February 5, 2024

Lia takes 1:12 title at Snowbird Nationals

Donny Lia has won the 1:12 title at this year’s Snowbird Nationals in Florida, the Awesomatix driver taking the win ahead of Schumacher’s Ollie Payne and Xray’s Alexander Hagberg.  Finishing on the podium last year when Marc Rheinard took the win ahead of Hagberg, Lia would qualify third for this year’s event as Bruno Coelho took the TQ from former 1:12 World Champion Hagberg.  With a single 8-minute final to decide the 30th running of the world famous event, by lap 4 Lia was in front where he would stay til the finish having built up a 2.4-second advantage over second place which went to Payne, the British driver having started P4.  While Hagberg completed the podium, Coelho ended up P5 behind Keven Herbert who would become this year’s Snowbirds Mod Touring Car Champion.  The organiser of the annual MonTech NYGP in at 360V2 in New York, Lia’s win continues Awesomatix’ multiple year run of 1:12 titles at the Snowbird Nationals.

Source: Donny Lia [Facebook]


February 4, 2024

Hebert wins ’30th edition’ of Snowbird Nationals

Celebrating it 30th edition, the world famous Snowbird Nationals in Orlando, Florida, saw Xray’s Keven Hebert take the win in Modified Touring Car ending the winning run of reigning World Champion Bruno Coelho.  In qualifying it was Hebert who secured the TQ.  Running to the FTQ format, the Canadian set the fastest time of the four rounds of qualifying on the third of his attempts.  With Coelho suffering a DNF in Q3, the 2022 and 2023 Champion would count his Q2 time which was 1.5-seconds off Hebert’s impressive pace.  Setting his best time in the final qualifier Alexander Habgberg completed the Top 3 for the single A-main grid.  Setting the fastest lap of the race from the front, Hebert was able to gap the field for a convincing 1.8 seconds win over Coelho with Hagberg making it an all Xray podium.

Image: Bruno Coelho [Facebook]


February 4, 2024

Wins for Kaerup & Orlowski at EOS Daun

Reigning European 1:10 Offroad Champions Marcus Kaerup and Michal Orlowski were the winners at EOS Daun, Team Associated’s Kaerup securing the TQ & win in 4WD after 2WD honours went to Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski.  As the defending Champion, having won the three round 2022/23 series, Orlowski completed a clean sweep of reduced 2 round 2023/24 series by backing up his Hann. Munden win in November with another dominant TQ & win performance in 2WD.  While Orlowski maintained status up front, the weekend would see fellow countryman Bartosz Zalewski showcase his impressive talents as he qualified second ahead of the returning Joona Haatanen.  With Orlowski sowing up the overall win in A2, Haatanen would take his Team Associated to the win in A3 to secure second ahead Zalewski’s Xray with Kaerup finishing just off the podium in fourth having started P6.  As the event moved onto 4WD, Kaerup opened qualifying with a TQ run following that up with another in Q3 making the Dane the Top Qualifier.  Orlowski topped Q2 to start second ahead of Zalewski who was fastest in the fourth & final qualifier.  With Kaerup taking A1, and A2 going to Orlowski, it all came down to the third encounter but with the former laying down the fastest lap to keep Orlowski a bay he took the overall win.  The podium in Daun was completed by Zalewski with Haatanen fourth ahead of fellow Scandinavian’s Elias Johansson and Alexander Landen while World Champion Davide Ongaro ended up P7.

Image: EOS [eos.racing]


February 2, 2024

Nova Engines power for McBride

Nova Engines has announced that it is to power the campaign of top Australian 1:8 Offroad racer Kyle McBride.  A multiple World Championship finalist, over Christmas it was confirmed the McBride was returning to Kyosho’s International 1:8 Offroad team with today’s news that he will use the Italian made engines in his MP10 completing his all new 2024 race package.  Having also secured the support of Hotrace Tyres, the 27-year-old will debut his new combo at next weekend’s opening round of the four round Asian Buggy Championships which kicks off at the Counties RC Car Club in New Zealand.

Source: Nova Engines [nova-engines.com]


February 2, 2024

Hobbywing announce Champlin & Kobbevik

Hobbywing has announced the addition of offroad racers Broc Champlin and Daniel Kobbevik to its team line-up for the 2024 season.  American Champlin enjoyed a very impressive 2023 season the highlight of which was a podium finish at the 1:10 2WD Buggy World Championships in Arizona.  Also joining Hobbywing having raced for LRP last season, Norwegian Kobbevik is a 14-time National Champion and is a regular podium finisher at top European races as team-mate to Schumacher Racing’s Michal Orlowski who he will now run the same electronic as.  Commenting on the announcement Champlin said, ‘Im excited to have joined and I’m looking forward to working with the whole Hobbywing team! It’s been proven that they have top notch equipment and the best of the best products. Let’s do this.’

Source: Hobbywing [hobbywing.com]


February 2, 2024

Urbain promoted to full-time driver with Awesomatix

It is the ultimate dream of every dedicated RC racer and today after years of being one of France’s leading international touring car drivers Lucas Urbain has been reward for his dedication by being promoted to a full time factory driver for Awesomatix.  The popular and friendly driver from Longwy, home of the famous season opening GP3F race, has already represented Awesomatix for a number of years while working for French railway company SNCF.  Recently bringing the niche electric touring car and 1:12 manufacturer ETS wins on both asphalt and carpet, he will now debut for the team as a full time professional RC racer at the legendary TITC in Thailand later this month. 

Continue reading here


February 2, 2024

MIBO International ’24 – Onroad track reveal

With just two weeks to go until the second edition of the MIBO International Race in the Czech Republic, the organisers have revealed the onroad track layout on which Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker will defend the title he won at the inaugural running of the event last year.  A two half day event that runs from February 16-18th in the Sports V Hotel venue in Hrotovice, the track features a 30 metre long straight and is 19 metres deep with the man behind the race Michal Bok creating quite a different layout to that of 2023.   With the onroad/offroad event close to its capacity entry, Volker’s main competition in Modified Touring Car is expected to come from Yokomo’s Christopher Krapp and Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski, the very much in form Polish driver making his MIBO International debut this year.

See overhead view of track layout here


February 2, 2024

JConcepts RC10T ‘vintage’ rear spoiler

A popular build in the vintage RC community is the championship winning RC10T from the 1991 Florida Winter Championships and to assist with such a build JConcepts has added a pre-formed rear spoiler which attaches to the rear of the original RC10T body.  During this debut, the “buggy master” Cliff Lett attached the rear spoiler to the rear of the body which requires a bend and placement slightly different than used as the class developed.  The stylised piece is formed in clear polycarbonate providing a great base for the customer to work with.  The spoiler is designed to mount to the wider and original version RC10T body but can also be used on the team truck body and JConcepts Ford F-150 RC10T body.

View more images here