Red RC » Gas

May 28, 2023

Greiner wins ENS Germany

Capricorn’s Dominic Greiner has won the opening round of the Euro Nitro Series in Germany. The reigning European 1:8 Onroad Champion took victory at the Ettlingen track from Infinity’s Jilles Groskamp who finished less than 6-seconds back at the end of the 45-minute encounter. Having secured the overall TQ on Saturday, Toni Gruber lead out the 12-car field but after just 18-laps hit issues that would drop him to last place. This resulted in Simon Kurzbuch’s Mugen taking over the lead but as the race approached half distance he too hit problems as he flamed out. Groskamp and Merlin Depta then took turns at the front before Greiner took charge of the lead in the final quarter of the race where he would stay to the finish. Setting the fastest lap of the race, Gruber wold recover to salvage a podium finish from the weekend. Bumping up from the B-Main Tobias Hepp would finish fourth with Alex Thurston and Teemu Leino completing the Top 6. In 1:10, Top Qualifier Melvin Diekmann converted for the win ahead of French duo Quentin Leroux and Basile Concialdi.

Image: Oli Meggit

May 28, 2023

Takahata Top Qualifier at Japanese 1:8 Onroad Nationals

Mugen Seiki’s Shoki Takahata will start on the TQ at the Japanese 1:8 Onroad National Championship which are taking place at this year’s IFMAR World Championship host circuit Infinity International RC Speedway. The reigning World Champion and defending JMRCA Champion locked his OS powered MRX6 into the overall TQ when he made it three from three in the penultimate round which brought Saturday’s action to a conclusion. Attracting a field of 63 drivers, with one last qualifier still to run on Sunday morning it is ISTC World finalist Hayato Ishioka who holds second ahead of the Infinity of multiple World Champion Naoto Matsukura and his team-mate Takaaki Shimo.

Image: Atsushi Hara [Facebook]

May 28, 2023

Gruber TQ’s ENS season opener

Capricorn’s Toni Gruber has TQ’d the opening round of the Euro Nitro Series in Germany. With 2023 a big year for 1:8 Onroad with the return of the World Championship after a four year break, this year’s ENS is an opportunity for Europe’s top drivers to get in some top level competition ahead of the trip to Japan in October. The first of three rounds that make up this year’s series, Gruber secured the overall TQ in Ettlingen when he topped the final two qualifiers with his Ielasi Tuned powered C804. Behind the German, former World Champion Simon Kurzbuch secured P2 for Mugen having TQ’d the opening qualifier. Fastest in Q2, reigning European Champion Dominic Greiner will start P3 ahead of Capricorn team-mate Merlin Depta with Team Shepherd’s Lars Hoppe and Infinity’s Jilles Groskamp completing the Top 6. In 1:10, Melvin Diekmann secured the TQ topping 3 of the four qualifiers for Capricorn with Q3 pace setter Milan Holthuis lining up second.

Image: Toni Gruber [Facebook]

May 25, 2023

Flavio Elais claims 5th South American 1:8 Onroad title

Team Shepherd driver Flavio Elias has claimed his 5th South American 1:8 Onroad Championship title at Club de Aeromodelos de Chile. The leading Brazilian onroad nitro driver showcased his exceptional skills, securing an astonishing fifth title in this prestigious competition. Elias demonstrated his dominance right from the start, winning all four qualification rounds and claiming the pole position for the final race. With high expectations surrounding him, he was poised to deliver yet another remarkable performance. As the final race commenced, Elias wasted no time at the start and quickly pulled away from the rest of the field. With each passing lap, he extended his lead, impressing the audience with his rapid and precise manoeuvers with his Velox V8.2. After 45 minutes of intense racing, he crossed the finish line as the commanding leader over the Infinity of Matias Otaegui. The other Shepherd drivers also left their mark on the competition. Alexandro Giardino delivered a solid race, securing a excellent fourth-place finish. Displaying his talent and technical understanding of the model car, he showcased the strength of the Shepherd team. Alvaro Jara achieved an impressive fifth-place finish, while Pablo Riveros, Reinaldo Gil and Pablo Baudino secured a respectable 8th – 10th place position, contributing to the overall success of the Shepherd team.

Source: Shepherd [team-shepherd.com]

May 22, 2023

Electric to run as ‘World Cup’ at IFMAR 1:8 GT Worlds

The organisers of the IFMAR 1:8 GT World Championship in Sydney, Australia, have announced they will have a 1:8 Electric GT class as a supporting ‘World Cup’ race during the event from October 8-14th. Having also run as a ‘World Cup’ race at the inaugural 1:8 GT Worlds in Homestead in 2020, the electric class will continue as a support race given the low numbers achieved last time. While expect slightly higher numbers at John Grant International Raceway than the 18 that was achieved three years ago in the US, IFMAR says this is not enough to warrant a true IFMAR World title. While the official Warm-up Race run by the hosts New South Wales Radio Control Racing Car Club was effected by rain, several drivers have tested on the Monday after that event to check tyre wear for the 1 hour main final and it was confirmed that the Q3 tire from PMT, which is the controlled tyre for this event, can make the 60 minutes without any problems. More news on the Sydney event will be available in the 2nd Stage report which should be available end of June.

Source: IFMAR [imfar.org]

May 17, 2023

1:8 Buggy Euros Warm-up Race – Announcement

Famed Spanish offroad track RC Redovan has announced that it will run the Warm-up Race for this year’s EFRA 1:8 Nitro Buggy European Championship over the weekend of June 16-18. Having hosted last year’s IFMAR World Championships, the Baldo brothers owned track previously host the European Championship in 2016 and has become one of the world’s most iconic tracks thanks to its elevation change from the left to the right side of the massive track. The timetable for the Warm-up Race will see Friday practice, Saturday qualifying and Sunday Finals. One very important detail to note for racers is that under Spanish law, if you do not have a special license of precursors, in order to use 25% nitro fuel you will be required to buy the fuel within the grounds of the circuit. The organisers will have fuel available from the main brands including Runner Time, Merlin, Energy and Nitrolux. As at the World Championship, the fuel must remain deposited at the circuit from Friday to Sunday for all drivers including Spaniards. Registration for the Warm-up Race is open now – click here

Source: RC Redovan [Facebook]

May 8, 2023

Barufollo takes the big win at Silver State Indoor Champs

Marco Barufollo took the big win at the Silver State Indoor Championships, the Tekno driver winning the Nitro Buggy final from young talent Phi Long Nguyen and Mason Fuller. Qualifying for the Las Vegas event, that this year attracted a record 1100 entries, saw TLR’s Dakotah Phend leave his mark on proceedings as he TQ’d all three categories he was contesting including the big one, Nitro Buggy. On Saturday, he would take the win in eBuggy over Spencer Rivkin but suffered some issues in Nitro Truggy before recovering to finish 4th, the win going to Ryan Maifield over Ryan Lutz. Sunday’s Nitro Buggy encounter started with Phend out front as second place started Cole Ogden hit issues early on and dropped down the order. Just after the 9-minute mark Phend would suffer a flame out coming in for fuel that would drop him on a lead he would never regain. Up front it was a battle between Barufollo and Long Nguyen, the Louisiana driver showing no fear against the Italian driver and putting a pass on him for the lead at the halfway mark. Barufollo would get back to the front and eke out a lead over the HB Racing driver, the winning margin for the Hotrace Tyres team driver 9-seconds at the end of the 45-minutes. With the Top 6 all finishing on the lead lap, it was Fuller who would complete the podium ahead of Lutz, Phend and Rivkin.

Image: Marco Barufollo [Facebook]

May 6, 2023

TQ hat trick as Phend tops Nitro Buggy at Silver State

Dakotah Phend has completed a TQ hat trick at the Silver State Indoor Championships claiming the overall TQ in the big one, Nitro Buggy, on Day 2 of qualifying. The opening day of qualifying at the Las Vegas event saw the TLR driver crowned Top Qualifier in both eBuggy and Nitro Truggy before the switch to Nitro Buggy and eTruggy for the second day of quali action. The opening round would see HB Racing’s Cole Ogden top the times from Phend and the Tekno of Ryan Maifield. In Q2 it was Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin who set the pace ahead of Sworkz’ Camden Lime with Phend down in P6. The third & final qualifier however saw the Michigan driver hit the top with the fastest time ahead of the Tekno of Italy’s Marco Baruffolo. Overall this left Phend with pole for the A-Main ahead of Ogden, Rivkin, Baruffolo and Lime. With Phend not contesting eTruggy, the TQ would go to HB Racing’s Mason Fuller ahead of Rivkin and Phi Long Nguyen.

Image : Jconcepts [Facebook]