Red RC » Events

February 15, 2024

Track prep underway for 1:8 Buggy Worlds in Brazil

It might not be until September but work has already begun in Brazil on preparing the track for this year’s IFMAR 1:8 Offroad World Championship. Hosts São Paulo Automodeling Association has completely cleared the existing Casa Raceway track in the city of São Paulo and have started work on creating a new track that will be used to decide the 19th running of the most important race in the sport. Scheduled for September 08-14, it is sometimes overlooked the amount of advanced work that goes into putting on a World Championship race. This is the first time 1:8 Offroad has returned to South America since Argentina in 2012. Robert Batlle was the winner on that occassion but it was a controversial event over shadowed by poor organisation and customs issues so it is good to see the 2024 hosts already at work. The championship’s only back to back Champion, Team Associated’s Davide Ongaro will chase a hat trick in São Paulo and Red RC are already excited about attending the event and reporting on how his quest unfolds.

View start of new start work here

February 15, 2024

Orlowski to head ‘Charity Race’ entry

The organisers of the annual ‘Charity Race’ in Italy have announced that last year’s winner and new 1:12 World Champion Michal Orlowski will head the 2024 entry on March 2/3. A race that has raised thousands of euros for local charities includes Ronald Volker, Marc Rheinard, Bruno Coelho, Alexander Hagberg and Viktor Wilck as previous winners and has always been popular with factory drivers given its positive charity element. Set to make his MIBO International debut this weekend in the Czech Republic, Orlowski won the 12th edition of the ‘Charity Race’ at the RC Landia indoor carpet track in Scandiano from Schumacher team-mate Mattia Collina. Organised by Team La Gang, the event has classes Modified, Stock 17.5T, FWD, GT10, 1:12 and GT12.

Source: Team La Gang [teamlagang.it]

February 13, 2024

MIBO International ’24 – Offroad track reveal

Ahead of this weekend’s second edition of the MIBO International Race, the organisers of the Czech Republic event has revealed the offroad track layout on which this year’s competitive driver line-up with battle it out for honours. Unveiling 2-weeks ago the onroad track it will be built next to, the offroad layout is the creation of event organiser Michal Bok, with the carpet track featuring 10-jumps. Taking place in the Sports V Hotel in Hrotovice and starting Friday evening, the stage for two & half day event is set for some great battles in 2WD and 4WD Buggy between Schumacher pairing Michal Orolwski & Daniel Kobbevik, Sworkz duo Joern Neumann & Micha Widmaier, Team Associated’s Joona Haatanen and Xray’s star of the 2023 MIBO International Bartek Zalewski.

See overhead view of track layout here

February 13, 2024

European 1:8 Electric Buggy C/Ship – Stage 1 Report

Fresh from hosting its annual European 1:8 Nitro Buggy season opening Montpellier Grand Prix over the weekend, Circuit du MBM’s Stage 1 report for the 2024 1:8 Electric Buggy European Championship has been published by EFRA. The 8th running of the title race for the category, the famous 300m French track will host the championship on June 07-09. In 2023, Michal Orlowski became the 6th different winner of the title when he took victory at the Rhein-Main Circuit in Germany ahead of Top Qualifier Bruno Coelho and Burak Kilic. To-date David Ronnefalk is the only driver to win the time twice after successfully defending his title in 2017. Reigning European 1:8 Nitro Buggy Champion Juan Carlo Canas won the title in 2022 taking over the reign from Nitro World Champion Davide Ongaro. With information about the track location, local accommodation and travel information you can view the full stage report here.

View Championship winners here

February 12, 2024

Zalewski heads Xray challenge for MIBO International

Defending MIBO International Offroad Champions Xray has announced its team for the second edition of the upcoming Czech Republic based event. At the inaugural running of the event Bruno Coelho won both 2WD and 4WD buggy ahead of young Xray talent Bartek Zalewski who kept the multiple World Champion honest. Securing the 2WD TQ last year, now Zalewski will head the Slovakian’s offroad efforts. Enjoying a podium double at the recent EOS Daun, the on-form Zalewski will resume his battles with Schumacher’s Michal Orlowki and Team Associated’s Joona Haatanen with Sworkz’ Joern Neumann joining the mix at the Sports V Hotel in Hrotovice. The Polish teenager will be joined by Xray’s Max Gotzl and lead offroad chassis designer Martin Bayer. An event that sees a double track build allowing offroad and onroad to race side by side, in the onroad competition Xray will be represented by Martin Hudy, Jan Ratheisky, David Ehbrar and newly crowned Snowbirds FWD Champion Stefan Schulz.

Source: MIBO [mibosport.com]

February 12, 2024

Thurston wins Rug Racers Round 4

Team Yokomo’s Alex Thurston has won the penultimate round of the popular UK series Rug Racers organised by Hertford Radio Car Club. In the FTQ format qualifying, it was the Schumacher of OIlie Payne who took the overall TQ for the fourth round ahead of Thurston and Round 2 winner Elliott Harper. With double A-Main finals, A1 would see a great pass by Thurston that would get his Hobbywing powered BD12 to the front where he would stay to the finish to win ahead of Harper’s Schumacher and Round 1 winner Harley Eldbridge’s Xray. With a mistake dropping Payne to P4, for A2 Thurston knew all he need to do was sit behind his rival to secure his first win of the current series. Taking A2 by just 0.2 of a second from Thurston, Payne with secure second with former World Championship podium finisher Harper completing the modified podium.

Image: Alex Thurston [Facebook]

February 12, 2024

INS14 kicks off with double win for Rivkin

The 14th season of the popular JConcepts Indoor National Series kicked off at Trackside Hobbies over the weekend where Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin took the buggy double. The first of 5 stops on the 2024 calendar, the JConcepts Winter Dirt Indoor Nationals attracted over 330 entries to the Wisconsin track once owned by legendary race announcer Scotty Ernst. In 2WD qualifying, Rivkin topped two of the three rounds to secure the overall TQ from the Xray of Chase Lemieux who took Q3 with Schumacher’s Broc Champlin 3rd ahead of team-mate Ryan Cavalieri. 4WD would also see Rivkin take pole this time from Xray’s Tom Rinderknecht and TLR’s Cole Tollard with Davey Batta who topped Q1 ending up 4th. In the 2WD finals, Rivkin took A1 but had a rough A2 finishing P8 as Cavalieri came through for the win ahead of Lemieux. A clean A3 would see Rivkin lead home the field half a second up on Lemieux with Cav third and that was how they would line up on the overall podium. In 4WD, Rivkin was able to secure an early win with victory in the opening two Mains and with a win in A3 Tollard secured 2nd with Rinderknecht 3rd after winning the tie break with Aydin Horne. Round 2 of INS14 switches to carpet with RC One Racing in Michigan hosting the JConcepts Spring Carpet Indoor Nationals on March 22-24.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]

February 12, 2024

Groskamp wins 48th annual Florida Winternats

Infinity’s Jilles Groskamp has won the 48th annual Florida Winternats. The iconic US nitro onroad, now hosted annually at the Nuggets Ranch RC Raceway in Arcadia which was built in 2010, attracted 170 entires this year with 1:8 Open the biggest class with 46 drivers. With five rounds of qualifying, each driver counting their single fastest 4-minute run, it was the Dutch driver who took the TQ with Q3 run ahead of the Capricorn of Germany’s Thilo Diekmann and Mugen Seiki of former 1:10 Nitro World Champion Ralph Birch. In the 30-minute final, Groskamp lead early before Burch had a stint at the front until hitting problems and dropping to fourth at the half way distance. This allowed last year’s Top Qualifier Diego Morganti’s Capricorn to lead briefly before Groskamp resumed the lead again. Swapping position with Diekmann over pitstops, Groskamp’s Picco powered IF18 took the win by 3.1-second as Burch recovered to complete the podium. With the fastest lap of the race Morganti finished 4th while 2023 Champion Eric Dennett came home P6. In 1:10 Nitro Touring Car, Serpent’s defending Champion Bryce Butterfield topped qualifying from team-mate Jose Almonte but at the end of the half hour final it was Almonte who came away with the win. Butterfield lead initially but was out just as the race reached 1/4 distance. Behind Almonte it was John Hodges and Franco Machado who completed the podium. In 1:8 Nitro GT it was IGT8’s Paolo Morganti who secured the TQ ahead of 2023 Champion Amonte. Setting the fastest lap of the race, Morgani would go onto to win from Lazaro Alonso after Almonte retired in the early stages of the final.

Image: Jilles Groskamp [Facebook]