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April 19, 2024

Bernadzik takes opening qualifier at Philippine Masters

Alex Bernadzik got his Philippine Masters debut off to the dream start, the Australian Team Associated driver TQ’ing the opening qualifier at Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race. The 2023 Australian National Champion claimed the first of the four scheduled qualifiers as the only driver to record 9-laps of the challenging Manila track despite a late driver error. Behind it would be Atsushi Hara who set the second fastest time as he makes his return to 1:8 Buggy competition at the event he has won on previous occasions. With the 12th edition of the Philippine Masters counting as the second round of the Asian Buggy Championships which kicked off in New Zealand in February, it was Round 1 winner Ryan Lutz who complete the top 3 for Q1 ahead Davide Ongaro and Philippine Masters’ rookies Ryan Pavidis and Joern Neumann.

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April 17, 2024

2024 Philippine Masters – Preview

Having established itself as Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race, the Philippine Masters takes place this weekend in Manila with the 12th edition of the famed race also counting as the second round of the ambitious 4-round Asian Buggy Championships. Almost 200 entries from 16 countries will battle in out in the capital for top honours in Nitro & Electric Buggy and Nitro Truggy with Team Associated’s 2023 winner Davide Ongaro leading the entry. The back to back 1:8 Offroad World Champion returns to the Philippine Masters for a fourth time but with his schedule means he’ll arrive just in time for the final seeding round and will have a little bit of catching up to do on his rivals. After a superb opening round to the Asian Buggy Championships at Counties RC in New Zealand, the best of Asia and Australasia, are joined by drivers from around the world including American Ryan Lutz, the Kyosho driver having taken the win at the season opener in February. This will be Lutz’s first time to attend the Philippine Masters with Sworkz’ Jorn Neumann, Sparko’s Ryan Pavadis and Team Associated’s Alex Bernadzik also rookies of the Circulo Verde track. Legend of the sport and former winner of the race Atsushi Hara makes a hugely popular return as does 2023 podium finisher Christian Wolhuter with both drivers running Sworkz buggies. Others expected to feature over the weekend include Tekno’s Jackson Beale, together with the finds of ABC Round 1, Kiwi duo Logan Toia and Jayden Jamieson.

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April 16, 2024

Thurston wins 1:8 Onroad British Nationals opener

Alex Thurston enjoyed the perfect debut with his new Mugen Seiki MRX6 at the opening round of the BRCA 1:8 Onroad British National Championship taking the TQ and setting a new lap record on the way to victory over reigning Champion Tim Wood. Over the four rounds of qualifying Thurston was the only driver to run 18-laps, securing the overall TQ ahead of the Shepherd of Wood and Vice-Champion Karl Dransfield. In the half hour final an opening lap incident involving hitting a pitman delayed Thurston but worse for Dransfield resulted in the end of his race. This allowed Wood to go to the front but losing 8-seconds with a slow first pitstop, he dropped back to second as Thurston took over a lead. Once out front Thurston held station winning by 11-seconds from Wood with the Shepherd of fourth place qualifier John Carr completing the podium. While a great day for Thurston, unfortunately after 20-years racing at the Cotswolds track this was to be the last race before it is permanently closed down due to the site being developed for commercial use.

Image: Alex Thurston [Facebook]

April 10, 2024

2024 IFMAR Large Scale World C/ship – Stage 1 Report

The organisers of this year’s IFMAR Large Scale World Championship which is set to take place in Sydney, Australia from October 21-27, has just published the Stage 1 Report for the event (link here). Having organised & executed an excellent 1:8 GT World Championship last year at its John Grant International Raceway, New South Wales Radio Control Racing Car Club are the hosts of the 12th running of the World Championship for 1:5 scale Touring Car. The third time the track has welcomed the World’s best drivers having hosted the 2001 1:8 Onroad WC, together with the host country’s governing body Remote Control Racing Australia (RCRA), the club is seeking expression of interest from all international and Australian racers to better understand the expected attendance at the event. Racers interested in attending – or who perhaps have already decided they are definitely attending are being asked to please complete the form (link here) to assist with host planning. The previous Large Scale World Championship took place at Steel City RC Raceway in Fontana, USA, in 2022 where Germany’s Markus Feldmann became the categories first ever repeat winner driving for Mecatech. Having travelled to Sydney last year to cover our first ever 1:8 GT Worlds, Red RC intends to return to this great city to report on our first ever Large Scale race.

Source: NSWRCRCC [nswrcrcc.org.au]

April 9, 2024

Hara ‘excited’ for Philippine Masters return

A former winner of the Philippine Masters, legend of the sport Atsushi Hara will make his return to the famed Manila based 1:8 Offroad event next week (April 18-21). The offroad and onroad World Champion, last contested the race in 2019 and will return to the Circulo Verde track at the controls of an Sworkz Buggy, a decade on from when he raced for manufacturer full time during the 2014 season. Joining the international entry that includes reigning World & Philippine Masters Champion Davide Ongaro, multiple Worlds finalist Kyle McBride, Asian Buggy Championship points leader & PM debutant Ryan Lutz, and another PM debutant Joern Neumann, on his return to the Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race former FEMCA Champion Hara said, “I am so excited to be back at Philippine Masters, because Philippine Masters is one of the best organizers in the world. This time, Sworkz and Cayote have helped me to enter the race! I am also looking forward to seeing my many friends and fans in the Philippines! See everybody at the track!”

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

April 9, 2024

Guerra & Giorgio win at FORGASS finale

The fifth & final round of the Florida Onroad Gas State Series was held at Greg Esser’s Nuggets Ranch Raceway in Arcadia, Florida where it was reigning series Champion Jerry Guerra who took the 200mm Sedan win while Gianni Giorgio took the victory in 1:8. Having raced only twice since retiring 8-years old, José Castellanos made an impressive return to action securing the TQ by 1.1 seconds with his Infinity and showing no signs of rust as he prepares for the 200mm IFMAR World Championships in Costa Rica later this year. Behind, it would be Guerra who secured 2nd with David Larry completing the Top 3 after the four rounds of qualifying. In the half hour final, Guerra who will also travel to the World Championships made a strong start managing to get by Castellanos at the second corner and once his Infinity IF15 was in front was able to eek out a gap crossing the finish half a lap up on Castellanos who would post the fastest lap of the race. Peter Breton, who started from P5, would complete the podium with his Shepherd. In 1:8, Giorgio completed a clean sweep by taking the TQ and a comfortable win in the final over Alex Esser.

Image: Jerry Guerra

April 8, 2024

Maifield doubles at Psycho Nitro Blast

Ryan Maifield took his Teknos to a double victory at the annual Psycho Nitro Blast over the weekend winning the Nitro Buggy and Nitro Truggy at the 17th edition of the Tennessee based indoor race. With just two rounds of qualifying per class, Maifield would secure the TQ from Brandon Rose when he went faster than the Sworkz driver’s opening round TQ run. In Nitro Truggy it was a similar story with Maifield topping the second round to secure the TQ ahead of the Q1 winner & team-mate Seth Vandalen. In the half hour Truggy A-Main Maifield came away with a 13-seconds winning margin over Vandalen for a Tekno 1-2 with the TLR of third place qualifier Dakotah Phend completing the Top 3 as last year’s Champion Mason Fuller finish P5 behind Ryan Lutz. After 30-minutes of racing Maifield took Nitro Buggy title away from 2023 Champion Phend as he finished 6-seconds clear of his rival with Vandalen again completing the Top 3 as he did last year. In eBuggy last year’s double Truggy Champion Mason Fuller took the win while the eTruggy victory went to Top Qualifier Lutz by just 1.6 seconds over Mason.

Image: JConcepts [Facebook]

April 4, 2024

Ongaro late confirmation for Philippine Masters

Having originally looked set to miss this year’s Philippine Masters due to Warm-up Race commitments for the IFMAR 1:8 Buggy World Championships, the cancellation of Brazil hosting the Worlds means reigning back to back World Champion Davide Ongaro will return to Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race for a fourth time. A winner of the event event prior to Covid, the Team Associated star successfully returned to the famous 3D layout Circulo Verde track located in the heart of Manila last year as the Philippine Masters made its return to the international stage after the forced 2 year break. Taking the TQ ahead of the Mayako of former World Champion Robert Batlle and the win ahead of Sworkz’ Micha Widmaier 12 months ago, this year the Italian’s competition for the April 18-21 event is set to come from an entry list that includes Kyosho pairing Ryan Lutz & Kyle McBride and Sworkz’ Joern Neumann. The 12th running of the Philippine Masters, the race is also the second round of the ambitious four round Asian Buggy Championships which is currently lead by American Lutz who won the opening round in New Zealand in February.

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]