories; 1:8 GT, 1:8 Onroad and 1:10 Touring Car, the latter divided in two grids of Sport and Racer. Sport designated for rookies while the Racer category was for seasoned drivers.

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May 15, 2024

Thurston makes it 2 from 2 in BRCA 1:8 Onroad C/ship

Alex Thurston continued his impressive 2024 season form making it 2 from 2 at the second round of the BRCA British 1:8 Onroad Nationals held at Adur over the weekend. Winner of the season opener at the Cotswolds track last month, Thurston took his Ielasi Tuned powered YMC Racing Mugen Seiki to the top of the times in all four qualifier and starting from the TQ went on to win the final by 2 and a half laps setting the fastest lap in the process. As at Round 1 of the 7 round Championship, reigning Champion Tim Wood was again on the podium but this time down in P3 behind team-mate & new Team Shepherd owner David Spashett who went from pitman at season opener to racer at Round 2 to claim a second place. Currently Thurston leads three National Championships – 1:8 Onroad, 1:10 200mm Nitro Touring Car and the 1:10 Electric Touring Car having secured his first ever National win in the class at the season opener a weekend earlier.

Image: Alex Thurston [Facebook]

May 14, 2024

Raiola crowned Italian 1:10 Nitro Touring Champion

Infinity’s Carmine Raiola was the crowned the 2024 AMSCI Italian National 1:10 Nitro Touring Champion over the weekend at the Roger Track 2.0 in Marigliano. Qualifying for the title race would see Raiola secure the TQ, after topping 3 of the four rounds, ahead of team-mate Dario Balestri. An impressive qualifying performance by the BMT of Ciro Mollo would secure him third on the grid for the 45-minute final. Continuing his form into final setting the fastest lap, Raiola would cruise to victory over the Xray of Mario Spiniello by almost 2-laps, Spiniello having a strong final having qualified P9. Unfortunately for Balestri and Mollo their races would end prematurely, the pair making contact and eventually retiring within 1-minute of each other as the race entered the final 5-minutes. In the end it was the Xray of Francesco Pierella which completed the podium. In the Sport Category, it was Ciro Borrelli who took the title also driving an IF15-2.

Image: Carmine Riola [Facebook]

May 14, 2024

Boots gets first win of BRCA title defence

Round 2 of the BRCA 1:8 Nitro Buggy British National Championship took place in Shrewsbury over the weekend where Sworkz’s Elliott Boots registered the first win of his title defence. In qualifying it was the Xray of season opener winner Jonathan Skidmore who would take TQ just as he did at Round 1 with Boots 2nd and the Team Associated of Neil Cragg third. In the Semi Finals, the event would come to an early finish for Skidmore who misjudged the back step up, brushed the wooden board and broke the car just 5 laps in. With Boots winning his Semi final he took up pole position for the final ahead of the WIRC of Lewis Jones, Cragg and Michael Lewis. Just as the 45-minute final had started Boots hit trouble. A flameout caused by a stone on Lap 1 meant he was in the pits and despite the fast reactions of his pitman, the former European Champion found himself rejoining 2-laps down. Making a charge back through the field, with 8-minutes to go he had worked his way back to the front eventually crossing the finish line 2-laps clear of Cragg with the HB of Graham Alsop completing the podium. A five round championship, Brookthorpe is the next stop for drivers with the third round taking on June 15/16.

Image: Elliott Boots [Facebook]

May 13, 2024

2024 IFMAR 1:10 Nitro Touring World Championship – Stage 1 Report

The Stage 1 Report for the IFMAR 1:10 Nitro Touring World Championship which takes place later this year in Costa Rica has been published. The event is scheduled to take place at the Mini Autodromo La Cruces track from November 14-24 and will mark the 10th running of the championship. Expected to be supported strongly by drivers from across Central and South America, it appears the classes declining popularity and the duration of the race, 9 days of track time, mean international entries could be limited. Red RC reached out to a number of manufacturers regarding their attendance plans with two responding that they are still undecided on whether they will send drivers. One manufacturer confirmed that they will not be sending any official factory drivers from either its Japanese, European or American teams. Infinity are the reigning champions thanks to Tadahiko Sahashi win in Thailand in 2022. The team enjoyed a dominant performance in Bangkok filling 9 of the 10 spots, Capricorn the only other brand in the final at RC Addict. After such a result and also winning the title at the previous Worlds with Naoto Matuskura, the Japanese manufacturer has little to prove by attending with a large team. EFRA has reportedly received interest from around 10 drivers seeking to attend the race. Having covered the last 7 runnings of the 1:10 Nitro Touring World Championships, it is Red RC’s intentions to travel to Costa Rica to report on the race. View Stage 1 Report by clicking here.

Source: EFRA [Facebook]

May 12, 2024

IFMAR 2024 1:8 Offroad World C/ship Stage 1 Report

The organisers of the 2024 IFMAR 1:8 Offroad World Championship to be hosted at the RC-Redován circuit in Spain have published the Stage 1 report for the 19th running of the Championship. At the end of March, the impressive track which hosted the previous World Championship in 2022 was announced as a late replacement venue just a week after the originally selected hosts Brazil announced it would be unable to run the event for the FAMAR Bloc. Since then, the well known Baldo brother’s family have been busy making preparations once again for hosting the sport’s biggest race. Executing an excellent World Championship in 2022, where Davide Ongaro defended his title win from four years earlier in Australia, the Stage 1 Report contains important and useful information for the capacity entry that will descend on the track in early September. One big announcement from the report is that former EFRA President Javier Garcia will be Race Director.

View Stage Report here