Red RC » Events

November 10, 2024

Orlowski wins uneventful A2

After the drama of A1 at the ISTC Worlds in California, A2 was to be a very straight forward affair with Top Qualifier Michal Orlowski taking the win ahead of defending World Champion Bruno Coelho. The biggest moment of the race would be the bad start by the Awesomatix of A1 winner Marc Rheinard, the multiple World Champion getting off line and dropping down the order to 6th before eventually recovering to his P4 starting position. As Orlowski was again shadowed by Coelho, the Portuguese however not looking as racy this time round, Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker joined the mix at the front. Looking very competitive, unfortunately the 2016 World Champion would go wide coming off the end of the main straight drop off the lead battle. While Orlowski would have 1 or 2 bobbles he maintained station to win and set a showdown for the third & final A-Main here at Finishline RC Raceway in Bakersfield.

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November 9, 2024

Rheinard wins A1 after Coelho-Orlowski contact

Awesomatix’s Marc Rheinard has taken the opening A-Main at the Electric Touring Car World Championship, the 3-time ISTC World Champion capitalising on contact between defending champion Bruno Coelho and Top Qualifier Michal Orlowski. With the Top 2 initially pulling clear, as they scrapped over the lead Rheinard closed in to make way it a three way flight of RC titans, the closeness of the action generating plenty of ‘ooohs’ from the onlooking crowd. Having got alongside leader Orlowski a number of times, Coelho would attempt a pass in the corner coming on to the main straight but contact was made with Orlowski ending up in the corner with a body tuck as Rheinard slipped through unscathed for a comfortable lead he will hold to the finish ahead Ronald Volker and Akio Sobue with Coelho finishing back in fourth. Orlowski would finish P8, his car suffering damaged in the incident.

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November 9, 2024

Orlowski Top Qualifier at ISTC World Championship

Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski is the Top Qualifier at the IFMAR ISTC World Championships in California, the Polish driver securing pole position with his fourth TQ run of the event in this morning sixth & final qualifier. With only back to back defending World Champion Bruno Coelho in a position to deny Orlowski pole position at Finishline RC Raceway, the Xray driver looked on target to take the overall TQ as his Xray sat at the top of the timing screens. With Orlowski having a moment and loosing time to arch rival with a moment on lap 11, things looked to be going in the favour of Coelho but with 2-minutes to go his Xray would have two moments getting up on two wheels. With the Portuguese driver needing all his skills to save it, the moment was enough for Orlowski to go to the top and lock in the overall TQ as he chases a first ISTC World title to go with the 1:12 title he won in Florida last year. While Coelho would end up with a P3 for the round behind the Mugen Seiki of Ronald Volker, he will start his quest for a record three in a row from second on the grid. With Orlowski and Coelho the class of the field, behind them a resurgent Volker will line up third followed by the Awesomatix of Marc Rheinard with the Axon of 2022 podium finisher Akio Sobue making it five different manufacturers at the front end of the grid.

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November 9, 2024

Orlowski holds overnight TQ in California

Michal Orlowski holds the overnight TQ at the IFMAR ISTC World Championships in California, the Schumacher driver ending the second day of qualifying with a trio of TQ runs as defending World Champion Bruno Coelho continued to struggle with the difficult track conditions following his strong start in Q1 & 2. With Coelho traction rolling as the penultimate qualifier came up to half distance and eventually finish 8th for the round, up front Orlowski found himself under pressure from Ronald Volker, the German’s new Mugen Seiki at the top the timing screens for 3-laps. In the end however Orlowski took the round from the former World Champion by 7/10ths with a very impressive run from the previous heat netting the Serpent of former Nitro Touring Car World Champion Dominic Greiner third for the round. Xray’s Alexander Hagberg recorded his 3rd consecutive run to the fourth fastest time. Overall the day’s results sees Orlowski’s Hobbywing powered Mi9 at the top of the qualification ranking on 0 points, 3 from 6 to count. Second on 5 points Coelho however has two TQ runs and more importantly the fastest time of qualifying meaning he still has a shot of going for his third consecutive Touring Car World title from pole position. After his impressive day, Volker holds third with the 2016 title holder set to line-up in that position for tomorrow’s final at Finishline RC Raceway.

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November 9, 2024

Lauter ‘Spec Class’ Top Qualifier at ISTC Worlds

Awesomatix’s Simon Lauter is the Top Qualifier of the ‘Spec Class’ at the IFMAR ITSC World Championships in California. The reigning back to back European Spec Champion secured pole position for what is only the second running of the class as a World Championship with one round to go when he recorded his fourth TQ in the fifth & penultimate round of qualifying at Finishline RC Raceway. Going into qualifying as the Top Seed, the German, who earlier this year added the TITC Open Brushless title to his impressive CV, opened with a TQ run which he would back up in Q2 with another. Also a competitive international Modified Touring Car competitor, the third round would be the only glitch of the day as he rolled his Hobbywing powered A800R on a curb, a mistake that allowed team-mate Max Mächler to post a TQ run. In Q4, Lauter returned to the top moving one step closer to locking in his first goal of the week, a new Spec World Champion going to be crowned as inaugural winner Alexandre Duchet hasn’t made the trip to Bakersfield.

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November 9, 2024

Two a piece as Orlowski TQ’s Q4 at ISTC Worlds

With two rounds of the qualifying remaining it is two a piece for the two key players at the 12th running of the IFMAR ISTC World Championship as Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski TQ’d Round 4. The Polish driver who took the previous round as Q1 & 2 pace setter Bruno Coelho rolled his Xray, again capitalised on his arch rival struggling with the increasing traction levels. With the defending back to back World Champion coming away with a P5, it was a resurgent Ronald Volker armed with Mugen Seiki’s brand new MTC3 who was best of the rest a second off Orlowski. Opening Day 2 of qualifying with two DNF runs, a calculated & safe Q4 effort would see Marc Rheinard complete the Top 3 and collect valuable qual points. After two rough opening qualifiers, Xray’s Alexander Hagberg added another P4 to his tally, the Swede 4/10th faster than his team-mate. Running Serpent’s upcoming 2025 kit release, former Nitro Touring Car World Champion Dominic Greiner completed the Top 6 and hold eight overall in the qualifying ranking just behind Jacob Cruz, the youngster having bad Q4.

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November 8, 2024

Coelho again in Q2 as young Cruz stars

Xray’s Bruno Coelho picked up where he left off yesterday to open Day 2 of qualifying at the IFMAR Electric Touring Car World Championship with another TQ run but it was Mugen Seiki’s Jacob Cruz whose performance was the highlight of the Q2, the up & coming talent posting the fourth fastest time. The first of 4 rounds of qualifying on today’s schedule, Coelho and Michal Orlowski where once again the class of the Modified field with both drivers upping the 5-minute pace to register 29-lap runs, the pair separated by just half a second. A run which would see Marc Rheinard hit the boards and break his Awesomatix while holding P3, it was the Mugen Seiki of Ronald Volker who completed the Top 3 ahead of his young team-mate Cruz. As the ROAR National Champion, Awesomatix’s Sam Isaacs produced a strong run to the fifth fastest time ahead of the Axon of 2022 Worlds Podium finisher Akio Sobue.

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November 7, 2024

Coelho opens World title defence with Q1 TQ

Reigning World Champion Bruno Coelho has opened his Electric Touring Car World Championship title defence with a TQ run in the opening round of qualifying at Finishline RC Raceway in California. Having set the pace in yesterday’s free practice, the Xray driver carried that form into the opening two seeding rounds but in SP3 a traction roll would mean he would be the fifth car to leave the line in Q1 as arch rival Michal Orlowski got to go first. With the sun setting in Bakersfield, and temperatures dropping as the top heats went out on track, Q1 conditions would challenge all the drivers but chasing a third consecutive title it was Coelho who came out on top. Ahead of him on the track but behind him on the time sheets Orlowski’s Schumacher would stop the clock 1.3-seconds off Coelho. A further 1.7-seconds back Akio Sobue completed the the Top 3 for the first of the six rounds followed by Ronald Volker, Marc Rheinard and Alexander Hagberg.

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