December 6, 2023

Rheinard’s 1:12 World title defence off to positive start

Reigning 1:12 World Champion Marc Rheinard got his title defence off to a positive start with the Awesomatix driver topping the opening round of controlled practice at Beachline Raceway in Florida.  Setting a time of 32.983 for his fastest 3-consecutive laps, the German also had the fastest lap for the round with only team-mate Kemp Anderson, 3rd quickest for the round, also able to run a 10-second lap of the track which is proving popular with drivers.  Overall it was the Schumacher of Ollie Payne who posted the second fastest time with team-mate Michal Orlowski fourth quickest.  Japan’s Hayato Ishioka’s Roche was fifth for the round, with recent U.S. Indoor Champs winner Sam Isaacs completing the Top 6.  Keven Hebert was the top Xray in P7 over a second down on Rheinard’s time.

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December 5, 2023

‘Preparations for Worlds has to be exceptional to win’ – Alexander Hagberg

IFMAR’s original electric World Championship takes place in Florida this week where the 21st Champion will decided among a small but ultra competitive field.  One of those drivers who will be vying for success is Alexander Hagberg who, as one of the great specialists of the category, is also one who holds a membership to one of RC racing’s most elite clubs.  In 2014 he claimed his first World title when he won 1:10 Nitro Touring Car in Thailand, and then in 2018 he took the sport’s biggest prize in 1:12 in South Africa.  As the reigning European 1:12 Champion, equalling David Spashett’s record of 8 titles when he won in April of this year, it is fair to say he isn’t going into these Worlds on the back of a run of impressive form since.

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December 5, 2023

FIRC announces FEMCA VP Kee as Race Director

The organisers of the Foshan International Invitational RC Championship, which takes place on December 15-17 at the new GDC Indoor track in China’s central Guangdong Province, has announced FEMCA Vice President Leonard Kee as Race Director and race commentator of the inaugural running of the event.  The race which aims to promote high level racing to local racers, has attracted a number of high profile international entries including former World Champion Ronald Volker from Mugen Seiki, Xpress team driver & 1:12 World Finalist Yugo Nagashima, and Team Yokomo’s Australian National Champion Simon Nicholson.  FEMCA, the governing body of radio-controlled car racing in Asia and Australasia that represents 15 nations, is looking to boost racing in the region following Covid, with Kee’s attendance a big boost for both FEMCA and the event which hopes to become an annual international electric touring car fixture.  On the announcement Kee, who was the Race Announcer for the 1:8 GT World Championship in Australia said, “Hi All, I’m Leonard you can call me Leo.  I’m the Vice President of FEMCA.  Am absolutely thrilled to be heading to one of the premier carpet tracks in Asia for their inaugural race, The 2023 Foshan International Invitational RC Championship as their Race Director as well as race commentator.  One of my tasks for this race is to evaluate the feasibility of the Foshan venue for upcoming regional and world events.  It’s going to be a blast.  I look forward to seeing my friends from the RC world there.”

Source: Foshan International Invitational RC Championship [Facebook]


December 5, 2023

Triple win for Drake at 19th Annual Toys For Tots Race

This past weekend Mugen/JConcepts driver Adam Drake and his wife Ronda hosted the 19th Annual Toys For Tots Race at The Drake Raceway in Palm Desert, CA.  With 180 entries, the event had a lot of competition and also brought in some great toy donations for kids in need this holiday season.  Qualifying started at 9am that morning and the race program called for two rounds of qualifying to determine each class TQ.  There were 12 classes to compete in and only a driver’s best qualifier would be used to determine who made the main events.  Drake set the TQ in 1:8 Expert Nitro Buggy, 1:8 Open Electric Buggy, and 1:8 Open Nitro Truggy classes, and he would go on to take the win in all three classes but ultimately the biggest winner was the kids’ charity.

Source: Adam Drake [Facebook]


December 4, 2023

Edmunds takes 1:8 Buggy South Australian State Title

Team Associated driver Jayden Edmunds claimed the South Australian State Title for 1:8 Nitro Buggy over the weekend.  The 17-year-old took his Adam Drake 3 engined RC8B4 to the TQ at the Southern Districts Model Car Club track after topping three of the five qualifiers as racers experienced rain on and off during Saturday’s qualifying.  Taking the other two rounds, Q2 & 4, Andrew Foord would line up 2nd for the 45-minute final ahead of Damon Davis-Perry, Aaron Dexter and Caleb Noble.  A hotter day on the Sunday for finals, Edmunds was able to gap the field eventually winning by half a lap from Dexter’s TLR with the Mugen Seiki of Zac Foster completing the Nitro Buggy podium.  In eBuggy Edmunds would finish runner-up as Noble took his Tekno to the title over the triple A-Main.  Top Qualifier Jack McMillian would compete the podium.

Source: Speedy RC [speedyrc.com.au]


December 4, 2023

Lutz does triple at 2023 Fall Brawl

Kyosho’s Ryan Lutz completed a triple victory at the annual Fall Brawl which ran at its new location in Lake Waccamaw, North Carolin, over the weekend.  Attracting over 440 entries, the 22nd running of the event saw Lutz master the rough track conditions for the finals to take the wins in both Pro Nitro and eBuggy as well as victory in Open Nitro Truggy.  Starting from the TQ in eBuggy and Truggy, Lutz had to start the half hour Nitro Buggy final from P2 behind HB Racing’s Cole Ogden.  Unfortunately the expected battle between the duo didn’t materialise as Ogden’s race ended with just over 5-minutes remaining,allowing Lutz to cruise to the win with his Alpha Engines powered MP10.  Behind HB Racing’s Collin Weatherholt who take second a result he would repeat also in eBuggy.  Sworkz’ David Olsen was the runner-up in Truggy.

Image: Ryan Lutz [Facebook]


December 4, 2023

JConcepts INS Finals wins for Champlin & Batta

The 13th season of the JConcepts Indoor National Series concluded over the weekend with wins for Schumacher Broc Champlin and Team Associated’s Davey Batta.  The INS Finals took place at 2023 1:10 Offroad World Championship venue Hobby Action RC Raceway in Arizona, where qualifying would see former World Champion Spencer Rivkin take the 2WD Buggy TQ at his home track ahead of AE team-mate Aydin Horne and Xray’s Tom Rinderknecht.  In 4WD the TQ honours went to Batta from TLR’s Dakotah Phend and Rivkin with each having TQ’d a round.  In the finals, Horne would win A1 of 2WD before fourth place qualifier Champlin won A2 & 3 ahead of Rivkin to take the overall win from the pole sitter with Horne completing the podium.  In 4WD,  18-year-old Barra would make the most of his pole position leading home Champlin in both for the overall win.  Winning A3 from Phend, Champlin would take the second step on the podium with Phend taking the final step.

View 4WD podium here


December 4, 2023

Wins for Cavalieri & Kothman at USCOC

Following the 43rd running of the U.S. Indoor Champs Presented by Hobbywing onroad event, it was the turn of the offroad racers to race in Cleveland over the weekend where Schumacher’s Ryan Cavalieri and TLR Aaron Kothman took the wins.  The 3rd running of the US Carpet Offroad Champs, in 4WD Buggy it was the Team Associated of Brandon Foote who edged out the field to take the overall TQ spot.  Foote would continue with his journey battling with current IFMAR 2WD World Champion, Tater Sontag in A1 to take the first win by less than a second at the finish line.  In A2, a familiar name would rise to the front of the pack as 4-time World Champ Ryan Cavalieri would claim the A2 win with a flawless 24-lap run.  Cavalieri would do it again in A3 taking the overall win keeping the title for Schumacher which had won the even tlast year with Michal Orlowski.  On a tiebreaker Foote would take second with Sontag completing the podium.  In 2WD, Kothman took the overall TQ before going on to dominate both A1 and A2 for the overall win.  With the win in A3 Cavalieri who claim second with foot also enjoying a podium double in Ohio with 3rd overall.

Source: USCOC [Facebook]