Red RC » Events

December 1, 2023

Matsukura takes on Velodrome with 120kph lap

Multiple World Champion Naoto Matsukura took on something a bit different recently when he ran a 120kph average lap of the Komatsushima Velodrome in Shikoku, Japan, with his Infinity IF14 Electric Touring Car thanks to his electrics sponsor ORCA. Pro-Spec owner Kenji Hosoda arranged the event with the banked cycling track owners as a test event with a view running regular RC events in the future. With the country having more than 40 tracks, which are normally used for Keirin cycling races, there is big potential for RC speed events. A 400-metre track, and using a 3.5 turn motor with a 200A ORCA ESC for power, Matsukura completed his single flying lap of the heavily banked track in 12.1 seconds. Like Keirin racing, he was led out on his first lap by a Toyota Supra bodied pace car complete with flashing roof lights before making his speed attempt on lap 2. Matsukura will be sharing the experience shortly on his YouTube channel.

View track images here

November 30, 2023

1:12 Worlds coverage presented by Radbody

For the fourth & final IFMAR World Championship of 2023, Red RC is excited to announced that our coverage of the 1:12 World Championship at Beachline Raceway in Cocoa, Florida, next week will be presented by Radbody. The new 1:24 and 1:12 body shell producer is making it possible for us to attend our first 1:12 Worlds since China 2016 when Marc Rheinard won the first of his 2 World titles in the category. Winning his second title in the UK in 2020, Rheinard will try to defend that title at what will be the 21st running of the championship. Attracting a total of 80 entries, 22 drivers will battle it our for the Modified honours with Rheinard’s title set to be challenged by both 2020 podium finishers Michal Orlowski and Yoshiyasu Yanagisawa, 2018 World Champion & reigning European Champion Alexander Hagberg, top North American drivers Sam Isaacs, Keven Hebert and ROAR Champion Kemp Anderson, Britain’s Ollie Payne and Japan’s Hayato Ishioka just to name a few. With inaugural 1:12 Spec World Champion Andy Murray absent from the entry list there will be a new Champion crowned for the category in Florida. Our coverage from the United States will begin on Wednesday, December 6th, with news from practice and continuing with the unfolding of the championship over the following 3 days.

November 28, 2023

2024 JConcepts INS & Dirt Oval Nationals – Announcement

JConcepts has announced the schedule for the 14th season of its very popular Indoor National Series and 2024 Dirt Oval National Events. The INS and NCTS series’ are combining in to one to create a 5 race super series across both dirt and carpet surfaces. The 2024 calendar will consist of 3 dirt tracks and 2 carpet tracks starting the year at the famed Trackside Hobbies and Raceway and ending the festivities at the always amazing Hoosier RC Hobbyplex. The carpet events will take place at the extremely popular RC One Racing facility before heading to the beautiful Island Speedway in Muscatine, Iowa. For the first time, there will be 2 events in the Summer with one being at the superb HobbyTown HobbyPlex in Omaha, Nebraska. JConcepts is also be increasing the emphasis on Dirt Oval racing and moving to 3 Dirt Oval Nationals starting with the Speed Weeks Dirt Oval Nationals at Lil Cochran in February before moving to the Summer Dirt Oval Nationals at Auburn RC in July and finally the Winter Dirt Oval Nationals at PT’s RC Raceway in November. The events provide drivers with an array of classes to choose from to compete nationally or on a race by race basis.

View 2024 schedule & classes here

November 27, 2023

1:12 Worlds Broadcast team announcement

With just over a week to go until the start of the IFMAR 1:12 World Championship in the United States, Elite Productions has announced the team that it will use to bring its livestream broadcast of the 21st running of the title that will be decided at Beachline Raceway in Cocoa, Florida. Elite Productions became a reality through the efforts of Lance MacDonald who skilfully assembled individuals from diverse areas of RC Racing, uniting their talents to produce top-tier events. Heading the Worlds broadcast will be Keenan White who is better known as Lefty the Great and the person behind ‘The No Name RC Podcast’. With over 30 years in the sport, commenting on the announcement Lefty said, ‘It is an honor for me to be apart of the upcoming IFMAR 1/12 World Championship coming up in December. It has been a pleasure to be a part of the Elite RC Production crew as we strive to bring RC Raving enthusiasts the best possible coverage we can. I am excited to see some of the best racers in the onroad genre of RC battle each other in the carpet coliseum that is Beachline RC Raceway! Good luck to all the competitors and let’s get ready for some epic racing! Red RC is also excited to be making the trip to Florida next week to cover our fourth & final World Championship event of 2023.

Meet the rest of the team here

November 27, 2023

Harris is ’23 RCRA Australian LS National Champion

Australia’s Large Scale touring car young gun Cooper Harris has won the 2023 RCRA Australian National Championship. This year’s RCRA National title was decided at the Radio Racing Cars S.A. Inc. track in Littlehampton, South Australia and in qualifying it was reigning Champion Andy Bishop who secured the TQ ahead of Harris and Craig Hawkins in 3rd. With a clean and competitive half hour final, the battle for the win lasted the entire race with 17-year-old Harris posting the fastest lap on his way to securing 1st place with his Mecatech Fwo1 SWB powered by Abbate engine and PMT Tires. Joining Harris on the podium was MCD driver Andy Bishop in 2nd with third place going to George Tsakanias driving a Genius chassis. Next year Australia will host the IFMAR Large Scale World Championship from October 20th to 27th in Sydney.

Source: Cooper Harris [Facebook]

November 27, 2023

Jacinto & Dela Cruz crowned Philippine 1:10 Offroad National Champions

In a major boost for the offroad racing scene in the Philippines, after a long absence the country hosted National Championships for 1:10 Offroad with the event attracting a record entry for a Nationals. With over 100 entries for the 2-day event at the Circulo Verde track in Manila City, home to Asia’s biggest annual offroad event the Philippine Masters, in qualifying it was Sworkz driver Dino Jacinto who took the 4WD TQ with the 2WD honours going to Jomil Dela Cruz at the end of the three rounds of qualifying. In the triple finals, Jacinto would win the opening two encounters to secure the title early ahead of Dela Cruz and Tyler Cheung. In 2WD, Dela Cruz would also convert the TQ into the title albeit needing the win in A3 to do so. He was joined on the podium by Rains Viola and A2 winner Gerome Ling. The event also marked a major improvement for the track with its new oiled surface a game changer. More and more racers/hobbyist are enjoying the track with it now having good grip anytime of the day and most of all, it’s rubber friendly. The existing layout and surface will be used for 2024 edition of the Philippine Masters which takes place on April 18-21.

Image: Edward Sio [Facebook]

November 26, 2023

Hebert wins U.S. Indoor Champs

Canada’s Keven Hebert is the Modified Touring Car Champion of the 43rd running of the U.S. Indoor Champs Presented by Hobbywing. The Xray took the win at the Cleveland, Ohio, classic having earlier secured the TQ for the single A-Main. From the front he would set the fastest lap of the race to lead home the Awesomatix of former multiple World Champion Marc Rheinard, the separation 0.816 at the end of the 5-minutes. Starting from P3 on the grid Rheinard’s team-mate & 2022 Champion Sam Isaacs completed the podium ahead of the Xray of Alexander Hagberg. Double champion of last year’s event, Isaacs would retain his 1:12 title securing the TQ and victory with wins in the opening two encounters of the triple A-Mains. Winning A3, Kemp Anderson took second overall with Rheinard making it an all Awesomatix podium. Hebert would be best of the rest for Xray in P4 ahead of team-mate Hagberg.

Image: RCAmerica [Facebook]

November 26, 2023

Coelho takes 4WD win at EOS

Bruno Coelho has taken the 4WD Buggy win at the EOS season opener in Hann Münden, Germany. The Xray driver led a 1-2 for the Slovakian manufacturer ahead of new team-mate David Ronnefalk with Saturday’s 2WD winner Michal Orlowski completing the podium for Schumacher. In qualifying it was Ronnefalk who topped the first of the four qualifiers. Having TQ’d 2WD, Orlowski went fastest in Q2 before Ronnefalk hit the top again Q3. With Coelho taking the final round it was overall TQ for Ronnefalk ahead of his team-mate with Orlowski lining up P3 ahead of the Team Associated of newly crowned World Champion Davide Ongaro. In the first of the finals it was Coelho who eventually took the win. The former World Champion went to the front after a roll over from Ronnefalk approaching the half way mark but was overtaken again by the Swede when he had a mistake of his own a few laps later. With Ronnefalk out front and looking like he had the win, another mistake in the dying moments was enough to allow Coelho through to take it. A2 would see Ronnefalk again lead out the field but again a mistake allowed his team-mate through to the front only this time the Portuguese ace kept things clean to the finish for the overall win. Winning A3, Ronnefalk would finish second with Ongaro completing the podium line-up.

Image: EOS [eos.racing]