December 13, 2023

’23 1:12 World Championship Chassis Focus Index

Last weekend 1:12 concluded the 2023 IFMAR World Championship calendar in Cocoa, Florida.  While the entry may have been small, at the front of the field things were ultra competitive as some of the biggest names in the sport battled it out to win the smallest scale and the original electric World Championship.  A beautifully presented track, Beachline Raceway was the battle ground with the TQ going to Awesomatix’ Kemp Anderson ahead of Marc Rheinard and Michal Orlowski – each taking 2 TQ runs from the six rounds.  In the finals we witnessed next level driving skills as painted was swapped in battle before Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski finally became a World Champion.  In 1:12 Spec, Awesomatx’ Max Machler did the double taking the TQ and the manufacturer’s first ever World title.  With the  Schumacher team running a different front end on their car specifically to suit the black carpet in use, we didn’t get to take our traditional ‘World Champion Chassis Focus’.  Over the event however we did however photograph 10 cars from four of the six different manufacturers represented at the 21st running of the championship and we have compiled them all here in our latest Chassis Focus index.

View Chassis Focus Index here


December 9, 2023

Kemp sees off late Rheinard attack to win A1

Kemp Anderson held off an intense late attack from Marc Rheinard to win the opening A-Main of the IFMAR 1:12 World Championship in Florida.  Starting from the pole, Andersson would initially gap the field as second place starter Michal Orlowski was occupied with trying to keep a hard charging Rheinard at bay, the pair swapping paint but holding order.  Approaching the mid point of the 8-minute Orlowski would find his rhythm, the Schumacher driver closing Anderson’s over 1-second gap down to nothing.  Coming on to the straight, the Polish ace would make a pass for the lead on the inside of the Awesomatix driver but his car shot to the outside and he hit the boards.  With a tweaked car he was then passed by Rheinard.  Having survived the Orlowski challenge, now Anderson was ready for a second attack on his lead this time from the reigning World Champion.  The German was all over and even got in under his team-mates car but in a display of why he is a 5-time World Champion was able to back out of it quick enough that they both continued with minimal disruption.  While Rheinard would make a second attempt at taking the lead, Anderson kept his nerve to take a popular win, while 5-seconds back Orlowski completed the Top 3 some 7-seconds ahead of Alexander Hagberg in P4.

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December 9, 2023

Anderson is 1:12 Worlds Top Qualifier

After a thrilling final qualifier at the IFMAR 1:12 World Championship in Florida, Awesomatix’ Kemp Anderson is the overall Top Qualifier for the 21st running of the sport’s longest running electric category.  Having kicked off Day 2 of qualifying at Beachline Raceway with a TQ run in Round 4, Anderson would go into the sixth round vying for pole position against racing heavy weights Marc Rheinard and Michal Orlowski.  Top Qualifier at the last World Championship, Orlowski’s quest to repeat that result came to a spectacular end after just one lap as he wheelied his Schumacher, the impact breaking a body hanger.  Now it was just Anderson and defending World Champion Rheinard in the shoot out.  With two TQ runs to his credit, a third TQ run would give Rheinard the top spot.  Anderson on the other hand needed to TQ in a new fastest time.  A small mistake by Rheinard meant the German had to push hard to get back on terms with the rapid Anderson but that would lead to a much bigger crash that ended his challenge.  While rivals were no longer a worry, Anderson knew he was now against the clock needing a new fastest TQ time.  While the pressure was enough for his father and newly elected IFMAR President Eric Anderson to stay in the pits, the rest of the those attending the event lined up around the track.  Despite the intensity of the biggest moment of his racing career, Anderson delivered with a time 2.5-seconds quicker than the previous best set by Orlowski securing a very popular home TQ for the host nation.  With all three drivers having two TQ runs each, overall it will be Orlowski who starts second with Rheinard lining up P3 ahead of Alexander Hagberg with Donny Lia competing the top half of the grid.

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December 8, 2023

Anderson opens Day 2 of quali with TQ run

Having knocked on the door yesterday, Awesomatix’ Kemp Anderson finally delivered a TQ run as he opened Day 2 of qualifying at the 1:12 World Championship by topping Q4 ahead of Xray’s Alexander Hagberg.  Opening qualifying yesterday at Beachline Raceway with a TQ, Michal Orlowski would be one of two big retirements in the 4th of the 6 scheduled qualifier as the Schumacher driver broke his car a minute into the run.  Next to go was overnight TQ holder Marc Rheinard, the Awesomatix driver stripping a spur after riding curbs.  This left the battle between Anderson and Hagberg, the Swede closing on the American in the closing stages, the gap just under a second at the end of the 8-minutes.  Like Hagberg, getting promoted to the top heat grouping for Day 2, Donny Lia would run his fastest qualifier so far to complete the Top 3 ahead of fellow US racer Stuart Mason.

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December 8, 2023

Rheinard holds overnight TQ at 1:12 Worlds

With Day 1 of qualifying complete at the 1:12 World Championship, it is defending World Champion Marc Rheinard who holds the overnight TQ in Florida.  The Awesomatix driver wrapped up the day’s action at Beachline Raceway with by backing up his Q2 performance with a second TQ run in the third round.  Having taken Q1, Michal Orlowski was looking on target for repeat performance until he bounced his Schumacher off the boards promoting Rheinard to the top of the timing screens.  A strong recovery that even Rheinard admitted caught him off guard, would see the Pole getting to within 0.493 of a second by the end of the 8-minutes.  Overall the Polish ace holds second in the qualification points ahead of Kemp Anderson and Alexander Hagberg.  Hagberg would end the day with his best performance setting the 3rd fastest time and together with his two P4 runs from earlier, the former World Champion gets promoted up to the top heat grouping for Day 2 of qualifying.

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December 7, 2023

Rheinard top seed at 1:12 Worlds

Current 1:12 World Champion Marc Rheinard is the top seed at the 21st running of IFMAR’s original electric category.  The Awesomatix driver set the fastest 3-consecutive laps in the second of the 3 seeding rounds today at Beachline Raceway in Florida.  Having won the first of his two Worlds titles in Florida nine years ago, the multiple Electric Touring Car Champion will lead away tomorrow’s opening qualifier ahead of Schumacher pairing Ollie Payne and Michal Orlowski.  Payne was just 0.053 off the pace of Rheinard, the British driver’s best time also coming in the second controlled practice.  With Rheinard fastest in the opening two rounds, Orlowski would top the third & final practice breaking into the 32-seconds for the first time, with the Top 3 separated by just 8/100ths of a second.  Leading the home challenge Sam Isaacs made a significant improvement in CP3 to end to up 4th ahead of fellow American and Awesomatix team-mate Kemp Anderson.  Completing the Top 6, Germany’s Jan Ratheisky was the highest placed Xray.

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December 6, 2023

Rheinard’s 1:12 World title defence off to positive start

Reigning 1:12 World Champion Marc Rheinard got his title defence off to a positive start with the Awesomatix driver topping the opening round of controlled practice at Beachline Raceway in Florida.  Setting a time of 32.983 for his fastest 3-consecutive laps, the German also had the fastest lap for the round with only team-mate Kemp Anderson, 3rd quickest for the round, also able to run a 10-second lap of the track which is proving popular with drivers.  Overall it was the Schumacher of Ollie Payne who posted the second fastest time with team-mate Michal Orlowski fourth quickest.  Japan’s Hayato Ishioka’s Roche was fifth for the round, with recent U.S. Indoor Champs winner Sam Isaacs completing the Top 6.  Keven Hebert was the top Xray in P7 over a second down on Rheinard’s time.

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November 28, 2023

Awesomatix ABH Adjustable Battery Holder set

Awesomatix has released an optional ABH Adjustable Battery Holder set as well as longer Upper Arm Holders for its A800R 1:10 Electric Touring Car.  Only suitable for use with the a800R the ABH set makes the width for the battery adjustable via sliding the AM280R in and out.  The length for battery is adjustable via P68 Battery adjusters (kit parts).  The set weighs in a ~6g.   The new AM19-LTL Upper Arm Holders provide +1mm longer top link compared to AM19R when in the normal position.  Reverse mounting is also possible to get extra long top links which are ~10mm longer than AM19R (requires optional AT25-2 turnbuckles).  It also offers an intermediate mounting position which provides ~8mm longer top links. AM19-LTL should be mounted reverse for that. One link mounted on the AM19-LTL and the other link on the Bulkhead (requires optional AT25-2 turnbuckles).  +1mm longer top links layout with AM19-LTL is recommended for carpet tracks while +10mm and +8mm extra long top links layout is recommended for asphalt tracks.

View Upper Arm Holders here