November 12, 2017

Coelho leads the way China in early 2WD practice

With the first two rounds of free practice complete at the 2WD Offroad World Championships in China complete it is Bruno Coelho who leads the way. The Xray driver set the fastest 3-consecutive laps on his second run to top the times by a massive 2.5-seconds from Naoto Matsukura after posting a fastest lap of 24.788. With things much more closely bunched from P2 to P6, the five drivers separated by 3/10ths of second it was Jared Tebo, the last 2WD World Champion on dirt who completed the Top 3 ahead of Ty Tessmann, Joern Neumann and Dakotah Phend. With 4WD Champion Coelho fastest in contrast reigning 2WD Champion Spencer Rivkin, who celebrates his 19th birthday today in Xiamen, found himself 13th fastest.

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November 1, 2017

Joe Pillars signs long term deal with Yokomo

Following the news earlier today that Joe Pillars had left his long time position at Kyosho, competing Japanese brand Yokomo have just announced the signing of Joe Pillars as US Team Manager. Joe will lead the brand’s charge into the US market by building and operating their race team as of today. Joe brings many successful years of Team Management skills to Yokomo and they are all very excited for the future. Joe had the following to say about the deal:

I would first like to thank Kyosho America for the past 11 years of working together. I would like to thank Aki, Futoshi, Mitsuo, Kanai, Derek, and everyone at Kyosho America for all there support and efforts during this time. I would also like to thank Jared Tebo for the opportunity to work with him during most of my time at Kyosho. Together we have accomplished a lot of great results including 1 x World Title, 3 x World TQ’s, 9 ROAR National Championships, as well countless other big race victories! Now moving forward, I would like to first thank Tom Yokobori and Minoru Aso for this great opportunity to work for and represent Yokomo here in the USA!

Continue reading his statement here


October 30, 2017

Jan is back, Ratheisky does double at ETS Austria

Multiple former Pro Stock & Formula Champion Jan Ratheisky bounced back with a bang at the Euro Touring Series season opener in Austria today wrapping up a double victory in the second round of A-Main encounters.  Securing his first pole position in over a season at the Vienna hosted race, the Xray driver ended a 9 race victory drought in Pro Stock thanks to a repeat of his dominant A1 performance.  In Formula, the 4-time back to back champion’s last race win was more recent, the German had to work harder for the win in A2. The man who took the title off him last season, David Ehrbar pushed him hard with the duo swapping positions before Ratheisky found his way back passed the Serpent driver to win by half a second. With Ratheisky sitting out A3, Ehrbar would take the win to secure 2nd overall despite a strong challenge from Luke Lee, the British driver completing the Scorpion Power System Formula podium with his Xray.

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October 30, 2017

Rheinard opens ETS season with first Infinity win

Marc Rheinard got his first full season of ETS as an Infinity driver off to the best possible start by taking the overall win in Austria with another clear win in A2, again finishing ahead of reigning champion Bruno Coelho. Wrapping up his long run as a Tamiya driver at the season opener last year before moving to newcomers Infinity for Round 2, today marks the German’s first ETS success with the team and the first for the team as a manufacturer.  Also claiming the TQ in Vienna taking all four qualifiers, Marc’s first win in almost two season’s sees the former champion go away with the maximum points available with him admitting himself he doesn’t know when he last had such a dominant weekend.

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October 29, 2017

Rheinard cruises to A1 win ahead of Coelho

Marc Rheinard cruised to an easy win in the opening A-Main at the ETS season opener in Vienna this morning, the Infinity driver leading home Bruno Coelho and Ronald Volker.  Top Qualifier for the race, the German got a break on the opening laps as the pack bunched up behind a slow starting Viljami Kutvanen who then came under attack from Marco Kaufmann.  While they battled, Rheinard further extended his lead while contact between Kutvanen and Kaufmann allowed fourth place starter Coelho to take up the chase but with the pair matching lap times Rheinard maintained the gap to win by 2.5 seconds.  With the Kutvanen/Kaufmann incident forcing the following pack to take evasive action, Volker would tag the rear of Alexander Hagberg resulting in an exchange of words afterwards.  Hagberg came off the worst his car jumping the boards and needing to be marshalled as Volker continued behind Kaufmann whom he would eventually get passed to salvage a 3rd from his P6 starting position.

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October 28, 2017

Ratheisky opens ETS season with Pro Stock & Formula TQs

Jan Ratheisky is the Top Qualifier for both Pro Stock and Formula at the opening round of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series in Austria.  The former champion of both classes and only driver to win two classes on the same weekend of an ETS, the Xray driver secured his pole position double in the third of the four rounds of qualifying.  Having taken the opening two qualifiers, the German continued his form into the second half of the day with a third TQ run in the penultimate qualifier to secure his first pole position in 8 races.  The last time he took an overall TQ was on the same weekend he wrapped up the Season #9 Formula championship title.  In Pro Stock it will be Simon Lauter who will be Ratheisky’s main challenger off the start line with the Tamiya driver taking the final qualifier from the second fastest heat to jump ahead of Mustafa Alp who will line up third.  Former DHI Cup Pro Stock champion Tim Benson ended qualifying fourth for Serpent with Awesomatix pairing Max Mächler and Olivier Bultynck completing the Top 6.  For reigning champion Alexandre Duchet, who had a fairytale ETS debut at the season opener last year, it has been a tough qualifying with the Frenchman just making the A-Main cut, qualifying his Xray 10th.

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October 28, 2017

Rheinard ends two year drought with first Infinity TQ at ETS Austria

Marc Rheinard has ended a 2-year TQ drought by claiming his first pole position start of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series since 2015.  Last securing pole at the Season #9 opener in the Czech Republic in 2015 he became Top Qualifier for the 13th time today in Vienna when he made it three out of three at the top of the time sheets in the penultimate round of qualifying.  Claiming the first championship point of the season, the TQ marks the first for Infinity as the German driver and Japanese manufacturer embark on their first full ETS championship campaign.

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October 28, 2017

Another TQ run from Rheinard in Q2

Having taken the opening qualifier of the new season of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series in Austria yesterday, Marc Rheinard has backed it up with another TQ run today in Q2.  The Infinity driver would set the pace once again from Awesomatix’s Viljami Kutvonen, this time the Top 11 drivers making 24-laps.  Surprising even himself with P5 in Q1, Marco Kaufmann further impressed as he completed the Top 3 for the second qualifier ahead of Ronald Volker and Olly Jefferies and Alexander Hagberg.  Having opened the season as many expected by topping the times in practice, reigning champion Bruno Coelho’s luck continues to be out as he again made a mistake in his opening lap as he did yesterday.  Starting Q2 last due his mistake filled opening attempt, the Xray driver would get passed on the opening lap by Rheinard following his contact with the board in the middle of the second corner.  In the end he would salvage a P8 from the run.

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