January 8, 2025

2025 Desert Classic – Announcement

2023 IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championship hosts Hobby Action have announced details for the 9th Annual Desert Classic which takes place at the Arizona indoor track from February 28th to March 2nd.  The Desert Classic has established itself as an early season fixture on the international 1:10 Offroad calendar filling the void left after the iconic Cactus Classic lost its track location.  Attracting 327 entries, the 2024 edition of the race saw Spencer Rivkin (4WD Buggy) and Davey Batta (2WD Buggy) take the big wins.  Continued to be sponsored by Stickit1 Racing, the race schedule will consist of 4 rounds of qualifying with the best three to count with triple finals for all 2WD and 4WD classes and 10-minute Mains for Truck classes.

View Desert Classic poster here

January 8, 2025

T-Works XB4’25 steel chassis skid protectors

T-Works has updated their range of steel chassis skid protectors to include the Xray XB4’25 1:10 4WD buggy.  Made from stainless steel, the plates are designed to provide protection for the buggy’s chassis against scratches which are part of the wear & tear that comes with offroad racing.  Offered in a front plate or rear plate, each option comes supplied as a pack of two plates.

View rear plate here

January 7, 2025

Gollner joins Mugen Seiki Europe

Mugen Seiki Europe has announced top Austrian touring car racer Patrick Gollner will represent the Japanese manufacturer in 2025.  A long time Xray driver, the European Championship finalist & 7-time Austrian National Champion will bolster Mugen Seiki’s European presence ahead of the release of its new MTC3 touring car which both Ronald Volker and up & coming US talent Jacob Cruz put into the final at the IFMAR World Championship in California back in November.  On the announcement Gollner said, ‘First of all, I would like to thank Robert Pietsch and Ronald Völker for the opportunity to join Mugen Seiki Europe. I am extremely happy to be a part of the team from now on. After so many years in a different team, I am already looking forward to the new challenges and projects and to work closely with my new teammates. Full of motivation and with renewed ambition, I am now heading into the new season!’

Source: MSE [Facebook]

January 6, 2025

Kobbevik goes Team EAM battery power

Team EAM has announced that IFMAR World Championship finalist Daniel Kobbevik will use their batteries to power his 2025 race campaign.  Best known for his 1:10 Offroad exploits, the factory Schumacher driver will not only use the America brand’s batteries to power his Schumacher buggies but will also for some planned 1:10 and 1:12 onroad outings.  Having been promoted to Hobbywing’s international race team for the new season, on the addition of Team EAM to his equipment package he said, ‘I am looking forward to have my cars EAM powered and being a part of the team. Thanks for the opportunity to use these great products!’

Source: Team EAM [teameamotorsports.com]

January 5, 2025

Phend & Rivkin winners at JConcepts Clash of Champions

Dakotah Phend and Spencer Rivkin took the big wins at this year’s JConcepts Clash of Champions, Phend marking the beginning of his new contract with Xray with a dominant win in 2WD Buggy.  The third edition of the annual race hosted by Hoosier RC HobbyPlex in Indiana, having taken the TQ in both 2WD and 4WD, Phend delivered an impressive early win in 2WD.  Winning the opening two A-Main encounters ahead of Schumacher’s Broc Champlin this would be his third consecutive Clash of Champions 2WD win and he was joined on the podium by Champlin another of Xray’s new 2025 recruits Brennan Schimmel.  In 4WD, Phend opened with the win in A1 but second place qualifier Rivkin got the job done in A2 after a small error from the Top Qualifier which set the stage for a shoot out in A3.  Leading the first half of the decider, a mistake in the berm would prove costly for Phend who eventually finished P4 while Rivkin won to take the overall victory for Team Associated.  Both drivers would be joined on the podium by the Team Associated of Davy Batta.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]

January 5, 2025

Polito takes ‘OneRace OneMan’ win

Having wrapped up the 2024 season with a very impressive performance at the SIGP in Xiamen, China, Sworkz’s Mattia Polito has opened 2025 with the 1:8 Nitro Buggy victory at the annual ‘OneRace OneMan’ race at the IBR Padova indoor facility in Italy.  In qualifying it was Marco Baruffolo who was the Top Qualifier, in his first race for Kyosho the Italian topped 2 of the 4 rounds of qualifying.  Fastest in Q3, his new team-mate Riccardo Berton would end qualifying P2 with Polito securing P3 after a TQ run in round 2. In the 45-minute Main, Berton’s challenge would end after just 18-minutes as he retired with a technical issue.  With Baruffolo leading he would also run into issues but finish, a problem with his receiver battery 20-minutes in costing him time.  Setting the fastest lap of the final, this all played into the favour of Polito who would take the victory from Baruffolo with the Xray of former ‘OneRace OneMan’ race winner Alex Zanchettin completing the podium. In eBuggy, Polito secured the TQ but it was second place qualifier Berton who took the win.

Image: Red RC File

January 4, 2025

Phend opens new era with ‘Clash of Champions’ TQ

Dakotah Phend has opened the new era in his racing career by securing the TQ double at the JConcepts Clash of Champions with his new Xray buggies.  Just days after the Slovakian manufacturer officially confirmed they had signed the star American racer, the new package is making its race debut at Hoosier RC HobbyPlex where Phend is chasing a third consecutive win at the annual Indiana event,  In 2WD qualifying, 2 from three rounds to count, Phend wrapped up an early overall TQ by taking the opening two rounds, the first ahead of Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin and the second ahead of Schumacher’s Broc Champlin.  In 4WD, it was Xray’s Chase Lemieux who took the first round ahead of his new team-mate before Phend went to the top in Q2 & 3 setting the fastest times ahead of Rivkin to secure the overall TQ.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]

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