Red RC

September 15, 2018

Orlowski pips Kobbevik in Q1

Michal Orlowski has taken the opening round of 4WD qualifying at the Euro Offroad Series at the Nurburgring, the Schumacher driver just managing to pip Daniel Kobbevik over the final two laps by 0.020 of a seconds. Having topped practice, Orlowski wouldn’t have the best of starts to Q1 suffering a mistake on the second lap due to the steering lock being wrong on his radio but it was his finish to the qualifier that clinched him the TQ. Fifth fastest in practice, Kobbevik had an improved car and looked on target for the TQ but losing more than half a second to Orlowski with a slow penultimate lap he was a 1/10th too slow on his final lap to stay at the top of the timing screen at the finish. Behind, another of the EOS’ young guns completed the Top 3 as fresh from his first EOS career win in 2WD earlier in the day Joona Haatanen surprised even himself with the 3rd fastest time. Joern Neumann was best of championship veterans with a P4 ahead of Lee Martin and Martin Bayer.

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September 15, 2018

Haatanen finally delivers EOS victory

Joona Haatanen has finally delivered his first win of the Euro Offroad Series, the Team Associated driver winning the season opening 2WD encounter at the Nurburgring in Germany. Putting himself into contention for the overall victory after winning A2, after just 3-laps it looked like both his and Michal Orlowski’s challenge for the win was over as they made contact and slow marshalling left them both down the order as Haatanen waited having made the contact with the Schumacher driver. Up front this all played perfectly into the hands of Top Qualifier Lee Martin, the third of the drivers fighting for the overall win. Holding a huge advantage, a mistake at the double before the straight on lap 7 would cost Martin 2-seconds and allow a brief challenge from fellow Brit Neil Cragg. Able to quickly re-establish his lead, the penultimate lap would see another much smaller error at the same piece of track but the 3/10ths lost was to prove costly. With Haatanen getting back up to second, all three drivers ended up on 3-points but with a winning time of 5:16.068 compared to Martin’s 5:16.317 the race was Haatanen’s who kept up Finnish motorsport tradition by taking his achievement completely in his stride. With his A1 time the slowest of triple finals reigning champion Michal Orlowski had to settle for third place points to open his title defence.

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September 15, 2018

Haatanen denies Orlowski in A2

Joona Haatanen prevented reigning EOS Champion Michal Orlowski from taking an early overall 2WD victory at the Nurburgring, the Team Associated driver winning A2 to put himself in contention for his first ever EOS career win. A much cleaner opening lap than A1, Lee Martin took early control of the race holding a decent lead over the pursuing Orlowski and Haatanen but it all came undone on the 6th lap. In the middle section, the Yokomo driver landed in the centre of the corner with his car needing to be marshalled being stranded inside the corner. This let Orlowski take the lead but he only stayed there for two laps. Casing a jump he went wide and young charger Haatanen didn’t need an invitation to get down his inside. Unlike A1, in which he made a number of mistakes, this time the Finn drove the perfect race and after a last lap error from Orlowski could cruise to the finish nearly 4-seconds clear. Luckily for Orlowski, Martin just missed the extra lap at the loop and so his crash didn’t cost him the third place. Behind Lee, Neil Cragg took fourth ahead of Daniel Kobbevik and Jörn Neumann.

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September 15, 2018

Orlowski wins A1 from Martin

Michal Orlowski has won the first A-Main of the new season of the Euro Offroad Series, the Schumacher driver getting by Top Qualifier Lee Martin on the opening lap and surviving a few mistakes of his own to stay ahead of the Yokomo driver to the finish. The tight technical track would catch out all the Top 3 starters on the first lap. The first mistake came from Orlowski followed shortly by Martin allowing 3rd place starter Joona Haatanen to go to the front but only briefly as the Team Associated driver rolled at the very next corner allowing Orlowski emerge as the leader. Pulling clear as Martin saw off the attention of Haatanen, a mistake closed the gap and Orlowski now had Martin back on his case but the reigning champion remained composed and held on to take the win by 1/10th of a second with Haatanen a further 2.3-seconds back.

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September 15, 2018

4th Annual JConcepts Turf Nationals – Report

The 4th Annual JConcepts Turf Nationals race was held at RC Madness in Enfield, Connecticut. There is no doubt that astroturf and carpet tracks are getting more popular throughout the United States. Once considered strange and not ‘real’ off-road racing, is now a thought of the past and considered truly a viable option to an alternative racing surface. As a racer, there are lovely benefits to racing on carpet mainly due to the simplicity of mounting your tires and getting on the track. There is no sanding or grinding of tyres, no heaving saucing or “burning the tyres in” for added grip. For track owners, the maintenance and track changes are by far easier to manage and RC Madness is considered one of the best “artificial” tracks in the US. is home of one of the best races on alternative surfaces in the US.

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September 15, 2018

Xray XB2C 2019 2WD buggy kit

Following a first teaser back in August, Xray have officially revealed their new XB2C 2019 2WD buggy kit aimed at high-grip astro and carpet racing. The buggy builds on the popular 2018 kit and features a host of new parts such as the multifunctional rear uprights that help to generate more traction and increase overall stability. Also new are all-new rear driveshafts that are longer and feature 2.5mm cross pins for smoother operation while the wheel axles sport safety collars and Xray’s unique multi-position driveshafts to easily adjust the overall driveshaft length which helps to adjust the car’s behaviour. Next up are new longer camber links in order to make maximum use of the roll centre settings accessible through the new rear hubs.

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September 14, 2018

Martin to start new EOS Season from TQ

Lee Martin will start the new season of the Euro Offroad Series from the TQ, the Yokomo driver just doing enough in the final qualifier to deny reigning champion Michal Orlowski pole position on the tie break. With Orlowski having two TQ runs to his name and his Q3 time the fastest of the day, Martin needed not only to TQ the fourth & final round but also better his rival’s time. With Orlowski traction rolling on his opening lap, Martin only had to worry about his time. Setting off with a strong pace, a mistake with just over a minute to go looked to have ended his chances but pushing on his final lap, almost matching his fastest lap, it was enough to give him the fastest TQ by a 1/10th of a second. Behind Martin, Joona Haatanen ended with his first 19-lap run, a result that secures the Team Associated driver third on tomorrow’s A-Main grid behind Orlowski and ahead of team-mate Neil Cragg.

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September 14, 2018

Sudhoff leads at European Reedy Race after Day 1

Running alongside the opening round of the Euro Offroad Series at the Nurburgring, at the end Day 1 of the first ever Reedy European Touring Car Race of Champions it is Freddy Sudhoff who leads the way. The Awesomatix driver had a strong four races, winning three and ending off the day with second place behind Robert Pietsch to lead the points from the Infinity of Yannic Prumper who registered one win and three second places. Master of the original Reedy Race, taking his 7th title earlier this year at the legendary Tamiya track in the US, Marc Rheinard ends the first day sitting third, four points back on Sudhoff. Together with Sudhoff and Rheinard, the only other multiple race winner of the day around the car track, the layout of which has tried to emulate the Tamiya track, is Mugen’s Robert Pietsch who sits 5th behind team-mate Viljami Kutvonen. With a Reedy Race also for Pro Stock, Max Machler made it a great day for Awesomatix taking two wins to lead the points from team-mate Olivier Bultynck and the team’s newest signing Christian Donath.