Red RC » P Off Road

December 17, 2024

Sontag exits TLR/Horizon Hobby

Reigning 1:10 2WD World Champion Tater Sontag has announced his exit from the TLR/Horizon Hobby race team. With team-mate Dakotah Phend subtly confirmed his departure from his career long sponsors TLR on Sunday with a post that simply read, ‘Bittersweet moment coming up in the next hour for the US Open Nitro Buggy main, Tater gave more detail on his departure from the manufacturer and Horizon Hobby owned Trinity and Pro-line. On his social media the 17-year-old made a widely expected posted saying, ‘This is a post I didn’t see coming in my near future. As many already know headed into 2025, I will no longer be representing TLR, Trinity, or Pro-Line. TLR took a chance on me when I was young, and since then I’ve grown so much as a racer/person, and they’ve helped me all the way to winning a world title. It’s been an unbelievable journey that I only dreamed of growing up. Proline being my longest lasting sponsor dating back to 2015 when I got my first deal, TLR’s been by my side for the past 8. I cannot thank everyone enough for the help along the way (I won’t name names in the chance I leave out a name) and only wish the best for all the companies in the future. As far as what my program will look like moving forward, stay tuned as announcements will be coming soon. I’m extremely excited to see what I’ll be able to do with the new program, see everyone at clash.’

Source: Tater Sontag RC [Facebook]

December 17, 2024

Factory Team RC8 Titanium options

Factory Team has released a number titanium upgrade parts for the RC8B4.1 and RC8T4 platforms. These products reduce the overall weight of your vehicle while retaining overall strength in harsh conditions. No additional hardware is needed for installation and parts also boast a great appearance with a machined titanium finish. The shock pins have been designed with threads and a 5.5mm hex to allow for easy threading into the suspension arms. The package comes with two right-hand threaded pins and two left-hand threaded pins. The left-hand threaded pins are denoted with an “L” inscribed on the head. Proper installation is achieved by always putting the left-hand threaded pins on the front right and rear left. Cumulative weight reductions over the kit steel part are 2 grams for the Shock pins, 3.3 grams for the Brake cams are 3.3 grams and 6 grams Steering posts.

Source: Associated [associatedelectrics.com]

December 16, 2024

Maifield ‘Grand Champion’ at U.S. Open Fuel C/Ships

With this year’s edition attracting 300 entries, it was Tekno’s Ryan Maifield who took the title of ‘Grand Champion’ at the annual U.S. Open Fuel Championships held at Adobe Mountain R/C Raceway in Arizona. While Maifield secured the TQ in Nitro Buggy, after the Semis it was Kyosho’s Ryan Lutz with the fastest winning time who claimed pole but after 1-hour of racing it was Maifield who got the win 8-seconds up on Dakotah Phend, the race marking the end of an era for Phend and TLR. Lutz would complete the podium. In eBuggy it was also a win for Maifield as he took the win ahead of Top Qualifier Lutz. Lutz would take the win in Nitro Truggy but on combined results of the three classes it was Maifield who wrapped up his 2024 season with the ‘Grand Champion’ title.

Image: MOD Media [Facebook]

December 15, 2024

Ongaro beats impressive Polito as Italians dominate SIGP

Team Associated’s Davide Ongaro has won the SIGP in Xiamen, China, the World Champion being made to work hard for his latest race victory by a very impressive Mattia Polito. Describing the race himself afterwards as the ‘the hardest final of the year’, Ongaro and the Sworkz’s Polito provided all the entertainment as they quickly established themselves the class of the field in the 45-minute final. With Xray pairing Bruno Coelho and David Ronnefalk no match for the Italian duo, Top Qualifier Polito led the way from Ongaro with the first lead change coming during the second of fuel stops, the drivers one lap apart in stopping. With the pair running nose to tail and at times side by side, the middle third of the race would get plenty of reactions from the crowd. With Polito leading as the race entered the final 15-minutes, the 21-year-old would suffer a roll over that handed Ongaro a lead he would relinquish and second mistake later in the lap cost Polito a total of 6-second which despite a valiant effort he wouldn’t recover. In the end just 10-seconds would separate them while 2-laps down Coelho crossed the line to complete the podium at the 3-circle ARC International RC Racing Track.

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December 15, 2024

Ronnefalk takes eBuggy win at SIGP

Xray’s David Ronnefalk has won eBuggy at the SIGP in China, a 3-way battle for the overall victory & its more than €2,500 1st place prize money being decided in the third A-Main. Having secured the TQ on tie-break from Ronnefalk, Team Associated’s Davide Ongaro would take the opening win from his Swedish rival with the Sworkz of Nitro Buggy Top Qualifier Mattia Polito completing the Top 3. In A2 it would be Polito who came away with the win over Ronnefalk in a race that saw Ongaro and Bruno Coelho come together in mid air. This set the stage for an A3 showdown between Ongaro, Polito and Ronnefalk.

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December 14, 2024

Ongaro takes Q4, but Polito is Top Qualifier at SIGP

World Champion Davide Ongaro finally delivered a TQ run at the SIGP when the Team Associated driver topped the final qualifier but it is fellow Italian Mattia Polito who is the Top Qualifier in China. Going into the last round it was only Q2 winner David Ronnefalk who could deny Sworkz’s Polito the overall TQ but the Xray driver never looked a threat in Q4 as Ongaro went about laying down the fastest qualifying run of the event. 2.8-seconds behind, Polito also posted his quickest time but it was his TQ runs from Q1 & 3 that booked the 21-year-old’s direct spot into the 45-minute final here in Xiamen. With his Q4 time giving him the tie break for second overall in the final qualifying order, Ongaro and 3rd place qualifier Ronnefalk will led away each of the 25-minute Semi Finals. Backing up his Q3 Top 3 with another third fastest time in the last round, Coelho ends up fourth meaning the 3-time Touring Car World Champion joins Ongaro in the second of the scheduled Semis.

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December 14, 2024

Polito back on the top again in Q3

Mattia Polito was back at top of the time sheets at the SIGP, the Sworkz driver setting the pace in the 3rd & penultimate round of qualifying in Xiamen ahead of fellow countryman Davide Ongaro. After TQ’ing the opening round, a bad set-up would lead to two crashes in the second round leaving the Italian with a P3 as David Ronnefalk TQ’d from Ongaro. A crash on the first lap was the start of a rough Q3 for Ronnefalk, his Xray eventually ending up 5th fastest. Out front, Polito just missed out on doubling up on being the only driver to run 13-laps of the challenging track, his only blotch in Q3 an off track excursion that cost him less than 2-seconds. In the end he would have 2.7-seconds on Ongaro with Bruno Coelho enjoying his cleanest run yet to record his first Top 3 time. Making his SIGP debut along with Ongaro and Polito, 18-year-old Gabriel Astorino had a strong run to the fourth fastest time 9-seconds off the TQ pace.

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December 14, 2024

Buggyland XII – Announcement

Now into its 12th edition, the organisers of Spanish based International 1:8 offroad race Buggyland have announced October 2-5 as its date for 2025. Held annually at the CARTT Fuencarral track in Madrid, Spain, the popular race has grown in international stature and in 2024 saw Davide Ongaro, fresh from becoming a 3-in-a-row World Champion, taking the win. The Italian was joined on the podium by Berkan Kilic and Juan Carlos Canas. With the 1:10 Offroad World Championship taking place in Australia at the same time, Buggyland XII will be without its reigning Champion as he tries to defend his 1:10 4WD Buggy title in Sydney. Despite the date clash, the popular event can still be expected to feature a strong line-up of 1:8 Offroad specialists.

Source: Buggyland [Facebook]