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March 25, 2024

Toia doubles at New Zealand Offroad EP Nationals

Team Yokomo’s Logan Toia completed the double at New Zealand’s Offroad EP Nationals, the 16-year-old securing the 2WD Buggy title for the first time and successfully defending his 4WD championship. Hosted by the Taranaki Radio Control Car Club in New Plymouth, this year’s Nationals attracted 65 drivers for a total of 190 entries. In qualifying, it was three rounds per class to the best two deciding the grids with 2WD producing TQ runs from three different drivers. Kasey Dawson took the opener with Shane O’Connor topping Q2 before Toia TQ’d the third one and that was how the lined up for the final with Dawon the Top Qualifier. In 4WD Luke Duthie topped Q2 & 3 for the TQ from Toia who was fastest in the first round. The 2WD finals were a similar story to qualifying with a different winner in each of the triple mains and it coming down to a tie breaker between O’Connor, winner of A1, and Toia, winner of A3, the latter’s faster time giving him the title. Winning A2, Dawson completed the podium. In 4WD, Toia retained his title by winning A1 & 3, with Duthie winner of A2 finishing runner-up while fourth place qualifier Dawson completed the podium ahead of O’Connor.

Image: Logan Toia Racing [Facebook]

March 25, 2024

Lemieux & Champlin winners at JConcepts Spring INS

Xray’s Chase Lemieux and Schumacher’s Broc Champlin came out the main winners at the JConcepts Spring Indoor Nationals hosted by RC ONE Racing in Michigan. The second stop on the 2024 INS calendar, Spencer Rivkin having completed the double at the 14th season opener at Trackside Hobbies last month, in 2WD Buggy it was Champlin who secured the TQ ahead of Aydin Horne who opened the three rounds of qualifying with a TQ run before Champlin went fastest in Q2 & 3. Qualifying for 4WD would see TLR’s Dakotah Phend claim the TQ with Horne again lining-up second with Champlin P3. Starting the 2WD finals from P3, Lemieux took A1 from Champlin with that order reversed in A2 meaning it was all to play for in the third encounter. While Champlin made an early break from the chasing pack, Lemieux was chasing him down until he collected a lapped car and while he continued he would retire shortly after, the race now Champlin’s for the taking but it wasn’t to be. With Horne jumping out of lane and head on into the path of Champlin, it would take a corner off his car, handing Tom Rinderknecht the A3 win and the overall victory to Lemieux on tie-break. In 4WD, Champlin would get the overall win taking the opening two A-Mains to wrap things up early with the podium being completed by Phend and Horne.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]

March 25, 2024

RC-Project 35/4 EVO Canas Edition shock towers

Italy’s RC-Project has released new Canas Edition shock towers for the Sworkz 35/4 EVO 1:8 Buggy platform. Developed and tested with 2023 European Champion Juan Carlos Canas, they are produced in 5mm thickness Ergal 7075, hard anodized and subsequently laser marked. The new design allows you to have 2 different options, the original one EVO ( High Holes ) and the lower ones that increases the traction on smooth tracks. During the cad design and the track tests RC-Project tried to lower the centre of gravity as much as possible to improve drivability in all conditions. The towers are sold as a set of front and rear towers.

Source: RC-Project [rc-project.it]

March 24, 2024

McBride adds another Australian National title

Kyosho’s multiple Australian 1:8 Offroad Champion Kyle McBride added to his tally with a double victory at the 2024 RCRA Nationals which was hosted by the Southern Districts Model Car Club at its track in Adelaide. In qualifying, Nitro Buggy would see the World Championship finalist top 5 of the 6 rounds to secure the overall TQ from the reigning Champion Alex Benadzik, the Team Associated driver having topped Q5 ahead of McBride. In eBuggy qualifying it was a similar story only this time Benadzik managed two TQ run as McBride secured the TQ. While able to convert his eBuggy TQ into a relatively straight forward title win ahead of Benadzik despite issues in A2, with Tekno’s Caleb Noble completing the podium, in Nitro Buggy it was a very different story. While leading his Semi final, McBride would have a random flame out that was followed by a few more that dropped him right to the back of the field. Turning out to be a glow plug issue he would finish 15th putting him P9 in the Last Chance Qualifier race. With only the winner progressing, he managed to work his way to the front to win the 10-minute encounter from Ben Panic to go to the back of the grid for 1-hour final. He wouldn’t take long for McBride to get into the hunt and with Benadzik hitting issues that would see him retire early, he took a lead he would hold to the finish for yet another National title. Behind, second place starter 17-year-old Christian Wolhunter took his Sworkz to second with Zac Foster completing the podium.

Image: Kyle McBride [Facebook]

March 24, 2024

Orlowki crowned ETS Champion

Michal Orlowski is the new ETS Champion, the Schumacher driver securing the Modified title for the first time with a dominant performance at the Season #16 finale in Austria. With the Polish driver’s busy onroad & offroad schedule meaning he would miss two of the six rounds in the current ETS season it meant every race counted and he delivered on that requirement by winning all four events he attended. In Vienna, he topped all four rounds of qualifying to secure the TQ ahead of Awesomatix pairing of Lucas Urbain and TITC Open Brushless Champion Simon Lauter. In the finals, Orlowski was again the class act with his Hobbywing powered prototype Schumacher winning A1 by 2.5 seconds and then sealing the deal in A2 by a 4-second margin. Winning A3 from Lauter, Urbain would secure second overall for Round 6 to take the runner-up spot in the standings ahead of team-mate Marc Rheinard, the multiple ETS Champion having a tough season finale and finishing P10. In Pro Stock, it was Lukas Ellebrock who took the Round 6 win but it would be Olivier Bultynck that took the title by a single point having finished Runner-up last season to Simon Lauter, the later making the impressive step up to the Modified class this season.

Image: ETS [Facebook]

March 24, 2024

SIGP victories for Coelho & Hamon

The SIGP International RC Car Grand Prix made a return over the weekend with dominant performances from Bruno Coelho in electric and Jeff Hamon in nitro seeing the two international visitors take the victories in China. Established as one of China’s biggest annual international races prior to Covid, defending 2019 Touring Car Champion Coelho was the class of the field with his Xray. Having taken all four qualifiers, from the TQ he secured the overall win with perfect drives in A1 & 2 with his efforts netting him 20,000 Chinese Yuan, approximately €2,500. While Coelho cruised to victory, Yokomo’s Nicolas Lee and the Xray of JJ Wang enjoyed a good battle for the runner up spot. In A1, Wang would get passed the Singapore driver but on used tyres he couldn’t hold the position. In A2, Wang took advantage of Lee being on used tyres and took second setting them up for an interesting A3 battle. With a minute to go in final A-Main a mistake by Wang dropped him to third allowing Chinese National Champion Ma Haoran passed for second behind winner Lee. Overall it was Lee who got second with Wang completing the podium on his return to international competition. In the 1:8 Onroad Nitro Final, Hamon’s Serpent was untouchable over the 45-minute final and the Australian netted himself an easy 20,000 Chinese Yuan. Despite a big crash at the start, Matrix Tires founder Cristian Boni recovered to finish second with fellow Italian Cristiano Sartor joining him on the podium in Xiamen.

View more images here

March 24, 2024

PNP-RC IF18-3 Brass Battery Tray

Spanish onroad accessories and optional parts brand PNP-RC has released a Brass Battery Tray designed for the new Infinity IF8-3 1:8 Onroad Chassis. It has two link points, front and rear, to the main chassis allowing its continued torsion. The battery tray is machined from brass and then nickel plated for a better finish look. It weights just shy of 54 grams helping to reach minimum weight and also lowering the general centre of gravity of the car.

Source: PNP RC [pnp-rc.com]

March 24, 2024

Onyx Racing LiPo packs

Better known for their records in track speed and drag runs, British company Onyx Racing has introduced its latest iteration of 1:10 Touring Car LiPo packs. This hits the sweet spot in having a low centre of gravity, but having right amount punch to continuously power you through your run with minimal drop off, whilst still giving a balanced car. This new range of LiPos are BRCA and EFRA approved and feature an updated sealed casing. Having undergone two years of testing and feedback from drivers they feature a high discharge rate with the lowest internal resistance to date. Each pack has cell discharge curve designed for voltage recovery and peak rpm and v2 lithium separators to improve performance and reduce temperatures. The Onyx Racing range consists of 14 packs.

Source: Onyx Racing [onyxrcpowersystems.co.uk]