Nitro onroad manufacturer Shepherd and its new owner Zen Racing has introduced two new pit mat designs to show your allegiance to the respective brands. Measuring 600mm by 1200mm, they are made from hard wearing easy wipe material making it easy to keep your pit working area clean after a day at the track or after preparing your car at home ahead of testing or racing.
Following requests from racers around the world Zen-Racing / Team Shepherd have introduced two new pinions to help compliment the current range on offer for its Velox V8.2 1:8 Onroad Chassis which enjoyed victory at the latest round of the Euro Nitro Series over the weekend in the hands of Lars Hoppe. Machined to the highest standard these two new 18T & 23T options will give racers greater flexibility when setting up the drive train to help maximise performance.
Source: Zen Racing [zen-racing.co.uk]
Shepherd Micro Racing’s Lars Hoppe took the win at the second round of the Euro Nitro Series, the German winning the final in Aigen, Austria, ahead of reigning Champion Toni Gruber. In qualifying it was the Mugen Seiki of 2024 Championship leader Simon Kurzbuck who took the TQ. Winner of the season opener in Ettlingen, Germany, the former World Champion topped 3 of the 4 qualifiers with Hoppe the only other driver to top a round with the fastest time in Q2 to secure P2 on the grid. In the 45-minute final, Kurzbuch looked to have the race under control leading from Hoppe and the Capricorn of third place qualifier Gruber however the Swiss driver’s engine would stop approaching the 20-minute mark. Taking over the lead, Kurzbuch losing over 4-minutes in the pits, Hoppe would see off the challenge of Gruber eventually winning by 3/4 of a lap from the Gruber with the Infinity of Teemu Leino completing the podium a further 8-seconds back. Kurzbuch would finish P8. In 1:10 it was the Infinity of Jilles Groskamp who took the win from the TQ spot ahead of the Capricorn of reigning Champion & Round 1 winner Melvin Diekmann. Infinity’s Milan Holthuis completed the podium.
Image: Lars Hoppe [Facebook]
Just as the nitro onroad season gets underway in earnest, Zen-Racing / Team Shepherd have released an extensive line of 2024 Teamwear featuring the onroad nitro manufacturer’s new logo and branding. Made from high quality materials and in sizes from small to 4XL, the new range features the new new Shepherd Micro Racing logo front and back with the range including a T-shirt, Hoodie, Zoodie and Polo that should be available from your local Shepherd distributor.
Shepherd have started to release some new upgrades for its Velox V8.2 with a trio of new Anti Roll Bars options for the 1:8 Onroad Chassis. Developed in conjunction with the factory team drivers, these new additions to the V8.2 Anti Roll Bar range will give racers extra flexibility and greater tuning options. The new roll bars are offered in 2.3mm, 2.7mm, and 2.9mm thicknesses.
Source: Zen Racing [zen-racing.co.uk]
In the first of a series of new option part releases since its take over last by David Spashett’s Zen Racing, onroad nitro chassis manufacturer Shepherd has released a new Rear Shock Tower Vertical Mounting Set for its Velox 8.2. The new rear Shock mount for its flagship 1:8 onroad chassis offers a much more tuneable option for the rear shock angle.
Source: Zen Racing [zen-racing.co.uk]
Following the recent sale of Shepherd Micro Racing to David Spashett’s Zen Racing, it is good to see that the Nitro Onroad manufacturer is still committed to top level racing with the announcement German racer Lars Hoppe will continue to represent the brand into the 2024 racing season. A World Championship Semi-Finalist and Europe Championship Finalist, Hoppe took the TQ and was runner-up to Dominic Greiner at this year’s German National Championship. Commenting on the announcement, Hoppe said, ‘I am pleased to extend my contract with Shepherd and continue to represent this great brand at various race tracks around the world. I would like to thank Zen-Racing / Team Shepherd for your trust in me and look forward to a good collaboration. I am happy to be involved in the further development of all platforms and am available to answer any questions at the racetrack’.
Team Shepherd claimed a 1-2 in the 2023 British 1:8 Nitro Onroad National Championship headed by Tim Wood, the former champion taking a convincing win over team-mate Karl Dransfield at the season finale over the weekend. Racing at the Cotswold circuit, where the 6 round championship kicked off back in April, qualifying would see Wood secure his fifth TQ of the campaign before going on to take his fourth win of the season. Winner of the penultimate round in Adur last month, Dransfield’s second place would at Round 6 would see him finish runner-up in the overall championship. Having taken over Shepherd Micro Racing earlier this year through his company Zen Racing, David Spashett was on hand to share the championship success in what is now the new home of the long time onroad nitro manufacturer.
Image: Shepherd Micro Racing [Facebook]
