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March 14, 2024

Matrix announced as 1:8 Onroad European C/ship tyre

Italian tyre manufacturer Matrix has been announced as the official tyre supplier for this year’s EFRA 1:8 Onroad European Championship. The 22nd running of the Championship, the category an evolution of the European Federation’s original European Championship, reigning World Champion Dario Balestri will aim to defend his European title on September 18-21 when the championship is hosted at the Miniautodromo Locorotondo track in Southern Italy. Infinity driver Balestri secured his third 1:8 Onroad European title in Portugal last year ahead of Mugen’s Simon Kurzbuch and the Capricorn of Top Qualifier & 1:10 European Champion Toni Gruber. Miniautodromo Locorotondo peviously hosted the Championship in 2010 where Robert Pietsch took the victory for Mugen ahead of Balestri, then driving for Motonica, and the Kyosho of Lamberto Collari.

Source: Miniautodromo Locorotondo [Facebook]

March 13, 2024

Neumann to lead Sworkz effort at Philippine Masters

Having won the Truggy title at the Philippine Masters last year with Micha Widmaier, Sworkz will be pinning their hopes on Joern Neumann this year at what has become Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race. With Widmaier also finishing runner-up to World Champion Davide Ongaro in the 1-hour Buggy Final, this will be Neumann’s first time to the very 3D Circulo Verde offroad track in the capital city of Manila. The German joins Kyosho’s Ryan Lutz and Sparko’s Ryan Pavidis as the latest international entry for what will be the 12th edition of the race. A race that has a unique vibe that lives up to the nation’s tourism tagline ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’, many of the large international entry combining the race with holidays at the country’s world famous white sand beaches, on the news of his entry Neumann said, “Finally the Philippine Masters fits in my schedule and I am looking forward to racing at this beautiful track. Super excited to meet everyone and it should be a fun race.” The Philippine Masters is the second round of the ambitious Asian Buggy Championship which having already visited New Zealand will also have rounds in Australia and Indonesia.

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

March 12, 2024

Andy Bishop wins Large Scale Pre-Worlds

This year’s IFMAR Large Scale World Championship hosts New South Wales Radio Controlled Racing Car Club held their Pre-Worlds Race over the weekend where it was the MCD chassis of Andy Bishop that took the win. Having hosted a hugely successful IFMAR 1:8 GT World Championship in October, this year the John Grant International Raceway in Sydney, Australia, will be that battle ground for the 12th running of RC Racing’s biggest scale World Championship category on October 20th to 27th. Due to the location of this year’s championship with many of its top drivers coming from Europe, the Pre-Worlds Race was dominated by local racers and in qualifying it was Mectech driver Andrew Shapland who took the overall TQ ahead of Bishop. Having had engine issues in qualifying an overnight engine rebuild for the final qualifier allowed Shapland to post the fastest run of the 6-rounds to take pole for the final. Incurring a penalty for the engine rebuild, he would have to serve an early Stop & Go in the race. In the half hour Semi Finals there were wins for Ben Dunn and Craig Hawkins who would line-up 3rd and 4th respectively for the 1-hour main event. While Shapland lead away until he served his Stop & Go, as he tried to chase back down Bishop his tyres suffered allowing Bishop to take a convincing win. With track records being broken throughout the event, Shapland’s efforts in the final would see him leave as the new lap record holder with a 19.944 fastest lap. The Mecatech of Mike Davis would complete the podium.

Image: NSWRCRCC [nswrcrcc.org.au]

March 11, 2024

Pavidis confirmed for Philippine Masters

Sparko Racing’s Ryan Pavidis is the latest driver to be confirmed for the annual Philippine Masters which takes place in just over a month’s time in the country’s capital city of Manila. The American joins fellow countryman Ryan Lutz as they both make their debut at what has become Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race. Son of 2006 World Champion Mark Pavidis, a title he won in Asia, this will be Ryan’s first trip to the continent and the first of two appearances he will make in this year’s Asian Buggy Championship of which the Philippine Masters is the second round. Confirming his entry for the April 18-21 event, Pavidis said, ‘The trip to Manilla will be my 2nd international event (his first one being the 2023 Worlds in Spain) and my first time to Asia. The track there is world famous for its unique surface and technical sections, definitely a bucket list race for any serious racer. I’ve never raced on molasses before but with the confidence I have in my equipment and the experience I’ve gained over the past few years, I expect to run at the front. I can’t wait to meet a bunch of new people and experience a different country/culture!’

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

March 11, 2024

Isaacs takes ’24 ROAR Onroad Carpet National title

Sam Isaacs is the 2024 ROAR Onroad Carpet National Champion in Modified Touring Car, the Awesomatix driver taking the title from last year’s Champion Keven Hebert. Hosted by 997 RC Raceway in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, qualifying say Isaacs secure an early TQ as he topped the opening three of the four qualifiers. Going fastest in Q4 with his Xray, Hebert would secure 2nd on the grid for the triple A-Main ahead of last year’s Vice-Champion Chris Adams. Completing the 2023 podium, 1:12 World Championship Top Qualifier Kemp Anderson would line up P4. In the finals Isaacs continued his form winning the opening two to secure the title. Winning A3 from Adams, Hebert would have to settle for the runner-up spot this year with the Adams completing the podium. Hebert wouldn’t leave Pennsylvania empty handed however securing the 1:12 National title from the small field over Anderson and Isaacs.

Image: 997 RC Raceway [Facebook]

March 10, 2024

Wins for Kaerup & Coelho at British Offroad Grand Prix

Team Associated’s Marcus Kaerup and Xray’s Bruno Coelho took the wins at this year’s BRCA British Offroad Grand Prix in Milton Keynes. The annual 1:10 carpet track event which takes place in the Centre:MK shopping centre and attracts a strong international field saw last year’s double winner Michal Orlowski head the entry. The Schumacher driver would get his weekend off to a good start securing the 2WD TQ. Behind European Champion Kaerup secured second with Coelho completing the Top 3 after the 5 rounds of qualifying. In the opening final, Schumacher driver Ben Smith capitalised on errors from the leaders to secure the win ahead of Coelho. In A2 and A3, Kaerup took charge winning both encounter as Orlowski grip rolled out of the lead in both and that gave the Dane the overall win with Orlowski and Smith completing the podium. In 4WD, Coelho secured the TQ with 3 TQ runs compared to Orlowski’s two while Kaerup made up the Top 3. Leading the field in A1, a moment on the track’s big table top for Coelho allowed Orlowski through for the win but the former World Champion made amends in A2 & 3 staying at the front for the overall win. Once again it was the runner-up spot for Orlowski with team-mate Daniel Kobbevik completing the podium.

Image: Xray [Facebook]

March 10, 2024

Phi-Long Nguyen crowned FEMCA Champion

Up & coming offroad star Phi-Long Nguyen added the most significant win yet of his promising career with the Kyosho driver taking the 2024 FEMCA 1:8 Offroad Championship title today in Vietnam. The 12-year-old secured the overall TQ during qualifying where youth and the promising talent pool of Asia shown through at the front of the field. Going on to win his Semi Final from second place qualifier Hyunkyu Jung from Korea, the Vietnamese born & now American based driver secured pole position for the 1-hour final at the L.A Track. In the other half hour Semi, former Nitro Onroad World Champion Meen Vejrak from Thailand took the win ahead of third place qualifier & another of the championship’s young guns Christian Wolhuter. In the title deciding final, Nguyen would take his Ielasi Tuned powered MP10 TKI3 to victory recording the fastest lap of the race as he lapped the field up to second place which would go to Team Associated’s Jung. Getting his Sworkz passed Vejrak, 17-year-old Australian Wolhuter would complete the podium which has a combined age of just 42-years!

Image: Martin Wolhuter

March 9, 2024

Hotrace announced as 1:10 IC Worlds tyre supplier

The organisers of this year’s IFMAR 1:10 Nitro Onroad World Championship to be held in Costa Rica have announced Hotrace Tyres as the official controlled tyre supplier. Scheduled to take place from November from 14-24 at the Mini Autodromo Las Cruces just outside the capital city San Jose, the Italian manufacturer will supply a 37sh front and a 40sh rear tyre for 10th running of the championship which was first hosted in 2004 in Brazil. While still to finalise the best diameter for the tyres, it is 90% expected that based on information provided by the track that they should be 64mm rears and 62mm fronts. This will be second consecutive 1:10 Nitro Onroad World Championship that Hotrace has been awarded the supply of the controlled tyre. In 2020, Nicola Marrone’s company supplied the tyres for event when it was held at RC Addict in Thailand where Infinity’s Tadahiko Sahashi gained Nitro Onroad’s elusive ‘Double Champion’ status with victory over Dominic Greiner and Jilles Groskamp.

Source: 2024 IFMAR 1/10 Touring World Championship [Facebook]