November 4, 2024

Berkan Kilic wins IBR Padova Winter Cup

Berkan Kilic took the double win at the IBR Padova Winter Cup over the weekend, the Mugen Seiki driver taking the eBuggy win ahead of Riccardo Berton who made his unofficial return to Kyosho at the race.   In qualifying at the impressive Italian indoor dirt track, it was Berton with his plain white bodied Kyosho who took the overall TQ in electric but after some very close racing with Kilic it was the later who came away with the victory.  Sworkz driver Marcel Trieb would complete the podium.  With the Winter Cup attracting almost 200 entries, Kilic would also give Mugen success in the Nitro Buggy category securing the TQ and win.

Image: Riccardo Berton [Facebook]


November 4, 2024

Pequito double World Champion at PNWC

RC Atomic driver Jose Pequito completed a title double at the PNWC to be crowned World Champion of 2WD Mod and Pan Open classes at the 1:28 scale event.  Taking place in Vélizy Villacoublay, France, the 2024 PNWC attracted 270 entries made up of 130 drivers from 19 counties, but it was Portuguese driver Pequito who came away the biggest winner.  In 2WD Mod, he would take the title ahead of French RTRC driver Guillaume Loie with American John Dickson completing the podium.  It was the same trio who would make up the podium also in Mod Open, Dickson managing 2nd ahead of Loie.  Close to a hat trick of titles, Pequito would finish 2nd in AWD Mod, with that title going to RTRC driver Thomas Robin from France with Clement Coquel completing the podium.

Image: MOD Media [Facebook]


November 4, 2024

2025 EFRA European Championship Calendar

Hosting its AGM over the weekend in Brussels, Belgium, EFRA, the governing body for RC racing in Europe, has released a provisional 2025 race calendar of which the European Championships are the highlights.  Made up of 13 European Championship deciding events, it will all kick off with the 1:12 EC in Belgium at the end of March and concluded with the only remaining European B Championship for 1:8 Buggy which takes place at the end of September in Italy.  EFRA also announced the awarding of 2026 European Championship to tracks with the Fuencarral circuit in Madrid, Spain, home to the annual international Buggyland race, set to host the 1:8 Buggy Championships.  Other confirmed 2026 locations include Bourg-en-Bresse in France which will be the venue for the 1:8 Onroad Euros while Steyregg in Austria has been selected to host the 1:10 Offroad Championships.  Electric Touring Car will return to Mini Circuit ‘Ville de Luxembourg’, the iconic Luxembourg track having last hosted the Euros in 2009.  Two significant points to come out from the EFRA AGM include the 1:12 section making the decision to modernise the bodyshell rules in coming years, bringing in the styling and design of modern LMDh/IMSA endurance racing cars. In 1:8 Offroad, control tyres will now be mandated for the 2025 European B 1:8 Buggy Championship.  The new rule allows each tyre manufacturer to nominate control tyres for use during the event.

View calendar dates here


October 31, 2024

World Champion Ongaro confirmed for SIGP debut

Triple back to back 1:8 Offroad World Champion Davide Ongaro is the latest driver to be confirmed for the SIGP International Offroad Grand Prix in Xiamen, China.  It will be factory Team Associated driver’s first time to travel to China and the impressive 3-circle ARC International RC Racing Track, the Italian & current 1:10 4WD Buggy World Champion not yet racing 1:10 electric when the track hosted the IFMAR World Championship in 2017.  With Germany’s Joern Neumann and American Ryan Lutz as past Champions, 2024 will be the first running of the SIGP post Covid with organisers confirming last week that Xray’s Bruno Coelho, winner of the SIGP Onroad event earlier this year, will return for its offroad event which takes place from December 11-15th.

Source: Sunpadow [sunpadow.com]


October 28, 2024

Parker wins BRCA 1:12 Nationals opener

The 2024/25 BRCA 1:12 National Championship kicked off over the weekend with Schumacher’s Louis Parker taking the win.  While defending champion Ollie Payne was absent due to the clashing Masters of Foam race in Belgium, the first race of the 9-round British championship attracted 44 drivers to the West Bridgford Model Car Club hosted event.  In the FTD format qualifying it was Sam Coult who secured the TQ after four rounds with his Schumacher ahead of Parker with Awesomatix’s Mark Stiles completing the Top 3.  With a single A-Main, Parker would get passed Coult to win the 8-minute encounter by 6/10th of a second with Stiles maintaining third a further 2-seconds back.

Image: Schumacher [Facebook]


October 28, 2024

Figueiredo wins Spanish Nationals finale

Tekno’s João Figueiredo continued his impressive 2024 season with victory at the season finale of the competitive Spanish 1:8 Buggy National Championships in Madrid.  Travelling to the Fuencarral circuit, home of the annual Buggyland race, the Portuguese National Champion was in the battle to become the Spanish Vice-Champion, victory in all three previous rounds meaning Sworkz Juan Carlos Canas had already secured the overall title.  In qualifying it was fellow Tekno driver Adrian Pariente who would secure the TQ ahead of Figueiredo but in the Semi’s it would be European B Champion David Todd who would win with the fastest time to put his Mugen Seiki on pole for the 45-minute final.  From third on the grid it wouldn’t take Figueiredo long to get to the front where he would stay to win by 11-seconds Jose Miguel Sanchez with Daniel Pariente completing the podium just ahead of Xray’s Bryan Baldo.  Joining Tekno at the start of the 2024 season and achieving his first World Championship final last month in Redovan, Spain, Figueiredo will now try to cap off his best season yet with a strong showing at the AMS Alabama Manufacturer Shootout in the US onNovember 7th-10th.

Source: João Figueiredo [Facebook]


October 28, 2024

Phend retains Masters of Dirt title

BeachRC in South Carolina hosted the 10th annual Masters of Dirt where Team Losi Racing’s Dakotah Phend was crowned the overall Champion for his combined results in 2WD & 4WD Buggy and Stadium Truck.  In qualifying, 2WD Mod Buggy would see the Schumacher of Broc Champlin secured the TQ ahead of Phend and World Champion Tater Sontag.  With single 10 minute A-Mains, Champlin was able to covert pole into victory ahead of Phend and Aydin Horne.  In 2WD Mod Truck, it was Phend who topped qualifying ahead of Horne but it in the final the Associated driver would get the lead late on and secure the win.  While Champlin would also TQ 4WD Mod Buggy ahead of Reedy’s Dustin Evans, it was Phend from P4 on the grid who would take the win from Horne to retain the Masters of Dirt ‘Master’ title which he won last year.

Image: JConcepts [Facebook]


October 27, 2024

Hagberg wins Masters of Foam

Former 1:12 World Champion Alexander Hagberg has won the annual Masters of Foam race in Belgium.  Establishing itself as one of the major races on the international 1:12 calendar, this year’s event saw Hagberg take his Xray to the overall TQ honours ahead of defending back to back Champion Ollie Payne.  While the British Schumacher driver topping the opening qualifier, Hagberg would set the pace in the remaining three rounds.  Hungarian Adam Izsay would complete the Top 3 on the Modified grid ahead of the fellow Xray driver Mathias Nedrebø from Norway.  Making the trip from the United States to the Miniatuur Racing Club Zwevegem track, MonTech NYGP organiser Donny Lia would qualify his Awesomatix 5th.  In the triple finals, Hagberg would win the opening two 8-minute encounters to secure the overall win reversing the 2023 results with Payne finishing 2nd.  Izsay completed the podium.  In the 13.5 Stock, Payne would defend his 2023 title.  Securing the TQ from Belgium’s Ollie Bultynck and Lia, Payne wrapped up the overall victory by winning the A1 & 2 with Izsay claiming 2nd overall as A3 winner Lia complete the podium ahead of team-mate Bultynck.

Image: Alexander Hagberg [Facebook]