Red RC » Drivers

July 5, 2014

Another TQ run for Wilck at Hudy Arena

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Viktor Wilck claimed a second TQ run at the season finale of the Yokomo Euro Touring Series, a result that means Tamiya is guaranteed to claim its first overall TQ honour of Season #7 at the Hudy Racing Arena in Slovakia. Following a 3-hour delay to proceeding due to rain in Trencin, on the resumption of the Ride Modified class it was again new tyres that determined the top of the timing sheets with Wilck heading a Swedish 1-2 finishing 9/10ths ahead of Xray’s Alexander Hagberg with Awesomatix’s Viljami Kutvonen third, with the best of those on used tyre being Marc Rheinard who ended up 4th quickest. Fastest in Q1 Rheinard, the last TRF driver to claim an ETS TQ & win over a season ago in Austria, is the only driver going into the fourth & final qualifier who can deny Wilck his 5th TQ.

Continue reading the report here or view our complete event coverage here.

July 5, 2014

Wilck heads Tamiya 1-2 in Q2

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Viktor Wilck headed a 1-2 for the Tamiya Racing Factory squad in the second round of qualifying at the Yokomo Euro Touring Series at the Hudy Racing Arena this morning, the Swede topping the times from team-mate and Q1 pace setter Marc Rheinard. In a round that was all about tyre strategy VBC Racing’s Olivier Bultynck completed the Top 3, with the best performer on used tyres being Yokomo’s Loic Jasmin who posted the 8th fastest time.

Continue reading the report here or view our complete event coverage here.

June 30, 2014

Ryan Maifield goes Team Orion

Only days after the news of Ryan Maifield leaving his long-term sponsors Team Associated, Reedy and LRP, Team Orion announce Ryan’s signing through 2015. Ryan will be utilising all of Team Orion’s 1/10 & 1/8 electric products such motors, speed controllers, batteries, servos and chargers. The 11-times ROAR national champion brings great knowledge and experience to Team Orion and he will play a big role in the company’s research and development team while being part of the “Strong Six” US team with the likes of Ryan Cavalieri, Jared Tebo, Dakotah Phend, Dustin Evans, and Ty Tessman. Ryan has this to say about the deal:

I have always thought of Team Orion as the “bench mark” of quality and performance in the R/C industry. I told myself if I ever had the opportunity to race for Team Orion, I would do it. I’m extremely excited to start working with everyone at Team Orion and looking forward to showing what I can do with all their amazing equipment. I would like to thank Team Orion President Philippe Neidhart, Team Orion World Team Manager Oscar Jansen, and Team Orion USA Team Manager Joe Pillars for this great opportunity.

Source: Team Orion [teamorion.com]

June 30, 2014

Maifield bids farewell to Associated

With Team Associated having confirmed his exit from their team, effective July 1st, Ryan Maifield has sent us the following statement bidding farewell to the team that gave him his big break some 13 years ago.

As most of you have heard Associated/Reedy and I have parted ways. I have had a lot of success, fun and great experiences with the guys at Associated over the years and I will always cherish those memories. I want to thank them for everything they have done for me so far in my career, especially Brent Thielke, Richard Saxton, Sean Cockran, and Cliff Lett. Without their guidance and support I couldn’t have accomplished what I have accomplished. Especially early on in my career, they gave me everything I needed to be successful in this industry, on and off the track and I will always appreciate that. I hope to remain friends with everyone at Associated and I wish them luck in the future.

June 28, 2014

Chris Wheeler joins Team Tekin

Tekin announce the addition of TLR factory driver Chris Wheeler to their team. Chris is a very accomplished racer out of Arizona and his recent accomplishments include taking 3rd in the 2WD Mod SCT division at the 2014 Cactus Classic. Chris is making his Tekin debut this weekend at the SDRC Top Gun Shootout.

Source: Tekin [teamtekin.com]

June 28, 2014

Team Associated confirm Ryan Maifield exit

Associated confirm Ryan Maifield exit

Team Associated have confirmed that they are parting ways with multiple ROAR National Champion Ryan Maifield effective July 1st. In a message on their FB page, which lists the impressive collection of victories achieved together since they signed the young Arizona racer back in 2003, Team Associated said the following.

Discovered by industry legend Mike Reedy as a young teenager, Ryan burst onto the scene in 2003 by taking an impressive victory at the prestigious Cactus Classic with the just released RC10B4. For more than a decade the dynamic combination of Associated, Reedy, LRP and Maifield compiled a list of championships that is one of the most impressive to date. Team Associated and Reedy have nurtured many champions over the years, and Ryan Maifield will go down in history as one of the best. All of us at Team Associated and Reedy have cherished the time helping Ryan grow into the champion he is today, and wish him the best of luck in all his endeavours; both on and off the track.

Continuing to run with other main sponsors JConcepts and Novarossi, Ryan is expected to confirm his new car and electronics sponsor (expected to be TLR and Orion) in the coming days/weeks ahead of the 2014 ROAR Electric Nationals in Florida and the IFMAR Worlds which will take place later this year in Italy.

Source: Associated [teamassociated.com]

June 23, 2014

Tessmann wins epic US Nationals Buggy Final

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Having earlier lost his Truggy title to Dakotah Phend in a thrilling race, Ty Tessmann would come out the better of an epic Buggy battle with Ryan Maifield to claim his second US National Championship in nitro offroad’s premiere class. Starting 3rd on the grid, the HB driver mixed it with the Associated of Maifield for 55-minutes of the 1-hour, after Top Qualifier and early leader Phend suffered a massively costly off. In the end the race would be decided on the last lap. With Maifield leading, Tessmann made a move down the inside coming up to the Thornhill Racing Circuit’s large step-up, a move the 2006 Champion would try to block resulting in the two coming together. With both buggies needing to be marshalled, Tessmann got away first setting the stage for a final dash to the flag but two corners later a mistake by Maifield would leave his buggy on its roof allowing Tessmann to win by 4.8 seconds. Behind the intense battle, Team Durango’s Ryan Lutz completed a successful day as he claimed his second podium of the day with a repeat of his Truggy 3rd place finish.

Continue reading this report here or our complete event coverage here.

June 21, 2014

Phend holds overnight TQ at US Nationals

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Dakotah Phend leaves the Thornhill Racing Circuit as the overnight provisional TQ holder of both Truggy and Buggy after concluding the opening day of qualifying with his first TQ run in buggy. Having topped both Truggy qualifiers, the 17-year-old would transfer that form to buggy topping the day’s final heat as he became the first driver to run a 10-lap pace in the championship premiere class. Third fastest in Q1, Phend topped the Q2 timesheets from another of the country’s young guns with Carson Wernimont taking his Mugen to the second fastest time. Having struggled in the opening qualifier, former Champion Ryan Maifield would take his Associated to the third fastest time while for defending Champion Adam Drake it was again a slow run as he posted only the 15th fastest time.

Continue reading this report here or our complete event coverage here.