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December 13, 2023

IFMAR World Champion Manufacturer Stats

With the 1:12 World Championships in Florida last week marking the conclusion of another season of World Championships for RC racing’s World Governing Body IFMAR, they have issued an updated list of World Champion Manufacturer stats. With 2023 the 46th year of the federation, which ran its first World Championship in 1977, it is the manufacturer that won that 1:8 Onroad title that holds the honour of the most winning manufacturer in the sport. Thanks to Davide Ongaro kicking of this year’s World Championship calendar with victory at the 1:10 4WD Offroad World Championship at Hobby Action in Arizona, Team Associated have amassed 32 World titles. That impressive achievement gives them double the titles of joint second placed Japanese companies Yokomo and Kyosho. Interestingly this year two new names were added bring the list to 30 manufacturers past and present. Thanks to Toni Gruber’s win at the 1:8 GT Worlds in Australia, Hong Nor is now a World Champion manufacturer. Although a well established electric onroad manufacturer for over a decade, Awesomatix claimed its first World title in Florida with their own team manager ‘Mad Max’ Machler lifting the 1:12 Spec World title at Beachline Raceway making the newest World Champion manufacturer.

View World Champion manufacturers list here

December 11, 2023

Rivkin & Phend turn RC teachers for a day!

They are two of the biggest names in offroad racing and represent two of the biggest manufacturers on the international stage but last week both Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin and TLR’s Dakotah Phend became RC teachers for a day as part of two different events. Two time World Champion Rivkin was taking part in the launch of Hobbywing Tech Explorers. Held at World Championship venue Hobby Action Raceway, it marked the first collaboration with a school outreach program. Rivkin touched on his journey with RC, overcoming challenges, and dreaming big. He also discussed the mechanics, electrical aspects, and disciplines of the hobby, along with the incredible values it’s brought into his life – from friends, mentors, and unforgettable experiences. On his social media Rivkin said he was ‘So thankful to have had the opportunity to hold my first public gathering and launch a new program with Hobbywing North America called Tech Explorers! Meeting and seeing these kids remind me what it was like when I first laid eyes on RC cars. I want to personally thank Larry and Hobby Action RC Raceway for letting us utilise the track and rental cars. I’m totally looking forward on doing many more of these!’ Phend brought his 1:10 Electric and 1:8 Nitro buggies to a middle school as part of a career day where he shared his story with pupils. On his Facebook page he posted, ‘I was able to be apart of career day earlier this week at Angola Middle School. I went over how I was able to turn a passion into a career. There are a lot of great and unique opportunities in today’s world!’. It is great to see both drivers promoting RC racing in this way and well done to everyone involved in inspiring the future generation.

View Mr.Phend taking his class here

December 11, 2023

Gandin wins Miami RC Grand Prix

While the 1:12 World Championships was being decided in Cocoa, Florida, further south in the state the annual Miami RC Grand Prix was taking place where Italy’s Jonathan Gandin took the big win in 1:8 Onroad. The Ielasi Tuned team driver took his Infinity to the TQ with the fastest time and only 16-lap 4-minute run from the five rounds of qualifying at the former World Championship hosting Homestead RC Raceway. Behind it was Serpent’s Bryce Butterfield who set the second fastest time to line up P2 for the 45-minute final ahead of Infinity’s Francesco Tironi, Capricorn’s Thilo Diekmann and the Xray of Filippo Domanin. In the final, Butterfield was an early retirement going after 12-minutes, but upfront Gandin was in charge albeit being kept honest by young Domanin who set the fastest lap of the race. Completing the podium Tironi would finish 3rd ahead of the Capricorn of Florida racer Diego Morganti. In 1:10 Sedan, it was Top Qualifier DJ Apolaro who took his Infinity to the win.

Image: Ielasi Tuned [Facebook]

December 11, 2023

Maifield completes clean sweep at U.S. Open Fuel C/ships

Tekno RC’s Ryan Maifield became the first Pro driver to complete a clean sweep at the annual U.S. Open Fuel Championships which held at Adobe Mountain R/C Speedway in his home state of Arizona over the weekend. Attracting almost 250 entries, qualifying would see Maifield take the TQ in the Open classes of Nitro Buggy, eBuggy and Nitro Truggy before wrapping up the perfect weekend with wins in all three finals. In Nitro Buggy he took the win ahead of Kyosho’s Ryan Lutz having a 3-lap advantage at the end of the 1-hour in encounter. Ryan Pavidis would complete the podium driving his Sparko buggy. In eBuggy, the single 10-minute Main saw Maifield led home the Sworkz of Spencer Heckertt by over 7-seconds with Lutz finishing 3rd. In the 45-minute Nitro Truggy Final, it was the Mugen of Frankie Contresas Jr who followed Maifield home.

Image: MOD Media Live [Facebook]

December 10, 2023

Orlowski is finally a World Champion

He has been a heavy weight in electric onroad and offroad for the last decade but today was the day he finally took the sport’s biggest prize, Michal Orlowski is the 2023 IFMAR 1:12 World Champion. Having secured the overall TQ at the previous edition of the sports oldest World Championship category but missing out on the win to Marc Rheinard, today the Schumacher switched the 2020 order taking victory at Beachline Raceway ahead of Rheinard and 2018 World Champion Alexander Hagberg. With Top Qualifier Kemp Anderson winning A1, ahead of Rheinard and Orlowski, a win in A2 by the Polish ace set the stage for an A3 title showdown. With a highly anticipating crowd looking on having experienced some mental defying display of racing skills in the first two A-Mains, A3 was to start with a bang literally. On the tone Anderson’s car didn’t leave the line and starting directly behind Rheinard a huge impact in the rear of the stricken car. The race effectively decided on the spot as No.2 starter Orlowski was able to break clear followed by Hagberg who did have the pace to mount a challenge for the lead. While Rheinard tried to continue his car was badly tweaked and he eventually pulled up. Unfortunately for Anderson, despite showing his massive talents in qualifying and A1, the A3 DNF together with his A2 DNF meant he goes into the IFMAR history books as the 6th place finisher.

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December 9, 2023

Orlowski gets elbows out for A2 win

It is all going to come down to A3 at the 1:12 World Championship in Florida, with Michal Orlowski taking the win ahead of defending Champion Marc Rheinard. Having won A1 with a flawless race, Kemp Anderson came crashing back to earth in A2 when he ran wide on the opening lap resulting in contact with Orlowski. With Anderson coming off worst, finding himself at the back of the field, the contact delayed Orlowski enough for Rheinard to go to the front. Quickly gapping the rest of the field, the European pairing held station until the race reached mid distance and Orlowski got his elbows forcing an impressive pass on his great track rival but good friend off track. Then with a minute to go, Rheinard mounted a challenge to take back the lead but looking to set-up a last lap pass he would get to much kerb causing the back of his Awesomatix to step out and allow Orlowski to breath again and take the win with a faster time than that set in A1. With Anderson eventually retiring from the race having buried his car under the track boards as he tried to make a comeback, 2018 World Champion Alexander Hagberg completed the Top 3 over 8-seconds back with Donny Lia fourth.

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December 9, 2023

Kemp sees off late Rheinard attack to win A1

Kemp Anderson held off an intense late attack from Marc Rheinard to win the opening A-Main of the IFMAR 1:12 World Championship in Florida. Starting from the pole, Andersson would initially gap the field as second place starter Michal Orlowski was occupied with trying to keep a hard charging Rheinard at bay, the pair swapping paint but holding order. Approaching the mid point of the 8-minute Orlowski would find his rhythm, the Schumacher driver closing Anderson’s over 1-second gap down to nothing. Coming on to the straight, the Polish ace would make a pass for the lead on the inside of the Awesomatix driver but his car shot to the outside and he hit the boards. With a tweaked car he was then passed by Rheinard. Having survived the Orlowski challenge, now Anderson was ready for a second attack on his lead this time from the reigning World Champion. The German was all over and even got in under his team-mates car but in a display of why he is a 5-time World Champion was able to back out of it quick enough that they both continued with minimal disruption. While Rheinard would make a second attempt at taking the lead, Anderson kept his nerve to take a popular win, while 5-seconds back Orlowski completed the Top 3 some 7-seconds ahead of Alexander Hagberg in P4.

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December 9, 2023

Anderson is 1:12 Worlds Top Qualifier

After a thrilling final qualifier at the IFMAR 1:12 World Championship in Florida, Awesomatix’ Kemp Anderson is the overall Top Qualifier for the 21st running of the sport’s longest running electric category. Having kicked off Day 2 of qualifying at Beachline Raceway with a TQ run in Round 4, Anderson would go into the sixth round vying for pole position against racing heavy weights Marc Rheinard and Michal Orlowski. Top Qualifier at the last World Championship, Orlowski’s quest to repeat that result came to a spectacular end after just one lap as he wheelied his Schumacher, the impact breaking a body hanger. Now it was just Anderson and defending World Champion Rheinard in the shoot out. With two TQ runs to his credit, a third TQ run would give Rheinard the top spot. Anderson on the other hand needed to TQ in a new fastest time. A small mistake by Rheinard meant the German had to push hard to get back on terms with the rapid Anderson but that would lead to a much bigger crash that ended his challenge. While rivals were no longer a worry, Anderson knew he was now against the clock needing a new fastest TQ time. While the pressure was enough for his father and newly elected IFMAR President Eric Anderson to stay in the pits, the rest of the those attending the event lined up around the track. Despite the intensity of the biggest moment of his racing career, Anderson delivered with a time 2.5-seconds quicker than the previous best set by Orlowski securing a very popular home TQ for the host nation. With all three drivers having two TQ runs each, overall it will be Orlowski who starts second with Rheinard lining up P3 ahead of Alexander Hagberg with Donny Lia competing the top half of the grid.

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