Red RC » Xray

December 5, 2023

‘Preparations for Worlds has to be exceptional to win’ – Alexander Hagberg

IFMAR’s original electric World Championship takes place in Florida this week where the 21st Champion will decided among a small but ultra competitive field. One of those drivers who will be vying for success is Alexander Hagberg who, as one of the great specialists of the category, is also one who holds a membership to one of RC racing’s most elite clubs. In 2014 he claimed his first World title when he won 1:10 Nitro Touring Car in Thailand, and then in 2018 he took the sport’s biggest prize in 1:12 in South Africa. As the reigning European 1:12 Champion, equalling David Spashett’s record of 8 titles when he won in April of this year, it is fair to say he isn’t going into these Worlds on the back of a run of impressive form since.

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December 5, 2023

Offroad talent Bajusz joins Xray Factory team

Xray has announced that up & coming offroad talent Zsolt Bajusz will be part of the Xray Factory team from 2024. The multiple Hungarian National Champion will race the Slovakian manufacturer’s XB2, XB4, XB8 and XB8E platforms. Commenting on the news Bajusz said, ‘It is with great pleasure and excitement that I announce that I am joining the Xray factory team. I am very grateful for the opportunity to join the Xray team. It is a dream come true to join this professional team. I am looking forward to the races and I will try to do my best both on and off the track. Thanks to Martin Bayer, Mario Hudy, Juraj Hudy and the whole Xray team for this opportunity.’

Source: Xray [teamxray.com]

November 28, 2023

Tessmann dropped by Xray

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]

November 26, 2023

Hebert wins U.S. Indoor Champs

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]

November 26, 2023

Coelho takes 4WD win at EOS

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]

November 24, 2023

Xray XB2 ’24 2WD Buggy

After a successful debut performance at the JConcepts Florida Carpet Championships last weekend, Xray has officially unveiled its latest 1:10 2WD Buggy, the XB2 ’24. Key new features of the buggy, which is sold in Carpet and Dirt spec kits, include a new one-piece chassis design with integrated kick-up that eliminates the lower brace and improves suspension geometry. The wider chassis shape fits the latest batteries and has a milled pocket under the servo area for improved flex and optional weight placement. The kits’ chassis lengths are selected to match typical track conditions – Medium for Carpet or Short for Dirt. New elevated side braces improve flex characteristics and integrate with the new front upper deck. A completely new front upper deck’s bridge design integrates with the new steering system and moves the shock tower forward with the shocks behind the tower. The new anti-roll bar mounting system eliminates play for more consistent handling. Another improvement on the ’24 model is new steering plate, steering arms and posts that provide a wider range of geometry adjustments and improved steering response for easier control.

View the full X12’24 presentation here

November 21, 2023

Chinese National Champion Ma confirmed for FIRC

Having announced a number of top international drivers for the inaugural Foshan International Invitational RC Championship in China on December 15-17, the organisers have confirmed that leading national onroad talent Marco Ma will also contest the event. The 19-year-old, who joined Xray in 2021, was the 2019 Chinese National Champion in both electric and nitro touring car and just recently added the National 1:8 GT title to his CV. Having announced Hobbywing as a main sponsor of the event which will take place at new 800 square metre GDC Indoor Race Club track in Guangdong, the organisers expect over 100 entries for inaugural running of FIRC. Already having confirmed 2016 World Champion & Mugen Seiki team driver Ronald Volker, Japanese Xpress factory driver Yugo Nagashima, and Team Yokomo’s newly crowned Australian Champion Simon Nicholson, this international invitational championship is not only an international competitive event but also an opportunity to promote the development of RC competition in China. With the sponsorship and support from brands such as Hobbywing, the organisers are confident RC racing will be promoted positively among more people, adding new excitement to the development of sport in China.

Source: Foshan International Invitational RC Championship [Facebook]

November 19, 2023

Florida Carpet C/ship wins for Orlowski & Coelho

The JConcepts Florida Carpet Championship at Beachline Raceway in Orlando saw wins for Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski and Xray’s Bruno Coelho with Orlowski the back to back overall Champion of the event. Attracting a strong international overseas entry, in 2WD Buggy it was Orlowski who dominated qualifying topping all four rounds to secure the overall TQ. Behind him, Coelho would end qualifying in second with a pair of P2 runs followed by Orlowski’s Schumacher team-mate Broc Champlin. TLR’s Dakotah Phend, Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin and Sworks’ Joern Neumann completed the Top 6. In the finals, Orlowski continued his form with A1 & 2 wins to retain his 2022 title. With the win in A3, Coelho would finish second with Champlin completing the 2WD podium. In 4WD, former World Champion Coelho would secure the TQ ahead of Champlin after taking 3 of the rounds with Champlin posting a TQ run in Q2. Orlowski rounded out the Top 3 ahead of Phend and new Xray signing David Ronnefalk. Again the overall win would be decided in A2 as Coelho made it 2 from 2 ahead of Orlowski, the Polish driver securing the overall runner-up spot with victory in A3 promoting Champlin to the final 4WD podium step ahead of Ronnefalk.

Image: JConcepts [Facebook]