German bodyshell producer PIP-Aero has released a new addition to its range with the Apex 1:8 Onroad Body. The body comes to fruition after a whole season of testing on various tracks around the world, with the company making ‘many many mould changes’ before arriving at the point they exactly wanted. The body offers very direct on steering with fast corner speed in both fast and slow corners, and benefits from decreased drag on main straight.
8-time European Champion and the only European winner of the legendary offroad Reedy Race of Champions, Joern Neumann has been announced as the latest driver to join electronics newcomers Team Cayote. With American offroad stars Dakotah Phend and 2WD Buggy World Champions Tater Sontag carrying Team Cayote branding on their buggies at the JConcepts Clash of Champions race over the weekend, Neumann further bolsters the offroad team of the brand headed up by Oscar Jansen. Previously running Team Orca electronics in his Sworkz buggies, sharing the Team Cayote announcement on his social media, Neumann said, ‘Happy to announce that I will be using Team Cayote Electronics for ESCs and motors. Already used it with great success at last weekends KIM Masters race in Germany with a double 3rd place finish. Looking forward to the 2025 season. Let’s go.’
Source: Team Cayote [cayote.com]
Team EAM has announced that IFMAR World Championship finalist Daniel Kobbevik will use their batteries to power his 2025 race campaign. Best known for his 1:10 Offroad exploits, the factory Schumacher driver will not only use the America brand’s batteries to power his Schumacher buggies but will also for some planned 1:10 and 1:12 onroad outings. Having been promoted to Hobbywing’s international race team for the new season, on the addition of Team EAM to his equipment package he said, ‘I am looking forward to have my cars EAM powered and being a part of the team. Thanks for the opportunity to use these great products!’
Source: Team EAM [teameamotorsports.com]
Dakotah Phend and Spencer Rivkin took the big wins at this year’s JConcepts Clash of Champions, Phend marking the beginning of his new contract with Xray with a dominant win in 2WD Buggy. The third edition of the annual race hosted by Hoosier RC HobbyPlex in Indiana, having taken the TQ in both 2WD and 4WD, Phend delivered an impressive early win in 2WD. Winning the opening two A-Main encounters ahead of Schumacher’s Broc Champlin this would be his third consecutive Clash of Champions 2WD win and he was joined on the podium by Champlin another of Xray’s new 2025 recruits Brennan Schimmel. In 4WD, Phend opened with the win in A1 but second place qualifier Rivkin got the job done in A2 after a small error from the Top Qualifier which set the stage for a shoot out in A3. Leading the first half of the decider, a mistake in the berm would prove costly for Phend who eventually finished P4 while Rivkin won to take the overall victory for Team Associated. Both drivers would be joined on the podium by the Team Associated of Davy Batta.
Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]
Having wrapped up the 2024 season with a very impressive performance at the SIGP in Xiamen, China, Sworkz’s Mattia Polito has opened 2025 with the 1:8 Nitro Buggy victory at the annual ‘OneRace OneMan’ race at the IBR Padova indoor facility in Italy. In qualifying it was Marco Baruffolo who was the Top Qualifier, in his first race for Kyosho the Italian topped 2 of the 4 rounds of qualifying. Fastest in Q3, his new team-mate Riccardo Berton would end qualifying P2 with Polito securing P3 after a TQ run in round 2. In the 45-minute Main, Berton’s challenge would end after just 18-minutes as he retired with a technical issue. With Baruffolo leading he would also run into issues but finish, a problem with his receiver battery 20-minutes in costing him time. Setting the fastest lap of the final, this all played into the favour of Polito who would take the victory from Baruffolo with the Xray of former ‘OneRace OneMan’ race winner Alex Zanchettin completing the podium. In eBuggy, Polito secured the TQ but it was second place qualifier Berton who took the win.
Image: Red RC File
US competition bodyshell manufacturer SuperRad has announced its second 1:10 Oval Truck body release with the new SR-21 SuperTRK. Made from .029” polycarbonate, the truck body is TOUR approved and includes spoiler, decal sheet, and window masks.
Dakotah Phend has opened the new era in his racing career by securing the TQ double at the JConcepts Clash of Champions with his new Xray buggies. Just days after the Slovakian manufacturer officially confirmed they had signed the star American racer, the new package is making its race debut at Hoosier RC HobbyPlex where Phend is chasing a third consecutive win at the annual Indiana event, In 2WD qualifying, 2 from three rounds to count, Phend wrapped up an early overall TQ by taking the opening two rounds, the first ahead of Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin and the second ahead of Schumacher’s Broc Champlin. In 4WD, it was Xray’s Chase Lemieux who took the first round ahead of his new team-mate before Phend went to the top in Q2 & 3 setting the fastest times ahead of Rivkin to secure the overall TQ.
Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]
Destiny, the electric touring car brand of Roche RC, has released some new option parts as tuning options for the shocks on its recently released DTY10 1:10 Competition Touring Car. Titanium Coated Shock Shafts improves the shaft surface, the process creating a smoother finish that provides better damping performance of the shock. Also new thickness 1mm and 2mm purple coloured spacers for shock and suspension fine adjustment.
