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March 22, 2024

1:8 Offroad World Championship in Brazil Cancelled

IFMAR has just announced that it has been informed by FAMAR that the 1:8 Offroad World Championship scheduled for September has been cancelled. The Brazilian Federation FEBARC together with CASA Raceway in São Paulo had been awarded the 19th running of the World Championships. In breaking the news IFMAR posted, ‘We were just informed by FAMAR that the IFMAR 1/8th IC off-road event in Brazil, scheduled for 8-15th of September will be cancelled, due to permits and permissions they still have not received from the City Government. Your IFMAR committee is now discussing and looking for an alternative organizer, who can hold the event on the same dates.’ CASA (Clube de Automodelismo de Santana) has since published further details as to the reasons for the cancellation.

Read CASA statement here

March 22, 2024

Coelho & Hamon top Q1 at SIGP

Having established itself as one of China’s biggest annual international races prior to Covid, the SIGP International RC Car Grand Prix makes it return this weekend with Xray’s Bruno Coelho and Serpent’s Jeff Hamon topping the opening rounds of qualifying in Xiamen. Hosted at the huge double track facility next to the Sunpadow battery factory, in electric Touring Car qualifying it was World Champion Coelho who set the pace ahead of the Yokomo of Nicolas Lee and Hamon. Bringing together both electric and nitro racing at the 2017 1:10 Offroad World Championship venue, in 1:8 Onroad Nitro it was Hamon who was fastest. Behind the Australian, Matrix Tires owner Cristian Boni was second fastest with fellow Italian & Hasi Tuned engines co-owner Cristiano Sartor completing the Top 3 on the first day of action at the SIGP. Qualifying continues tomorrow Saturday with three more rounds.

Viewe more images here

March 18, 2024

Mazzeo dominates Italian GT Championship opener

Alessio Mazzeo put in a dominant start to the Italian 1:8 GT National Championship, the Capricorn driver completing a double victory at the season opener at Mini Autodromo Stradivari in Cremona in Northern Italy. Securing the TQ for both nitro and electric, in the triple main electric finals defending Champion Mazzeo would secure the win ahead of Genius Racing’s Alex D’angelo and Schepis Model’s Rosario Giaimo. In the 45-minute Nitro final, the former European 1:10 Nitro Onroad Champion and World Championship podium finisher would set a new track record enroute to winning by almost a full lap from Giaimo with Serpent’s Andrea Catanzani completing the podium from 6th on the grid. Qualifying 5th for the final, that was where defending Champion D’angelo would finish the race.

Image: Alessio Mazzeo [Facebook]

March 18, 2024

Boots takes 25th anniversary Dirt Nitro Challenge win

A landmark year for World renowned track builder Joey Christensen’s signature event, it was Sworkz Elliott Boots who took the big win at the 25th anniversary of the legendary Dirt Nitro Challenge. In Nitro Buggy qualifying it was the British driver who secured the TQ in Perris, California, despite not topping a round with a second and a third fastest times enough to top the ranking after the three rounds from Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin. Having topped the opening qualifier Frankie Contreras Jr. completed the Top 3 for Mugen. The other two qualifying rounds would go to Kyosho’s Ryan Lutz and Tekno’s Ryan Maifield who was chasing his fourth consecutive DNC title having won in 2023, 2022 and 2021. From the front of the 15-car grid, Boots would take control of the 45-minute encounter eventually winning by 10-seconds from the Xray of 2020 Champion David Ronnefalk with TLR’s Dakotah Phend completing the podium. For Sworkz there was double celebrations at the event with Juan Carlo Canas taking the eBuggy win from Rivkin after Top Qualifier Ronnefalk retired. While Maifield’s run of buggy wins came to an end, finishing the final in 10th, the American didn’t leave the DNC empty handed as he crowned Truggy Champion ahead of Phend and Boots.

Image: TheDirt Racing [Facebook]

March 14, 2024

Kato joins O.S Engines

Promising Japanese onroad and offroad talent Kouki Kato has been announced as a O.S Engines supported driver for 2024. The 17-year-old Japanese driver has put in some very impressive international results recently including making the Final on his debut at the 1:8 Onroad World Championship last November, after TQ’ing the final round of qualifying, and making the A-Main at the ultra competitive TITC electric touring car race in Thailand earlier this month. The reigning Japanese 1:8 Offroad Champion, he is also the double 1:10 Offroad National Champion, and his Team Associated Offroad and Infinity Onroad nitro programmes will be powered by O.S. Speed engines and Nitro Fuel.

Source: O.S. Engines [os-engines.co.jp]

March 14, 2024

Matrix announced as 1:8 Onroad European C/ship tyre

Italian tyre manufacturer Matrix has been announced as the official tyre supplier for this year’s EFRA 1:8 Onroad European Championship. The 22nd running of the Championship, the category an evolution of the European Federation’s original European Championship, reigning World Champion Dario Balestri will aim to defend his European title on September 18-21 when the championship is hosted at the Miniautodromo Locorotondo track in Southern Italy. Infinity driver Balestri secured his third 1:8 Onroad European title in Portugal last year ahead of Mugen’s Simon Kurzbuch and the Capricorn of Top Qualifier & 1:10 European Champion Toni Gruber. Miniautodromo Locorotondo peviously hosted the Championship in 2010 where Robert Pietsch took the victory for Mugen ahead of Balestri, then driving for Motonica, and the Kyosho of Lamberto Collari.

Source: Miniautodromo Locorotondo [Facebook]

March 13, 2024

Neumann to lead Sworkz effort at Philippine Masters

Having won the Truggy title at the Philippine Masters last year with Micha Widmaier, Sworkz will be pinning their hopes on Joern Neumann this year at what has become Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race. With Widmaier also finishing runner-up to World Champion Davide Ongaro in the 1-hour Buggy Final, this will be Neumann’s first time to the very 3D Circulo Verde offroad track in the capital city of Manila. The German joins Kyosho’s Ryan Lutz and Sparko’s Ryan Pavidis as the latest international entry for what will be the 12th edition of the race. A race that has a unique vibe that lives up to the nation’s tourism tagline ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’, many of the large international entry combining the race with holidays at the country’s world famous white sand beaches, on the news of his entry Neumann said, “Finally the Philippine Masters fits in my schedule and I am looking forward to racing at this beautiful track. Super excited to meet everyone and it should be a fun race.” The Philippine Masters is the second round of the ambitious Asian Buggy Championship which having already visited New Zealand will also have rounds in Australia and Indonesia.

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

March 11, 2024

Pavidis confirmed for Philippine Masters

Sparko Racing’s Ryan Pavidis is the latest driver to be confirmed for the annual Philippine Masters which takes place in just over a month’s time in the country’s capital city of Manila. The American joins fellow countryman Ryan Lutz as they both make their debut at what has become Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race. Son of 2006 World Champion Mark Pavidis, a title he won in Asia, this will be Ryan’s first trip to the continent and the first of two appearances he will make in this year’s Asian Buggy Championship of which the Philippine Masters is the second round. Confirming his entry for the April 18-21 event, Pavidis said, ‘The trip to Manilla will be my 2nd international event (his first one being the 2023 Worlds in Spain) and my first time to Asia. The track there is world famous for its unique surface and technical sections, definitely a bucket list race for any serious racer. I’ve never raced on molasses before but with the confidence I have in my equipment and the experience I’ve gained over the past few years, I expect to run at the front. I can’t wait to meet a bunch of new people and experience a different country/culture!’

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]