Red RC » Drivers

August 23, 2016

Martin Wollanka signs with Hot Race Tyres

Hot Race Tyres have announced the signing of Austrian racer Martin Wollanka to their team. The factory Xray left former long-termn tyre sponsors Pro-Line right before this year’s European Championships and he will be using Hot Race Tyres’ range of competition tyres from now on. Martin has the following to say about the deal:

It was time to chance some things after around 10 years with Pro-Line tires, so I looked for another option. I start to test Hot Race Tyres some months ago and Iwas really impressive how they working fine on my Xray car. I drove very good laptimes and constant too. I was also impressed by the always equal quality of the tires, and the quick adaptation of any condition of the track and temperatures during the races. Nicola showed the potential of its product in on road, now becoming one of the pioneers of the On Road industry, and I want to help him to show it in offroad too! I’m already know it. I’m happy to be part of the Hot Race team.

Source: Hot Race Tyres [hotracetyres.com]

August 23, 2016

Kyle Branson teams up with Infinity

Creation Model has announced that British talent Kyle Branson has signed to join their factory race team. Branson, who was the runner-up at the 2013 1/8th EFRA Euros, joins a line up of experienced racers, to compete in the on-road nitro classes with Infinity’s 1/8th scale platform and the recently revealed 1/10th scale prototype. Branson will also be continuing to race electric on-road, and contributing to the development of Infinity’s future projects. Branson, a multi-time ENS and Euros A-finalist, made the top ten at this month’s IFMAR Worlds in Gubbio, has the following to say about the deal:

I’m really excited to join creation model to be running their infinity brand car’s. The dedication the team has shown in its short time to establish itself as one of the leading manufacturers is amazing, and I can’t wait to hit the track with their cars. I want to thank Kenji and every body at creation model for the opportunity to represent the team, and look forward to achieving more great results with them.

Source: Creation Model [creationmodel.net]

August 17, 2016

Ralph Burch departs Xray

2010 IFMAR 200mm Sedan World Champion, Ralph Burch has announced his departure from long-term sponsor Xray. The veteran on-road racer gave Xray a maiden World Championship title along with many national victories. Leaving Xray and US distributor RC America behind, Ralph will now focus on new challenges and opportunities.

I would like to thank RCAmerica and Xray for the last 15 years. Together we celebrated our first world title and many national titles. I would like to also thank the team drivers and retailers for there support over these years. With that being said, I have decided to take on a new challenge and explore other opportunities.

US Xray distributor RC Amerika has this to add:

RC America would like to thank Ralph Burch for his tremendous contributions over the last 13 years. We feel privileged to have celebrated so many great and special moments with Ralph and all of his successes both on and off the race track. We wish “WG” all the best.

August 13, 2016

Grid set for 7th Nitro Touring WC decider

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The 10 drivers that will battle it out for the honours of becoming the Nitro Touring Car World Champion is decided with the line-up including one former champion in Meen Vejrak, the 2012 Champion coming through the second of the two 30-minute Semi finals. The seventh running of the World Championship, where for the first time two drivers directly qualified for the final, joining Top Qualifier Dario Balestri and Super Pole winner Alessio Mazzeo are only two 2014 Finalists in Vejrak and Dominic Greiner. The 2014 Top Qualifier, Greiner would book his place in the 1-hour final with a win over Bruno Coelho and Carmine Riola in the first encounter. In the second, Simon Kurzbuch controlled the race throughout to book the 1:8 World Champions first 1:10 Final start. The Shepherd driver would take a comfortable win over 2010 Top Qualifier Robert Pietsch with Vejrak seeing off a last lap charge from Takaaki Shimo to complete the Top 3. Shimo would still make the final, together with Semi B fourth place finisher Kyle Branson, the British driver surviving a last lap spin to claim the last spot with the second fastest time of the non Top 3 finishers. Dramas for those that didn’t progress include a flame-out during his tyre stop for Team Infinity’s Jilles Groskamp. The 2012 Electric Touring Car World Champion said afterwards, ‘unbelievable, the bad luck continues. I felt I was driving a controlled race’. Team-mate and 2012 Top Qualifier Teemu Leino would crash out of his Semi while battling for second spot.

Continue reading this report here or view our full event coverage here.

August 12, 2016

Ronald Völker geared by Axon

Japanese manufacturer Axon has announced the signing of Germany’s Ronald Völker to their team. The Yokomo factory driver will use Axon products such as gears, oils and accessories. Ronald has already used Axon products to win the recent German Electric On-road Nationals with for sure more to come at the forthcoming IFMAR ISTC Worlds in China.

Source: Axon [facebook.com]

August 12, 2016

Mazzeo wins Super Pole

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Alessio Mazzeo has booked his place in the Nitro Touring Car World Championship final alongside fellow countryman & Top Qualifier Dario Balestri. Running third of the four Super Pole contenders, there was a huge roar from the crowd as the Serpent driver bettered the time of provisional pace setter Dominc Greiner who bettered the opening time of Robert Pietsch. With Simon Kurzbuch to run last, Mazzeo wasn’t content with his lap and sending the crowd into a frenzy with a blistering 6th & final lap that was almost 1/10th faster. With the benchmark clearly set, 16.302 the time to beat, Kurzbuch would try but was no match for the popular Italian managing a best time of 16.467 on his last lap, an identical time to that of Greiner.

Continue reading this report here or view our full event coverage here.

August 12, 2016

Viktor Wilck teams up with Gens Ace

Gens Ace have announced the signing of 6-times Swedish National Champion, Viktor Wilck to their factory team. The Serpent team driver will use the company’s high-performance batteries from how on and he joins Gens Ace’s other high-class drivers such as Marc Fischer and David Ehrbar. Viktor’s first outing for his new power suppliers will be the forthcoming IFMAR World Championships in Beijing, China.

Source: Gens Ace [gensace.com]

August 10, 2016

Balestri takes opening qualifier at WC

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Dario Balestri has TQ’d the opening round of qualifying at the Nitro Touring Car World Championships. The top seed took the first of the 6 scheduled qualifiers after a super close battle over the five minutes with Bruno Coelho, a last lap mistake leaving the latter with the 7th fastest time. While Balestri was to cut it ultra close in terms of his run time, his Tesla engine cutting as soon as he crossed the finish line, the Capricorn driver was to take the 5-minute qualifier ahead of Simon Kurzbuch by 2/10ths of a second. One second off the TQ pace, Robert Pietsch would complete the Top 3 followed by the Serpents of Dominic Greiner, Alessio Mazzeo and Mark Green.

Continue reading this report here or view our full event coverage here.