ARC has released a new optional Rear Upper Arm Plate for its R8.4 1:8 Onroad Nitro racing chassis. The new plate moves the inside hole 2mm higher and 1mm inside compared to the original rear upper plate R808006. The new plate makes setup easier, it changes only the rear arm length and its use can give more rear traction. The arm length can be adjusted by changing the insert, each gap is 1.5mm.
Source: Team Titan [team-titan.com.tw]
Sworkz has a new 1:8 Nitro Buggy with the release of the S35-4 EVO. The geometry from the Worlds Edition conversion kit provides optimised cornering speeds with a more easy handling feel and maximum traction. The S35-4 EVO features a T7075 hard anodised and lightened aluminium chassis with a new short wheel base design that was tested for a long time by our factory pilots which guarantee the best speed balance for both front and rear suspensions. HET differentials are included in the kit while the High Density Clutch Bell system are optional. The new S35-4 EVO comes with a brand new steering Lay-Down Type Steering Bell crank servo saver system. This new Ackerman design provides the driver with better control over the S35-4 EVO buggy.
Thilo Baldes is the new German National Onroad Champion in the 1:8 Nitro Class 2. With his Reds Racing powered Shepherd Velox V8.2, the 12-year-old talent from Adenau near the famous Nürburgring won the 45-minute final race at the German Nationals in Kirchhain in central Germany with a concentrated and faultless performance. In the heat battle at temperatures around 35 degrees, Baldes relegated Julian Krajuszek (Mugen), who is the same age, to second place on the 230-metre racetrack and thus also secured the title of German Junior Champion in Class 2. Third place on the podium in the performance class 2 went to Sebastian Steck (Capricorn).
ROAR, the sanctioning body for RC racing in the United States & Canada, has announced the completion of its Executive Committee with the appointments of Brent Densford as Competition Director and Lance MacDonald as Promotions Director. Under the guidance of new President Clayton Young, ROAR appears to be on a much overdue positive trajectory and the latest appointments should be a boost to national championship racing and the bobby in general. Densford is the owner of Beach RC while MacDonald has vast experience in race organisation and so their combined experience and knowledge should assist ROAR in being more more proactive in the promotion of the hobby as opposed to just being a rule enforcer.
Read official ROAR announcement here
New from T-Works are these brass battery holders intended for 1:10 Electric Touring Car. Each weighing 7 grams, they offer another option of weigh distribution and will fit chassis from Xray, Yokomo, Mugen and Serpent. Supplied as set of two, the brass battery holders are finished with a black hard anodising.
Source: T-Works [rc-tworks.com]
For the fourth round of the BRCA 4WD Onroad National Championship it was down to the Cotswold track at Kemble Airfield. Weather forecast was looking okay for the weekend, however practice on Saturday was hit by some unexpected rain and the same happened again on Sunday. The first round saw newly crowned Modified Champion, Kyle Branson with his Xray X-4 set the pace with a quick 19-lapper, from team-mate Harley Eldridge, with Andy Murray’s Schumacher Mi8 in third. Q2 saw Kyle again fastest from Chris Grainger’s Schumacher Mi8 and Alex Thurston’s Yokomo BD-12 was third. The third round saw Alex take the fastest time with a 20 lapper from Kyle, Xray’s Peter Eagles and Grainger in fourth but overall it was Kyle who was the Top Qualifier from Alex, Chris and Harley. In the finals, the first leg was a bit wet but that didn’t stop Kyle taking the win with 15 laps from Chris and Andy. A2 was nice & dry and it was again Kyle taking the win this time with 20 laps from Peter, Alex and Chris. For the third leg, the rain had properly come down and continued through the final with the cars throwing up plumes of spray. But this wasn’t going to deter Kyle, who made in a hat-trick of wins from Chris in second and young Daniel Robins in third. So it was Kyle who took the overall win, making it four out of four in the championship, with Chris in the runner-up spot with Peter taking with the final podium spot.
Schumacher’s Daniel Kobbevik claimed a double win at the fourth round of the Norwegian 1:10 Offroad Nationals which took place in Bergen last weekend. Moved to the West Coast venue after issues with originally scheduled venue, Saturday’s 2WD action presented driver with weather from all four seasons. Despite the challenges, Kobbevik would take the TQ ahead of fellow Schumacher driver Halvor Gran and the Team Associated of Adrian Sognestad. Continuing that form into the triple finals he would take the win with the podium order being as they line-up on the grid. Sunday’s 4wD would be a repeat performance from Kobbevik as he took all four qualifying rounds with his LRP powered Schumacher CAT L1R. Starting from pole ahead of Sognestad, he would complete the perfect weekend with victory in A1 & A2 and leaving his rivals to battle it out for the other two podium placings in A3, a battle Gran would win for another Schumacher 1-2. Peter Stein completed the podium.
Image: Magne Kobbevik
With IFMAR’s original & longest running World Championship taking place later this year in Japan, photos shared by Juraj Hudy of one of his early 1:8 Onroad creations grabbed our attention. Being raced at the recent veteran’s race at the Czech Nationals, the handmade Hudy Special 4WD car is from 1985, the year Rody Roem was crowned World Champion in Japan. With our own introduction to RC racing being through the category in the late 80s, it is interesting to see how chassis design has evolved over the last four decades when compared to the latest cars. Having had the pleasure of getting into an in-depth conversation with Juraj about all things engineering and what goes into the production of a chassis kit while waiting in airport lounge in Buenos Aires for our return flight from covering the 2012 1:8 Offroad World Championships, one year later we got to visit the lock up that was Juraj’s very first workshop. There he shared his story of the journey to the impressive high tech factory of Hudy & Xray and Hudy Racing Arena that is now just a few hundred metres away. Red RC will be travelling to Infinity International RC Speedway in Japan at the end of October as part of our 2023 Worlds coverage to tell the story of how the 23rd 1:8 Onroad World Championships unfolds.
View more Hudy Special 4WD images here
