Just in time for the upcoming IFMAR 1:12 World Championship at Beachline Raceway in Cocoa, Florida, next week, Roche has released its new 2024 Pit Mat. Made of high-quality fabric with non-slip rubber layer the pit mat measures 100x60x0.3cm with a colour printing of the World Champion manufacturer’s logo.
Source: Roche [rocherc.com]
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.
Former 1:8 Buggy World Champion Ty Tessmann has announced he has been dropped by Xray and their US distributor RC America. The Canadian driver will depart after a 7-year stint with the Slovakian manufacturer whom he joined after a lengthy stint with Hot Bodies. Posting confirmation of the much rumoured news, fuelled by the recent signing of his former HB team-mate David Ronnefalk, on his social media, Tessmann said, ‘There have been a lot of rumors about my future with Xray. For the last 7 years I have raced for and been committed to Xray and RC America, my Dad and I helped develop the Xray offroad cars, and grow the Xray brand in North America, and we have had a lot of successes over the last 7 years with their cars’. Listing his achievements with the brand which included the TQ & 2nd at the 2018 1:8 World Championships in Australia, he continued, ‘That being said I will not be continuing with Xray for 2024 and beyond, this was not my choice, but Xray and RC America have decided to not renew my contract. I would like to thank Xray and RC America for the opportunity and support over the past 7 years. Stay tuned for an announcement on what 2024 holds for me.’
Source: Ty Tessmann [Facebook]
In a major boost for the offroad racing scene in the Philippines, after a long absence the country hosted National Championships for 1:10 Offroad with the event attracting a record entry for a Nationals. With over 100 entries for the 2-day event at the Circulo Verde track in Manila City, home to Asia’s biggest annual offroad event the Philippine Masters, in qualifying it was Sworkz driver Dino Jacinto who took the 4WD TQ with the 2WD honours going to Jomil Dela Cruz at the end of the three rounds of qualifying. In the triple finals, Jacinto would win the opening two encounters to secure the title early ahead of Dela Cruz and Tyler Cheung. In 2WD, Dela Cruz would also convert the TQ into the title albeit needing the win in A3 to do so. He was joined on the podium by Rains Viola and A2 winner Gerome Ling. The event also marked a major improvement for the track with its new oiled surface a game changer. More and more racers/hobbyist are enjoying the track with it now having good grip anytime of the day and most of all, it’s rubber friendly. The existing layout and surface will be used for 2024 edition of the Philippine Masters which takes place on April 18-21.
Image: Edward Sio [Facebook]
Having announced the re-release of its 1980’s ‘Super Dog Fighter’ 1:10 4WD Buggy in October with a CAD image, Yokomo has just released images on social media of the production buggy which is set to be with distributors in December. The Japan company is the latest manufacturer to enter the retro market after many requests from passionate fans. Having considered commercialisation many times but with no resin part molds left from that time, it was a big undertaking for the company. Although new parts have been remade, the settings have been made to recreate the atmosphere of the time as much as possible. In order to be able to drive with current power sources, it will be equipped with a gear differential, slipper clutch, Lipo battery, etc., but it also have a slot for a Sub-C size battery, natural-coloured resin parts, and aluminium die-cast front and rear parts. The bulkhead, hard-anodised aluminium shocks, and other features give you the feel of the time.
Canada’s Keven Hebert is the Modified Touring Car Champion of the 43rd running of the U.S. Indoor Champs Presented by Hobbywing. The Xray took the win at the Cleveland, Ohio, classic having earlier secured the TQ for the single A-Main. From the front he would set the fastest lap of the race to lead home the Awesomatix of former multiple World Champion Marc Rheinard, the separation 0.816 at the end of the 5-minutes. Starting from P3 on the grid Rheinard’s team-mate & 2022 Champion Sam Isaacs completed the podium ahead of the Xray of Alexander Hagberg. Double champion of last year’s event, Isaacs would retain his 1:12 title securing the TQ and victory with wins in the opening two encounters of the triple A-Mains. Winning A3, Kemp Anderson took second overall with Rheinard making it an all Awesomatix podium. Hebert would be best of the rest for Xray in P4 ahead of team-mate Hagberg.
Image: RCAmerica [Facebook]
Bruno Coelho has taken the 4WD Buggy win at the EOS season opener in Hann Münden, Germany. The Xray driver led a 1-2 for the Slovakian manufacturer ahead of new team-mate David Ronnefalk with Saturday’s 2WD winner Michal Orlowski completing the podium for Schumacher. In qualifying it was Ronnefalk who topped the first of the four qualifiers. Having TQ’d 2WD, Orlowski went fastest in Q2 before Ronnefalk hit the top again Q3. With Coelho taking the final round it was overall TQ for Ronnefalk ahead of his team-mate with Orlowski lining up P3 ahead of the Team Associated of newly crowned World Champion Davide Ongaro. In the first of the finals it was Coelho who eventually took the win. The former World Champion went to the front after a roll over from Ronnefalk approaching the half way mark but was overtaken again by the Swede when he had a mistake of his own a few laps later. With Ronnefalk out front and looking like he had the win, another mistake in the dying moments was enough to allow Coelho through to take it. A2 would see Ronnefalk again lead out the field but again a mistake allowed his team-mate through to the front only this time the Portuguese ace kept things clean to the finish for the overall win. Winning A3, Ronnefalk would finish second with Ongaro completing the podium line-up.
Image: EOS [eos.racing]
After an absence from the calendar due to Covid, the FEMCA 1:10 Electric Touring Car Championship returned over the weekend with Awesomatix driver Jack R. Kittipong the new 2023 Modified Touring Car Champion. Hosted at the Huge RC track in Bangkok, Thailand, which is run by former ISTC World Champion Surikarn Chaidajsuriya and was the venue for the 2014 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship, the FEMCA Championships are Asia’s biggest championship prize. In qualifying four different drivers would post TQ runs over the 5 rounds with Kittipong’s rounds 1 & 5 topping runs and a P2 from Q4 giving him the overall TQ ahead of Yokomo’s Nicolas Lee, Infinity’s Andy Moore and Chinese driver Tiwen Zhuo who topped Q4. In the triple A-Mains, the first encounter saw Kittipong see off the pressure of Lee to win by just over 2/10ths of a second with Xpress team driver Nagashima getting passed Moore for third. A2 saw an even closer gap between Kittipong and Lee, but the win gave Kittipong the overall FEMCA title. Winning A3, Singapore’s Lee would finish runner-up with the podium being completed by Japan’s Nagashima.
Image: Jack R. Kittipong [Facebook]
