After winning four meetings of the 6-round Cyprian championship Andreas Thrasyvoulou (Xray) has taken the 2015 1/8th Nitro Buggy championship title. Simos Tikkis (Kyosho) ended the season on the runner-up spot followed by Kyosho team mate Marios Christodoulou in third. Soteris Taifas (Kyosho) and Andreas Theodotou (Xray) round out the top 5 result.
View the overall top 10 result here
F.T. Line have announced the signing of Cristiano Sartor to their factory team. A Senior class race winner at last year’s Italian Nationals, Cristiano will compete in the Italian national series again in order to fight for the 2016 title while also planning to attend selected Euro Nitro Series events as well as the European Championships.
Source: F.T. Line Engine [facebook.com]
The Colonel’s Winter Classic was held in Savannah, Georgia this past weekend and the event started out pretty wet as Friday’s practice was rained out. Saturday the drivers were greeted by a muddy track that became pretty tacky by the start of the qualifying. Qualifiers were then shortened due to the call of making a 2-day race, into a 1-day race as rain was approaching for Sunday’s main day. The nitro mains would finally come around at 1 am and in Nitro Buggy is was Cole Ogden who would lead the main from start to finish to take the win from Griffin Hanna. Elsewhere in the Nitro Truggy main it would be veteran racer JR Mitch taking the win from runner-up Cole Ogden.
Source: Reds Racing [reds-racing.com]
The first annual Stadium Nitro Shootout was hosted by the Dialed In R/C Raceway with a little over 100 entries. Adam Drake was the top qualifier for Nitro Buggy and Nitro truck and in the Buggy class he would win the first and second of the 10 minute triple A-mains to take the overall title early. Sitting out A3 Adam made way for Richard Saxton who took the win in the final leg. The Truck A-mains were a bit tougher for Adam as he got shuffled back in the beginning of A1 but he came back to win the final. The second leg was then won by Knate Henkel, meaning the decision about the overall victory would be made in the third and final main. The leg then was again won by a dominant Drake who took the win by more than a lap and with it the overall victory.
The recent CRCRC Winter Midwest Championships were held at The Ohio R/C Factory and in the 1/8th classes it was Joe Bornhorst who made a clean sweep by TQing and winning E-Buggy, Nitro Buggy and Nitro Truggy, making it a perfect trifecta weekend. The 10 minute E-Buggy spring main had Joe running away from the pack instantly so he had a half lap lead about 5 minutes into the main, allowing him to switch into cruise control for the remainder of the final. The 45 minute Nitro Buggy A-main was pretty much a blueprint of the E-Buggy finale with Joe building a gap on the field instantly which allowed him to manage his pace for the remainder of the run. Last but not least in the Nitro Truggy class Joe again tried to runaway and hide right from the beginning and again his strategy worked out as he crossed the finish line in the first place after the 45 minute finale.
Source: Tekno [teknorc.com]
Italian company Bittydesign has announced the signing of Kyle Johnson to their off-road team. The Las Vegas native is the company’s first US Pro driver and he will represent the brand at all relevant races across the US. Kyle will be using Bittydesign’s off-road bodies and wings as well as the company’s paint service and he has the following to say about the deal:
The designs that you create that are unique to the RC world and the professionalism that Bittydesign brings to the industry … truly one of a kind.
Source: Bittydesign [bittydesign.net]
Following ongoing rumours, French frontrunner Renaud Savoya today announced the split with chassis sponsors HB/HPI Racing. The contract was terminated by HB/HPI Racing after only 13 month and, from what is understood, is because of Renaud’s recent move from Team Orion to French electronics and engine suppliers RC Concept. Renaud has the following to say about the situation:
As rumors are going wild, I need to clear the situation…Indeed as of Monday, January 11th, HB / HPI Racing has decided to terminate my contract prematurely without notice and for reasons unfounded in my opinion. For the last 13 months now I had more fun than ever in my work, being part of a team that I appreciated greatly. The people, the products, the services, everything was perfect and I always spoke good about the company, my smile on the racetracks could attest it every day. I find myself today without employer with personnal projects and a family that will soon expand.
I decided to leave Team Orion because the performances and service no longer reached my expectations. My present breach of contract might be a collateral damage to my engine change…
I want to thank everyone at HB / HPI Racing who welcomed me and helped me during these 13 months: Torrance Deguzman, Hiroyuki Kasuya, Ty and Gord Tessman, David and Pierre Ronnefalk…
I hope to see you soon on the tracks, because my passion is the same as you: R/C car racing.
The Pan Am GT8 Grand Prix 2016 was held at the Homestead RC Raceway in Florida over the weekend in the three classes of GT Pro, GT Sportsman and GT Electric. The GT Pro class had Paolo Morganti taking the win in the 45 minute main final some two laps in front of Joaquin Desoto Jr., who took the TQ after the qualifiers. Fabrizio Martello completed the podium result in third while Uriah Murnan and Loran Whiting rounded out the top 5 result.
