April 25, 2008

Atsushi Hara rejoining Team Orion?

Atsushi Hara rejoining Team Orion?

Seen in the pits at this weekend’s Worlds Warm-up race in Thailand, is Atsushi Hara testing what looks like the new Team Orion Vortex motor in his Hot Bodies Cyclone. The former World Champion left the Swiss company at the end of 2006 to join Team Checkpoint, but the US company appears to have done little in the way of development in recent times and this appears to have left the Japanese driver looking for alternatives. Also spotted on Hara’s workbench are some Team Orion cells, and this new combination seems to be working as he is currently fastest after today’s controlled practice although we dont know if he will run with this motor in qualifying.

Image: Pre Worlds [thailandwc08.com]


April 25, 2008

Caster Racing Fusion EX-1 BL buggy

Caster Racing Fusion EX-1 BL buggy

Caster Racing have released some teaser shots of their Fusion EX-1, the first purpose designed electric powered 1/8th scale buggy. Expected to be released in June, the buggy can take most modern battery packs and suitable speed controllers and BL motors on the market. Featuring an optimised, centralised layout, the batteries are mounted close to the center line, on either side of the center shaft for better balance and during testing the car performed very well. The pictures above and below show the prototype and according to Neo Buggy, there is a EP Truggy in the works.

Click more for another picture… content


April 25, 2008

TC WC Warm-up – Controlled Practice

Atsushi Hara sets pace at WC Warm-up

The Warm up event for this years Touring car World Championships in November is being run at in Thailand this week under mixed weather conditions. Following 2 rounds of controlled practice today, it was Hot Bodies racer, and former World Champion, Atsushi Hara from Japan that was setting the pace. Sitting 4 seconds clear at the top, Hara set his quickest time in the first of the 2 sessions and now sits nearly 4 seconds clear of Kyosho Factory driver Shin Adachi (pictured), who is currently in 2nd. The 3rd and 4th position are held by Tamiya team drivers Viktor Wilck and Marc Rheinard, while rounding out the top 5 is Masami Hirosaka, driving a Yokomo.

Click more for the results from today’s timed practice… content


April 25, 2008

Team Orion Vortex Race BL motor

Team Orion Vortex Race BL motor

Team Orion have announced the upcoming release of their Vortex Race Brushless motor, the result of 24 months of work by Oscar Jansen to create the ultimate brushless motor. The Vortex Race motors are the company’s top of the line BL competition motors and as such are designed to be powerful and highly efficient. Brushless technology increases power output and efficiency to push vehicles to faster speeds with increased run times and with no brushes, springs, or commutators to maintain, drivers can spend more time improving their driving skills and car set-ups rather than performing motor rebuilds. Its versatile design allows it to be used with today’s leading sensored and sensorless brushless ESCs. Available in 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.5, 6.5, 7.5, 10.5 and 13.5, they will hit the shops worldwide in the next 10 days.

More information can be found here.

Source: Team Orion [teamorion.com]


April 24, 2008

Daily News Round-up

Daily News Round-up

A summary of other news pieces from around the internet today in our Red RC Round-up:

> Report from Schumacher BTCC Rd1 Stafford – Link [racing-cars.com]
> MMR Electric Challenge ’08 report – Link [serpent.com]
> 8th Edition of the Di Monaco Championships – Link [serpent.com]
> More images and info on the Jammin X2 – Link [radiocontrolzone.com]


April 24, 2008

Extech Nitro X3 Clutch System

Extech Nitro X3 Clutch System

The Extech Nitro X3 Clutch System is a 3 shoe clutch that allows you 3 different spring adjustments without removing the springs and shoes. This system allowed you to easily dial in your clutch for track conditions in a very short time. Adjustments are made by removing the nut and clutch bell, then the inner adjuster is lifted up and rotated to the next position to adjust the spring tension. No more springs and shoe issues every time you need to adapt your power to changing track conditions.

Source: Trinity [teamtrinity.com]


April 24, 2008

Hot Bodies Cyclone D4 options

Hot Bodies Cyclone D4 options

More new items from Hot Bodies, this time for the Cyclone D4 4wd EP buggy, which gains 2 new anti-roll bars. Suitable for both the front and rear of the car, the new anti-roll bars extend tuning possibilities and are available in 0.8mm and 1.0mm thicknesses. Also new for general use, is this Hot Bodies decal sheet that features lots of different HB and Atsushi Hara Racing products logos.

Click more to see the decal sheet… content


April 24, 2008

Hot Bodies Cyclone 12 Options

Hot Bodies Cyclone 12 Options

Hot Bodies have released lots of new products for their European Championship winning Cyclone 12, starting with 3 new shells. These shells offer different tuning possibilities for the C12 and are available as an open cockpit shell, the Mark-I, as well as 2 closed cockpit versions called the Mark-II and III. Also available for further tuning your chassis are 2 new ranges of spring hardnesses, soft and hard, for both the front and rear of the car as well as new 4mm trailing offset front wheel axles, giving the car a different steering response compared to the 2mm trailing offset that comes with the kit. Finally for the C12, is a new shock shaft, front kingpins and wishbone pivot pins, that have been titanium nitrade coated for a smoother action that the standard steel parts.

Click more to see the other products… content