Team Orion have announced that Cody King has joined their factory team. Cody has been a long running force to be reckoned with in the world of off road and can be generally found in the A-main at any race he chooses. Cody will be running Team Orion Alpha engines and Marathon receiver packs, as well as the company’s award winning LiPos and Vortex brushless motors in his various Kyosho buggies and trucks.
Source: Team Orion [teamorion.com]
Italian Mugen distributor Schepis Model has gotten in contact to tell us that they have just signed front running Italian gas racer Giuseppe D’Angelo. The former Novarossi backed driver and long time Mugen racer will remain with the Japanese brand for 2009, but has chosen SM by Lavorazioni Meccaniche engines to power his car, similar to Walter Salemi, and Matrix tires for grip. Expect to see Giuseppe at the upcoming 1/10th European Championships in Gubbio, Italy, and maybe the 1/8th World Championships in Lostallo, Switzerland.
Source: Schepis Model [schepismodel.it]
Following up on the news that Multiple World finalist Mark Green had signed for Novarossi comes today’s announcement to confirm some sponsors for the 2009 season. For his tires, chargers, power supply and cells Mark will be using Xceed RC products as he did last year and will partner up with new sponsor RW Racing for pinion and spur gear, while of course he will continue to run the full range of Serpent cars across the different disciplines.
Fresh from two wins and five A main showings at the Snowbirds, Schumacher USA have announced that Mike Haynes will join their racing tea. Already a Speed Passion factory team driver, Mike now makes Schumacher USA his one stop shop for both chassis and power. Schumacher USA representative Shawn Palmer stated that “Mike has done a tremendous amount of on-track testing and development for our Speed Passion ESC and motor line, and we’re certainly looking forward to his insights going forward with our on road chassis program as well. He is a wealth of information for his new teammates, and I know we’ll all benefit greatly having him on the team”. Mike works at his home track, 360 RC Speedway & Hobbies in West Babylon NY which is one of the most active racing facilities in the Northeast and recent host of a ROAR regional championship and he had the following to say about the deal:
I’m looking forward to running the Mi3.5 since there is so much to tinker with on it. In the past I have wished there was a fine adjustment for various items, and the Mi3.5 has just that, but for everything on the car! The rest of the team has already helped me out a great deal by providing information about the car and it will make the transition to Schumacher that must easier.
Source: Schumacher USA [racing-cars.com]
Multiple World Championship finalist and Pre Worlds winner, Mark Green, has announced that he has signed for Italian engine maker Novarossi World. The British racer had until recently used Mega powerplants to power his Serpent chassis’ but will now use Novarossi’s new 353 and Flash engines in the 1/10th and 1/8th scale classes respectively. Mark will soon announce more new sponsors, as he gears up both the European 1/10th scale Championships in Gubbio Italy, and of course the 1/8th scale World Championships in Lostallo, Swtizerland.
F.V.S.S. Racing Team in Italy have announced that current Italian 1/10th 200mm Touring car champion Francesco Tironi will be joining their team in 2009. Francesco will be making the change to Mugen Seiki this year, leaving behind a long standing deal with Kyosho Japan that has seen them reach World and European Championship finals together. Tironi will continue to compete in the 1/8th and 1/10th scale classes and will stick with long term engine partner Sirio, while for fuel he will run the Master Fuel by Capricorn RC, with Matrix Tires and KO Propo completing his sponsor list.
Source: F.V.S.S. [fvssrc.com]
Italian tire company ATS has contacted us to let us know that they have signed front running US gas on road racer DJ Apolaro. After a couple of years of collaboration with the ATS Tires distributor in the USA, DJ joins the International ATS team and will run the tires in the 1/12th & 1/10th and 1/8th on road nitro classes.
Source: ATS Tyres [atsmodel.com]
Former European ‘B’ Champion and former European ‘A’ finalist Steven Cuypers has announced that he will team up with Italian manufacturer Capricorn RC to use their competition fuels for the 2009 season. Steven, who recently signed to Mugen, after a long spell with Serpent, will use the fuel in his Sirio power plants this year as he aims for success at the 1/8th scale World Championships, held in Lostallo, Switzerland.
