December 27, 2012

ROAR announce 2013 calendar dates

ROAR Logo

ROAR have announced some of the dates for their National Championships for 2013. Mikes Hobby Shop and Gulf Coast Raceway in Porter, Texas, hosts of the 2010 IFMAR 200mm Worlds, will play host to the 1/8th Offroad Nationals at their covered dirt track from the 13th to the 16th of June. The Fuel On-Road Nationals will be run from the 14th to the 18th of August by the Greater LA RC Racing Club in Gardena, CA, while the Carpet Nationals will be run at Horsham RC Raceway in PA from March 14th through to the 17th. The last of the confirmed dates is the 1/8th Electric Off-Road Nationals which will be run at LCRC in Oakland Mills, PA from the 1st to the 4th of August. We expect a complete list of dates in the coming days.


December 21, 2012

Marcus Lindner joins Team Shepherd

Marcus Lindner joins Team Shepherd

Top Swedish 1/8 scale racer Marcus Lindner has joined Team Shepherd for the 2013 season. The Nordic Champion of 2011 and Swedish Vice-Champion of 2012 will use the Velox V8 in the upcoming season attending the Euros in Halifax as well as the Worlds in Japan. Taking on this new challenge Marcus has the following to say:

First I would like to thank Serpent and Hobbyprodukter for their support over the last three years. A new year will bring new challenges and I am really looking forward to racing with the Velox car and collaborate with the Shepherd team with some nice race wins.

Source: Shepherd [team-shepherd.com]


December 17, 2012

Billy Easton wins FORCE series Rd4

Billy Easton wins FORCE series Rd4

The fourth round of the 2012-2013 FORCE Series was held this past weekend in Tampa, Florida at Hurricane R/C Club. Competition was at an all time high for Florida’s Premiere Off-Road Series with 144 entries. Coming into the weekend the track crew at Hurricane R/C Club and the promoters of the FORCE Series had a lot of work ahead of them prepping the track from all of the rain the track received early in the week. As always the track crew did an awesome job and had the track ready for Friday’s practice.

Continue reading the report here


December 15, 2012

Mike Swauger signs for Picco

Mike Swauger signs for Picco

Picco have announced the signing of Multiple ROAR National Champion Mike Swauger to their factory team. The Hawaii based Xray driver will run the Torque line of engines in his 1/8th and 1/10th scale vehicles. He had this to say:

Let me say thanks to Alberto and Edoardo Picco and Kevin Hutchinson of Kevco Racing, for this opportunity to represent and help promote their products for the next two years (2013-2014). I am very positive about this adventurous partnership and debuting the new 2013 EM X-TYPE long stroke engines at the Winter Nats. I am excited about working alone side of Edo doing R&D and gaining more experience with their products. And to Novarossi “All the Best and Thanks for so many years of support!”

Source: Picco [teampicco.com]


December 14, 2012

Video – 1/8th Buggy WC A-main

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS7xoOqJ5K4[/youtube]

From our friends at LiveRC, who helped support our coverage in Argentina, comes the IFMAR 1/8th Gas Buggy World Championship A-main in its entirety. With multiple cameras, commentary from Scotty Ernst and Charlie Suangka and interviews following the race, sit back and enjoy the one hour final which saw Spain’s Robert Batlle crowned World Champion.


December 12, 2012

Matrix Tyres sign Simone Pausini

Matrix Tyres sign Simone Pausini

Matrix Tyres have announced the signing of young talented Italian Shepherd 1/8th scale driver Simone Pausini to their official racing team. Having tested the tires during a recent race in La Turbie, he decided to make the switch.

Source: Matrix Tires [matrixtires.it]


December 8, 2012

Robert Batlle is World Champion

Robert Batlle is the 1:8 Offroad World Champion after the factory Mugen driver dominated what was a processional and uneventful one-hour final in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Starting the race from second on the grid Batlle took control of the race when pole sitter and early leader Ty Tessmann made a mistake allowing the Spaniard through from where he opened up a lead he would never relinquish to give Mugen their first win since 2004 and the first World title for Novarossi since 1990.  Behind Batlle, Tessmann took the runners-up spot with HB team-mate Atsushi Hara third.

View our complete event coverage here.


December 8, 2012

Worlds Final grid complete, Boots out

The 12 drivers that will battle it out for the 14th 1:8 Offroad World Championship title this evening in Buenos Aires has been decided but despite being the most spectacular driver all week and the man to top qualifying Elliot Boots won’t be taking part.  Boots retired his Novarossi powered Kyosho 6-minutes into the first Semi final with a steering servo failure in his MP9. Winner of the first Semi, pole position for the 1-hour race goes to Tessmann with Robert Battle who won the second Semi starting directly behind the Canadian.

View our complete event coverage here.