August 13, 2023

Phend & Rivkin defend ROAR National titles

Team Losi Racing’s Dakotah Phend and Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin have successfully defended their ROAR 1:10 Buggy National titles.  The 2023 championships took place at HobbyTown Columbus in Georgia where 2WD Champion Phend would line up second on the grid behind Top Qualifier Broc Champlin as he attempted to keep his run of title going.  A P9 in A1 after contact with Rivkin put Phend on the back foot as the World Champion took the win ahead of Ryan Cavalieri.  In A2 & A3, Phend, having already retained his Mod Truck title earlier in the event, would win both encounters from Rivkin and the Schumacher of Champlin and that was how they would like up on the final podium.  In 4WD,  starting from the TQ, Rivkin would retain the title he took from Phend last year at SDRC Raceway in San Diego with wins in A1 & 2.  While Champlin would win A3, he would again have to settle for the final step on the podium as Xray’s Chase Lemieux took second overall with P2 finishes in A1 & 3.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]


August 13, 2023

Gruber takes ENS Round 2 victory

Capricorn’s Toni Gruber took the 1:8 victory at the second round of the ENS in the Netherlands today, the German leading home Dutch driver Jilles Groskamp at the Apeldoorn circuit.  As he did at the circuit last year, Gruber would start the 45-minute final as the Top Qualifier.  His third consecutive ENS TQ start, this time round the reigning 1:10 European Champion would convert the pole position into victory, setting the fastest lap of the race with his Ielasi Tuned powered LAB C804 to build up a winning margin of almost 2-laps over the Infinity of Groskamp.  Winner of the Dutch ENS encounter last year, Dominic Greiner would lead for a number of laps following a tyre stop from Gruber but the former European Champion would be forced to retire as the race reached half way.  With the third place qualifier out, Mugen’s Steven Cuypers, winner of the recent Dutch National Championship third round at the track, would complete the podium line-up after a strong race from 8th on the grid.  Making it a Capricorn double Melvin Diekmann took the 1:10 win, his second of the season, with Tim Benson runner-up and Top Qualifier Milan Holthuis third.

Image: Jilles Groskamp [Facebook]


August 13, 2023

SuperRad SR-06 1:12 LMP body

US race body manufacturer SuperRad Competition Bodyshells has released a new 1:12 LMP Body recommended for 13.5 and 17.5 use, the SR-06.   The new body offers the most stability and turn-in of all their LMP bodies.  The ROAR approved body is available in XtraSuperLite .010”, SuperLite .015” and Lite .020” polycarbonate and includes headlight decal sheet and window mask.

View more images here


August 12, 2023

Champlin & Rivkin Top Qualifiers at ROAR Nationals

Schumacher’s Broc Champlin and Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin are the buggy Top Qualifiers at the 2023 ROAR 1:10 Offroad Nationals which are being hosted by HobbyTown Columbus in Georgia.  In 2WD, Champlin dominated Friday’s opening day of qualifying topping the two rounds on the schedule with his LRP powered LD2.  The first of Saturday’s qualifiers would go to World Champion Spencer Rivkin as Champlin ended up P5.  With two from four to count it was all to play for for Rivkin but TLR’s defending ROAR 2WD Champion Dakotah Phend would lay down the fastest run of the four in the final round just ahead of Champlin to secure second on the grid.  Only P6 for the round, Rivkin will line-up third on the grid.  In 4WD, it would also be Champlin who kicked off qualifying at the top of the time sheets.  Q2 would see the Xray of Chase Lemieux put in a TQ run before defending 4WD Champion Rivkin became the third different driver to hit the top spot.  It all came down to Q4 with Champlin looking on target for the double but over the final 2 laps Rivkin edged in front to take the round by 3/10ths of a second and the overall TQ for tomorrow.  Champlin starts 2nd followed by Lemieux, Tater Sontag, Dustin Evans and Phend.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]


August 12, 2023

Gruber Top Qualifier at Dutch ENS

Toni Gruber is the Top Qualifier at the second round of the ENS in the Netherlands.  After a dominant performance on Friday when the Capricorn/Ielasi Tuned driver topped all three qualifiers, unfortunately Saturday morning rain forced the cancellation of the remaining two qualifiers at the Apeldoorn track.  Top Qualifier at the season opening in Ettlingen, Germany, and at the recent European Championships in Portugal, Gruber will start Sunday’s scheduled 45-minute final on pole from Infinity’s Jilles Groskamp.  The Dutch driver was the closest challenger to his German rival setting the second fastest time in each of the three rounds of heats.  Capricorn’s Dominic Greiner, winner of the season opener in May, completes the Top 3 ahead of Shepherd’s Lars Hoppe counting a P3 and P4 run as his best two rounds.  In 1:10, Infinity driver Milan Holthuis secured the TQ ahead of Round 1 Top Qualifier & winner Melvin Diekmann with Tim Benson set to line up 3rd on the grid.

Image: Toni Gruber [Facebook]


August 11, 2023

Serpent SRX8 GTE LWB Raceroller

Serpent is now offering a version of their successful Serpent SRX8 GTE 1:8 GT chassis as a pre-assembled and factory pre-set LWB chassis with pre-mounted GT tyres.  For the new SRX8GTE LWB Raceroller, Serpent has extended the chassis an additional 29mm for use with all true to scale related RC bodies.  This durable GT chassis allows a great entry in the racing scene, at a lower cost, and will make you finish your races.  Featuring 4-wheel-drive with cardan shafts, 2 geardiffs, solid center axle, 16mm bigbore shocks, aluminium shocktower and chassis and easy radiobox, it is fully upgradable with parts and options from the high end race-version.  The parts that are needed to run the car are a bodyshell, esc, motor, servo and battery.

View more images


August 11, 2023

JConcepts JCI Tuck 1989 Ford F-150 cab only

JConcepts has released its latest ‘tucked’ body intended for 1:10 RC crawlers, the 1989 Ford F-150 “cab only” for the Traxxas TRX-4 Sport, Enduro, Axial, Vanquish 12.3″ wheelbase.  Officially licensed by Ford to JConcepts,  when called upon, the Florida company’s design team steps up to the plate with licensed designs, clever takes, and innovative approaches to the Golden era of pick-up trucks.  This 1989 Ford F-150 “cab only” for scale RC trucks is a bit new but carries a tradition of classic looks while maintaining performance.  The body is intended for 12.3” wheelbase builds and fits a large assortment of vehicles on the market to satisfy a genre.

View more images here


August 10, 2023

Donathen RC Glowplug Ignitor charge lead

American RC wiring and cables specialists Donathen RC has introduced a new Glowplug Ignitor charge lead.  Available in a choice of colours the lead is designed to charge your NICD/NIMH glow plug ignitor.  Handcrafted to order in the USA, the leads have a variety of unique features including choice of length, choice of charger connector and are made with dual wall adhesive heat shrink for durability.

View more images here