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November 10, 2022

Matsukura to defend World title as Top Qualifier

Naoto Matsukura is to defend his 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World title from pole position, the Infinity driver becoming Top Qualifier after his TQ time from Q3 gave him the tie breaker over team-mate Dario Balestri. Three drivers went into the sixth & final qualifier vying to secure the pole position for the 9th running of the World Championship. With Balestri delivering an impressive performance his IF15 cornering on 2-wheels through out the 7-minutes as Matsukura tried to match his pace. While Matsukura couldn’t do so, unfortunately a slower track mean’t Balestri’s time was 1.2 seconds short of what he needed to repeat his 2018 TQ start. The other contender for the top spot, Jilles Groskamp would get a P4 for the final effort behind Tadahiko Sahashi, a result that would count towards his third overall ranking. Having TQ’d the second round of qualifying yesterday Dominic Greiner would flip in the warm-up, although not in contention for the overall TQ he damaged his car and had a DNF but overall ends up fourth so get so second chance to book a direct spot into Saturday’s 1-hour final with Super Pole. Qualifying 5th in the final ranking ahead of the countryman Shoki Takahata, Sahashi is the final driver who will try to lay down the fastest lap later this evening in that Super Pole shoot out to try join Matsukura in the final.

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November 10, 2022

Balestri TQs penultimate qualifier in Bangkok

Dario Balestri finally hit the top of the time sheets in qualifying at the 1:10 Nitro World Championships, the Infinity driver TQ’ing the penultimate qualifier to become the fourth different driver to do so. Again various drivers took turns at setting the pace. Naoto Matsukura was looking like he might secure the over TQ a round early, but having kept his car on four wheels to take the previous two rounds he could repeat that and needing to be marshalled he got a 5th for the round. It was a similar story for the other two drivers to post TQ runs as both Jilles Groskamp and Dominic Greiner flipped, the latter still managed P2 while Groskamp ended up fourth behind Mugen’s Shoki Takahata.

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November 10, 2022

Day 2 of quali kicks off with another TQ run from Matsukura

Defending Champion Naoto Matsukura has become the first driver to register multiple TQ runs at the 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship. Day 2 of qualifying at RC Addict in Bangkok witnessed one of the more unusual causes for a delay in the timetable as works on trees running on the street forced the action to be halted halfway through the fourth round. While outside the track, there was saw dust from the tree cutting and the large chunks of tree being craned away were very close to the track edge caused about an hour delay to proceedings. With the section of track clean by the club when qualifying resumed each of the remaining heats was given an extra minute of warm-up time. In the end it was Matsukura who picked up from where he left off in Q3 yesterday to top the times from Infinity team-mate Jilles Groskamp and Takaaki Shimo. After posting a TQ run in Q2, Dominic Greiner would be on target for a second TQ at one stage until he flipped. Dario Balestri suffered similar faith in the edgy track conditions.

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November 9, 2022

Matsukura hits the top at Worlds to take third qualifier

The first day of qualifying at the 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship has provided plenty of variety with the opening three rounds of qualifying seeing as many different drivers post TQ runs, the latest being the reigning World Champion Naoto Matsukura. Kicking off his title defence with a P4 in Q1 and a second in Q2, the Infinity driver hit the top on his third attempt ahead of team-mate Dario Balestri who was able to shadow in the final stages of the 7-minute qualifier. Behind, Tadahiko Sahashi would complete the Top 3. Having TQ’d the previous round, Dominic Greiner would suffer a DNF after the rear belt came off just after the German ace left the pit lane following his fuel stop. Having started the day with a flawless Q1 run to top the times, Jilles Groskamp again flipped and needed marshalling in Q3 but somehow still managed to get a 6th for the round. Jesse Davis continued his strong form from the second fastest heat as he set the fourth fastest ahead of Serpent’s Bryce Butterfield.

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November 9, 2022

Greiner from Matsukura in Q2

It was a battle of the Champions in the second round of qualifying at the 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship with 2016 winner Dominic Greiner posting the TQ run ahead of reigning Champion Naoto Matsukura. Leading out the cars for Q2, Q1 pace setter Jilles Groskamp was on for another strong run until he rolled and needing to be marshalled quickly putting him out of contention. Having done the same thing himself in Q1 ending up with a P7, Greiner’s run to the fastest time was not without its moments. The Top Seed used up a lot of his luck reserves as he did a 360 at the end of the straight somehow without hitting anything and also being avoided by the two cars following behind his Capricorn. Despite this Greiner would come back to take the TQ for the round by 1.6-seconds from Matsukura with Infinity team-mate Dario Balerstri completing the Top 3.

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November 9, 2022

‘King of Clubs’ documentary released

Park the Bus is excited to launch the highly anticipated documentary feature film, King Of Clubs, on YouTube on Saturday 19th November at 20:00 UTC, which focuses on the world of radio-control car racing and where Lewis Hamilton started at the age of six. Directed and Produced by Greg Cruttwell (The Football Monologues, Chunky Monkey), King Of Clubs follows a group of racers as they compete over the summer months in 2021 across different tracks in the South of England, all aiming to be crowned the champion. Filmed and edited by Peter J Hayes who introduced the director/producer Greg Cruttwell to the secret world of radio-control car racing and the fanaticism surrounding it, Greg discovered that it is a highly technical sport and as complicated as Formula 1. As such, a number of those involved in the sport end up in the pits on F1 teams.

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November 9, 2022

Groskamp takes Q1 in Bangkok

Jilles Goskamp has taken the opening round of qualifying at 2022 IFMAR 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship in Bangkok, Thailand. As we finally got down to the serious business of qualifying following 5 days of practice, the Infinity driver was fastest in the first of the six scheduled rounds. Behind Mugen’s Shoki Takahata was closest, followed by Jesse Davis, the latter making a big improvement on the form he produced in practice. Reigning Champion Naoto Matsukura would open his title defence with a P4 despite an engine cut during his fuel stop with team-mates Dario Balestri and Takaaki Shimo completing. Having topped seeding and leading the fastest heat out of pit lane for the first qualifier, Dominic Greiner would traction roll early on, damaging his car, resulting in him flipping twice more. In the end the 2016 Champion come out of Q1 with a P7.

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November 8, 2022

Schumacher Winter Series Rnd 2 – Report

The Schumacher Winter Series presented by the Louth radio control car club took place over the past week, with 60 entries on board making this the region’s biggest event. The 17.5 class was the class on offer with a support class also. The battle for TQ was close with many drivers fighting for the honour. First blood went to Guy Thornton who was returning to the series, taking round one at the in the dying seconds. Guy would back this up with TQ in round three and the fastest time. Xray pilot Chris Lovely would like up second taking TQ in round two and four. Alex Brocklebank and his Schumacher mi8 would take 3rd overall with a string of 2nd overalls, Matthew Cook debuting his new Mugen chassis would line up 4th, ahead of Daniel Burks and his Schumacher. Andrew Twigger and his Xray x4 would line up 6th and Callum Chapman would round of the a final with his Xray.

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