Shepherd have announced the release of this aluminium servo saver for the Velox V8. The blue anodized parts are CNC-machined from high-grade 7075 T6 aluminium. Designed to survive even hard crashes on US-style tracks with boards, it still perfectly protects the steering servo from being damaged. Like the standard one the optional servo saver is adjustable in its length by only one screw.
Source: Shepherd [team-shepherd.com]
Yokomo have announced that they have signed current European Junior Champion Yannic Pruemper. Just in time for the next week’s World Championship the former Tamiya racer, who won the ETS series race in Poland in 2009, will run the company’s successful BD5 Worlds Spec chassis. Continuing to run Speed Passion products, Yannic joins an already strong team headed by Ronald Volker and since only recently getting the car has been testing intensively ahead of his competition debut with the Japanese manufacturer in Burgdorf. Yannic wished to thank Tamiya for their support over the past number of years and looks forward to a successful partnership with Yokomo.
Source: Yokomo [teamyokomo.com]
The German 1/10th scale EFRA GP took place last weekend at the Ettlingen track in the south west of the country. Practice was on from Thursday till Saturday noon and most of the only 20 drivers participating arrived on Saturday. What it lacked in quantity the event made up for in quality attracting the likes of Dirk Wischnewski, Robert Pietsch, Patrick Schäfer, Eric Dankel, Martin Lissau and double electric touring car World Champion Marc Rheinard. After qualifying it was current European Champion Wischnewski that took the pole position 2.5 seconds clear of Marc Rheinard, with Robert Pietsch and Eric Dankel completing the top 4. These 4 direct qualifiers were joined in the main final by Martin Lissau, Patrick Nähr, Simon Balk, Remy Möller, Patrick Schäfer and Patrick Gassauer. The start of the final saw Rheinard take the lead in front of Wischnewski, but after 20 minutes it was Wischnewski with a 3 lap advantage over Remy Möller in 2nd. But bad luck struck Wischnewski when he stripped his 2nd gear, which allowed Patrick Gassauer to take over the lead and eventually claim the win by 9 seconds over 2nd place Robert Pietsch who was recovering from an earlier problem and Dirk Wischnewski in 3rd.
The fourth round of the Belgian touring car nationals took place last weekend on the large technical HRT track. In the EFRA class it was Olivier Bultynck who claimed pole position ahead of Manuel Henriet in 2nd and Thomas Stockman in 3rd. In the finals Bultynck could easily win in the first leg ahead of Henriet, but in the 2nd leg a broken spur gear saw him retire on lap 2 allowing Henriet to take the win ahead of Stockman. In the final deciding final there was 4 drivers who could still take the overall win and it started badly for the pole man Oliver who spun on the dirty track and dropped back. But he kept his head down and worked his way passed the leaders to take over at the front and claim his 2nd leg win to take the overall. Manuel came home 2nd to claim 2nd overall while Thomas took 3rd overall.
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New from Shepherd for their Velox V10 come a number of new optional parts. First up is the new CNC-machined brass battery tray that allows you to increase the weight in the best possible position, in the center of the chassis plate. Weighing 41g the perfectly balanced battery tray lowers the center of gravity significantly and improves the handling of the V10 especially on high traction tracks. The new wide front bumper allows the use for Lola type bodies for the Velox V10 and additionally is said increases steering in fast corners because of improved aerodynamics. New soft black springs increase the possibilities to fine-tune the V10 to specific track conditions. And finally especially for the front differential of the V10 many racers requested harder silicone diff oils and so now there is 200.000cSt, 250.000cSt and 300.000cSt.
Top international gas racer and World Championship top qualifier Robert Pietsch will be supported by the LMI Racing Team through 2010. The German Mugen factory driver, and designer of the all new MRX-5, will use LMI Racing products, mostly their range of Blitz shells, in both the 1/8th scale and 1/10th scale classes.
Source: LMI [lmiracing.com]
It was a beautiful sunny day for third round of the Irish Onroad Nitro National Championships that took place at the country’s only permanent track which is situated on the outskirts of Dublin city. Hot weather and sugar watering of the track on race morning made for perfect race conditions at the St.Annes circuit and in 1:10 200mm it was business as usual for defending champion Chris Steele. The Shepherd team driver maintained his domination of the class making it three out of three in qualifying by claiming his third TQ honours of the season taking his Murnan Modified RB powered Velox V10 around the track in the fastest five minute run of the 2010 season. In the 30-minute final Steele led from start to finish to take a convincing victory over the Serpent of David Mulligan. Having qualified second on the grid Chris Lawlor had a troubled race at the controls of Kyosho but still managed to maintain his run of podium finishes.
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The 4th round of this years BRCA 1/8th on road championships was held at the Halifax circuit, the home of Serpent UK and with a turn out of over 50 drivers, it was yet another well attended meeting and with the competition at the top getting closer. Notable absentees on Saturday were Richard Hicklin and Andy North who attended the marriage of Chris Heath who is now taking a break from racing but intends to be back next season but congratulations to both Chris and Hayley from the 1/8th section.
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