Red RC

August 8, 2023

Smokem Racing AT1 RS chassis

Continuing to extend its range of RS Series chassis, Smokem Racing has added one for the Xpress AT1 1:10 Electric Touring Car to the line-up. The AT1 RS incorporates a number of design improvements that deliver major benefits over the kit chassis. Smokem has changed the overall width to 84mm, with material added to key areas of the profile and the 1.5mm deep pocket on the battery side removed. These key changes enhance the flex characteristics of the AT1 and improve its drivability over a wider range of track conditions and temperatures. The RS chassis allows shorty LiPo packs to be mounted towards the front of the car, to counteract the stock AT1’s rear-biased weight distribution with three positions providing fine tuning according to the weight of your shorty pack. The RS chassis also features a lengthened motor recess to allow racers to space their motors further forward to improve weight distribution. An additional battery stop can be added on our RS chassis to further improve battery location/retention.

Source: Smokem Racing [smokem-racing.com]

August 8, 2023

Cragg claims 27th British Championship title

Neil Cragg claimed his 27th British National Championship title over the weekend with the Team Associated driver successfully defending his 1:10 2WD Buggy title at the season finale at TORCH. Hosted by Titchfield Off Road Club Hants, the sixth & final round of the BRCA Championship was the 2WD decider after the 4WD title was decided at the previous round in favour of Tommy Hall who would also be Cragg main 2WD title rival. In qualifying it was Schumacher’s Lee Martin who took the TQ from Hall and Cragg. Unfortunately heavy rain would force the meeting to be cancelled on the Saturday and the result declared on qualifying which gave former World Champion Cragg the title by a single point from Hall with Martin completing the 2023 Championship Top 3. In the concluding round of the 4WD Championship, held on the Sunday, Schumacher’s Ben Smith secured his first ever Nationals TQ ahead Cragg and the Hall brothers Tommy & Jamie. In the final Smith would win the opening two legs to secure the win with Tommy Hall and 2WD winner Martin joining him on the Round 6 podium.

Image: Racewayone [racewayone.com]

August 7, 2023

LC Racing Tuning Shock Springs

LC Racing has added a new range of tuning shocks springs for use across their offroad and rally chassis offerings. Two new Front Springs are available with a 5 turn or 6 turn 31mm length made from 0.9mm diameter wire while for the rear they have added a 40mm length spring that is offered in 6 or 7 turn options and also made from 0.9mm wire. The springs are suitable for the LC Racing 1:14 2WD BHC-1 and EMB Series 4WD Offroad chassis, their LC12B1 1:12 4WD Buggy and the PTG-2 Series 1:10 4WD Rally car.

Source: LC Racing [lcracing.net]

August 7, 2023

SIMSpec Grip Hack Gold Eco-Friendly Tyre Sauce

Australia’s SIMSpec Engineering has released an eco-friendly tyre sauce made from natural oils and compounds called Grip Hack Gold. One of the main ingredients is made from discarded lemon peels and gives the goop a nice citrus scent. In their own testing they had full grip from turn one and had great grip right through the whole run with no drop-off. Even after the run tyres still feel soft and sticky. Working on Rubber and Foam Onroad and Offroad Tyres the sauce is made in Australia and comes in a 120ml black sponge top applicator bottle.

Source: SIMSpec Engineering [simspec.com.au]

August 7, 2023

T-Works customisable Tool Organiser Stand

New from T-Works is this customisable Tool Organiser Stand. With multiple CNC machined holes to hold your tools for your RC cars including drivers, clutch tools, body reamers etc. with additional spacer you can change the diameter to allow you to hold the tools with different size of the handle. The combined parts tray is easy for holding ride height gauge, droop gauge, support block, screws, nuts, body clips, solder, oils, greases, and more. The small magnetic base parts tray helps to hold the metal parts.

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August 5, 2023

3 in a row as Coelho takes 2023 European Championship

Bruno Coelho is the 2023 1:10 Electric Touring Car European Champion, the Xray driver making it three in a row with his latest victory in Germany today. Securing the overall TQ in the finale round of qualifying after a battle with Mugen’s Ronald Volker and Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski, the Portuguese ace opened final’s day at Türkheim with a 0.25 second win from a closing Volker, the race finishing order remaining unchanged from how all 10-drivers line-up on the grid. A dramatic start to A2 would see Volker spin out in front of the field and get collected, leaving Orlowski to mount the challenge on Coelho and while the Polish driver would set the fastest lap the gap at the end was 1-second. The win secured the title for Coelho with A3 the battle for runner-up spot. Volker would get the win ahead of Orlowski who would complete the overall podium followed by Awesomatix’s Marc Rheinard and Mugen’s Eric Dankel. In Pro Stock it was also a win for the Top Qualifier with Awesomatix’s Simon Lauter securing the title in A3 after runner-up Jan Ratheisky won A2. Outgoing champion Olivier Bultynck completed the podium.

Image: Bruno Coelho [Facebook]

August 5, 2023

Finishline RC Raceway set to host ’24 ISTC World C/ship

With IFMAR having unveiled the provisional 2024 World Championship calendar this week but with no venue or date for Electric Touring Car, it has now been announced by Finishline RC Raceway in California that they have been approved by sanctioning bloc ROAR to host the championship for the category. Located in Bakersfield, the track stated they ‘have a long way to go to make it official with IFMAR’ but all going to plan they are suggesting a Fall date for the running of what will be the 12th ISTC World Championships. The third time the championship will visit the USA, the last visit was 2014 when Naoto Matsukura took the win in Kissimee and a certain Bruno Coelho announced himself to the world with the runner-up spot. A decade earlier, when the US held the race for the first time in 2004, Marc Rheinard came away with a debut World title.

Source: Finishline RC Raceway [Facebook]

August 4, 2023

Coelho to defend European title as Top Qualifier

Xray’s Bruno Coelho is the Top Qualifier for this year’s 1:10 Electric Touring Car Championship in Germany, the reigning World Champion chasing a hat trick of consecutive European Championship titles that would equal the achievement of Ronald Volker who held the title previously from 2016 to 2018. Having topped the opening two rounds of qualifying, Coelho would have to wait until the fifth and final round to secure pole for tomorrow’s finals at the Türkheim track with a third TQ run. Behind the Portuguese driver, 7-time Champion Volker will start P2 having taken his Mugen to the top of the times in Q4. Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski, who just recently claimed the 1:10 4WD Offroad European title, will start 3rd in his quest for a first European Touring Car title after posting a TQ run in Round 3. In Stock, Simon Lauter is the Top Qualifier after he steered his Awesomatix to the fastest time in four of the five qualifiers. Xray’s Jan Rathiesky starts P2 followed by 2018 Champion Max Machler’s Awesomatix with reigning champion Olivier Bultynck try to go for three in a row from fifth on the grid. In FWD the TQ went to Daniel Poehlmann while in Formula Andreas Stiebler’s Schumacher is on pole position.

Image: Bruno Coelho [Facebook]