Red RC » R Off Road

November 11, 2024

Canas doubles at Alabama Manufacturers Shootout 15.0

Once again making the trip state side for the 15 edition of the Alabama Manufacturers Shootout, Sworkz’s European Champion & World Championship Top Qualifier Juan Carlos Canas came away the big winner with victory in both Nitro and Electric Buggy. In qualifying for the RaceTime Entertainment organised event, it would be TLR’s Dakotah Phend who kicked things off with a Round 1 TQ but taking the remaining two rounds it was Canas who topped the ranking from the American. The final grid however would be sorted in Superpole which Phend took reversing the order meaning Canas started the 45-minute final P2. Qualifying P4 behind Mason Fuller, the Tekno of 2023 AMS Champion Ryan Maifield would get P3 in Superpole. While Phend had a number of stints at the front, it was Canas who came away with the win 6-seconds clear after 104 laps of the indoor dirt track. Fuller’s Sworkz completed the podium. As the defending eBuggy Champion, starting from pole Canas retained his title after winning the first 2 of the triple mains. The podium was completed by Mugen Seiki’s Burak Kilic and Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin. In Nitro Truggy, Maifield secured the win from Phend and Rivkin.

Image: JConcepts [Facebook]

November 8, 2024

Lautenbach joins Power HD

Servo manufacturer Power HD has announced the signing of German National Champion and multiple EOS A-Finalist Moritz Lautenbach. An Sworkz team driver and son of multiple European Electric Onroad Champion Jurgen Lautenbach, commenting on the news Moritz said, “When I was approached by Power HD and initially tested the product I was immediately very impressed. The response of the servo and it‘s adjustability are outstanding so joining Power HD for the next two seasons was a no brainer.” Set to travel to next week’s Florida Carpet Champs in the US, he will use Power HD GTS-3 in his 1:10 scale Sworkz Buggies while choosing the GTS-6 for his Mugen Seiki 1:8 buggies.

Source: PowerHD [chd.hk]

November 7, 2024

Ronnefalk confirmed for SIGP International Offroad GP

The organisers of the SIGP International Offroad GP in Xiamen, China, have announced David Ronnefalk as the latest driver who will compete for a share of the race’s total prize money of almost $25,000. The Xray driver & 2016 1:8 Buggy World Champion is the third World Champion winner to be confirmed for the December 11-15 race with Team Associated’s Davide Ongaro and Xray’s Bruno Coelho having already been announced to race at the 3-circle ARC International RC Racing Track. The same venue that hosted the 2017 IFMAR 1:10 Electric Offroad World Championships, the race schedule will be made up of 5 classes including racing for 1:4 offroad bikes with the main action expected in 1:8 Nitro Buggy and 1:8 eBuggy. Red RC will be travelling to the SIGP for the post Covid return of the event to the international race calendar.

Source: Sunpadow [sunpadow.com]

November 4, 2024

Berkan Kilic wins IBR Padova Winter Cup

Berkan Kilic took the double win at the IBR Padova Winter Cup over the weekend, the Mugen Seiki driver taking the eBuggy win ahead of Riccardo Berton who made his unofficial return to Kyosho at the race. In qualifying at the impressive Italian indoor dirt track, it was Berton with his plain white bodied Kyosho who took the overall TQ in electric but after some very close racing with Kilic it was the later who came away with the victory. Sworkz driver Marcel Trieb would complete the podium. With the Winter Cup attracting almost 200 entries, Kilic would also give Mugen success in the Nitro Buggy category securing the TQ and win.

Image: Riccardo Berton [Facebook]

November 4, 2024

2025 EFRA European Championship Calendar

Hosting its AGM over the weekend in Brussels, Belgium, EFRA, the governing body for RC racing in Europe, has released a provisional 2025 race calendar of which the European Championships are the highlights. Made up of 13 European Championship deciding events, it will all kick off with the 1:12 EC in Belgium at the end of March and concluded with the only remaining European B Championship for 1:8 Buggy which takes place at the end of September in Italy. EFRA also announced the awarding of 2026 European Championship to tracks with the Fuencarral circuit in Madrid, Spain, home to the annual international Buggyland race, set to host the 1:8 Buggy Championships. Other confirmed 2026 locations include Bourg-en-Bresse in France which will be the venue for the 1:8 Onroad Euros while Steyregg in Austria has been selected to host the 1:10 Offroad Championships. Electric Touring Car will return to Mini Circuit ‘Ville de Luxembourg’, the iconic Luxembourg track having last hosted the Euros in 2009. Two significant points to come out from the EFRA AGM include the 1:12 section making the decision to modernise the bodyshell rules in coming years, bringing in the styling and design of modern LMDh/IMSA endurance racing cars. In 1:8 Offroad, control tyres will now be mandated for the 2025 European B 1:8 Buggy Championship. The new rule allows each tyre manufacturer to nominate control tyres for use during the event.

View calendar dates here

October 31, 2024

World Champion Ongaro confirmed for SIGP debut

Triple back to back 1:8 Offroad World Champion Davide Ongaro is the latest driver to be confirmed for the SIGP International Offroad Grand Prix in Xiamen, China. It will be factory Team Associated driver’s first time to travel to China and the impressive 3-circle ARC International RC Racing Track, the Italian & current 1:10 4WD Buggy World Champion not yet racing 1:10 electric when the track hosted the IFMAR World Championship in 2017. With Germany’s Joern Neumann and American Ryan Lutz as past Champions, 2024 will be the first running of the SIGP post Covid with organisers confirming last week that Xray’s Bruno Coelho, winner of the SIGP Onroad event earlier this year, will return for its offroad event which takes place from December 11-15th.

Source: Sunpadow [sunpadow.com]

October 31, 2024

ROAR announces 2025 Nationals Calendar

ROAR, the the sanctioning body for RC racing in the United States & Canada, has announced the track locations and dates for its 2025 National Championships. While a suitable venue for the 1:8 Onroad Nitro Nationals is still being sought, the 2025 Nationals will kick off with the 1:10 Onroad Carpet Nationals at 360 RC Raceway in New Rochelle, New York, which is home to the annual MonTech NYGP. Later in the same month Amain will host the 1:8 Electric Offroad Nationals at it track in California. Next up it will be the 1:10 Offroad Nationals which will be hosted by Hoosier RC Hobbyplex in Indiana in May. June will see the turn of 1:8 Nitro Offroad drivers to battle it out for National honours as they travel to the Thornhill Racing Circuit in Texas. In August the 1:10 Carpet Offroad Nationals will take drivers to Iowa to the Island Speedway Offroad facility. Set to wrap up the National Calendar in October, CenCal Speedway in Fresno, California, will decide the 1:10 Onroad Paved National titles.

View official 2025 calendar here

October 30, 2024

Berton to run Matrix Tires

Kyosho bound Riccardo Berton will run Martix tyres as part of his new race program, the Italian manufacturer announcing the 1:8 Offroad World finalist would be joining World Champion Davide Ongaro as one of its team drivers for 2025. Winner of this year’s Montepellier GP, the Italian had been running OGO tyres as part of his program with Infinity in 2024 and commenting on his announcement at Matrix he posted, ‘Really happy to join Matrix Racing Tires for 2025, thank you very much to Cristian and all the team! Looking forward to the start of the season!’

Source: Matrix [matrixtires.it]