Red RC » Electric

July 21, 2023

Orlowski holds provisional TQ at 4WD European C/Ship

Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski holds a very provisional overnight TQ at the EFRA 1:10 4WD Offroad European Championship after a challenging day for race organisers in the Netherlands. Fresh from his 2WD title win on Wednesday at the RACO2000 track, it was Team Associated’s Marcus Kaerup who opened 4WD qualifying with a TQ run over 2WD Vice-Champion Orlowski. With rain arriving for the top heats of Round 2, Orlwoski was fastest of the top heat from 2WD Top Qualifier Jöern Neumann, but it would be Sylvain Gallo Selva from heat 4 of 11 that got the fastest time. With the rain delaying Q3, when action resumed it was Orlowski with the TQ run, this time from Micha Widmaier. With four of the five rounds of qualifying originally on today’s schedule, Q4 would be hit by a timing software issue. With a team-managers meeting called, after heated discussions, it was decided that attempts to re-run the penultimate round would take place tomorrow. With three rounds complete, meaning two would count, it puts Orlowski holding the overnight TQ.

Image: Michal Orlowski [Facebook]

July 19, 2023

Kaerup adds 2WD Buggy European title to tally

Team Associated’s Marcus Kaerup is the new EFRA 2WD Buggy European Champion. The reigning 4WD Champion secured the title after an action packed triple finals in the Netherlands today that saw a different winner each leg. Starting as the Top Qualifier having topped all five rounds of qualifying Joern Neumann looked on target to reclaim the title he first won a decade ago. In A1, the Sworkz driver continued his form winning from Schamcher’s Michal Orlowski and 1:8 World Champion Davide Ongaro who got passed third place qualifier Kaerup. Looking like he was going to get the job done early in A2, Neumann was pulling away but at the 1-minute mark he hit the corner pipping with Orlowski collecting his car before taking up the lead as the German dropped to fourth. Orlowski took the lead but with 1-minute to go a mistake allowed Marcus Kaerup through for the win with Neumann just coming through for 3rd ahead of the Schumacher of Wesley Van Helmond. It was all to play for in A3 but again a mistake from Neumann ended his chances allowing Orlowski to go to the front for the win ahead Kaerup but a mistake on the penultimate lap, while not costing him the A3 win, would cost him the title. Equal on points with Kaerup, the young Dane had the faster race winning time giving him the title. Neumann would complete the overall podium ahead of Ongaro. Racers will now turn their attention to 4WD for the next three days with Kaerup aiming to be come the first double champion since David Ronnefalk in 2018.

Image: EFRA [Facebook]

July 18, 2023

Neumann holds overnight 2WD TQ at European C/Ship

Sworkz’ Joern Neumann holds the overnight TQ at the EFRA 1:10 2WD Offroad European Championship after a dominant first day of qualifying in the Netherlands. The German, who is a two time champion in 2WD, topped all three rounds of qualifying at the RACO2000 track in Utrecht but with 2 more rounds of qualifying tomorrow and the best two to count he will have to wait to see if he will be the overall Top Qualifier. Neumann’s closest challengers today were Team Associated’s Marcus Kaerup and Schumacher’s Michal Orlowki, the latter having set the pace in seeding practice. In Q1, Neumann set the pace by 6 seconds from reigning 4WD Champion Kaerup, the Dane getting that gap down to 2-seconds in Q2. Chasing his first ever 2WD European title, Orlowski would get to within half a second of the TQ in Q3 giving the Polish ace a major boost going into the final two rounds. If he or Kaerup are to deny Neumann from being the Top Qualifier they will need to top both rounds tomorrow and in a faster. Defending Champion & newly crowned British 4WD Champion Tommy Hall finds himself down in P12 at the end of Day 1 of qualifying.

Image: EFRA [Facebook]

July 17, 2023

Branson retains British title with Halifax win

Xray’s Kyle Branson has successfully defended his British Electric Touring Car Championship title with victory in tricky conditions at the third round in Halifax. Kicking off his title defence with victory the opening round of 5 in May, Branson made it three in a row although this time he would not start from the TQ. Some mistakes in qualifying meant he lined up P2 behind Xray team-mate Harley Eldridge. In the finals however Branson would win A1 and 2 to wrap up the overall win ahead of Yokomo’s Alex Thurston and Schumacher’s Zak Smith, the result putting the title beyond reach of Branson’s rivals. The newly crowned back to back BRCA Champion will travel to the Cotswold track for the penultimate round next month.

Image: Kyle Branson [facebook.com]

July 16, 2023

Bernadzik reigns down under at Asian Buggy C/ships

Alex Bernadzik reigned at Asian Buggy Championships in Australia, the Team Associated driver carrying his qualifying form into the finals to win both Nitro and Electric Buggy. Top Qualifier for both categories, Bernadzik’s first win at the Pine Hills Dirt Racing circuit came in eBuggy. In the first of the triple A-Mains he would win from the Tekno of Caleb Noble with another win in A2 from Christopher Sturdy locking in victory for the second round of the Scotty Ernst run championship. With Sturdy winning A3 it was to be an AE 1-2 on the podium which was completed by Noble. The 45-minute Nitro final saw early mistakes from Bernadzik dropping him into the mid pack while Noble led the way until he was delayed by a fuel gun issue at the first fuel stop. As the race reached the half way mark Bernadzik was back in the lead from were he controlled the race to complete the perfect weekend. Noble would get second for his efforts ahead of Zac Ryan, a key figure in get the Asian Buggy Championships to Brisbane, finishing third with his HB Racing. Aaron Dexter would finish fourth ahead of an impressive performance from 11-year Zac Foster in fifth.

Continuing reading & view podium images here

July 16, 2023

Ronnefalk takes 2 Swedish Onroad National titles

Former 1:8 Offroad World Champion David Ronnefalk added not one but two Swedish National Onroad titles to his CV today, being crowned the Electric Touring Car and 1:8 Onroad Nitro Champion in Stockholm. Not a complete stranger to electric touring car, Ronnefalk would win the TQ and title for Awesomatix ahead of established touring car stars Alexander Hagberg and Viktor Wilck. A somewhat surprise announcement as an ARC team driver in 1:8 Onroad in April, the reigning 1:8 Offroad European Champion is pretty much a rookie in the sport’s longest established category. Also starting on pole for the half hour final, he would go on to win ahead of Alexander Andersson and Niclas Nilsson for what would be his 23rd Swedish National title! While an impressive performance, Ronnefalk will switch his attention back to Offroad as he prepares to defend his Euros title for Mayako in Redovan, Spain, in early September.

Image: David Ronnefalk [Facebook]

July 16, 2023

Senesi crowned Italian 1:8 GTE Champion

Natanaele Senesi is the 2023 UISP 1:8 GTE Italian National Champion. Winner of the season opener back in March, the Xray driver secured the overall title today at the third & final round of the championship with second place at Miniautodromo Teramo. Attracting over 40 entries, today’s victory would go to the Genius of Alex D’Angelo who finished 2.5-seconds clear of Senesi’s Hobbywing/Nosram powered GTXE with the WRC of Fabrizio D’Aietti completing the podium. Senesi’s 9th National title, the European Championship finalist will make the trip to Sydney, Australia, later this year to contest the IFMAR 1:8 GT World Championship. In the third round of 1:8 GT Nitro, Radiosistemi Factory Team driver Filippo Beretta took the win of the 30-minute final from I-Fenix driver Adriano Tarragoni.

Image: Natanaele Senesi [Facebook]

July 12, 2023

Hall crowned British 4WD Champ with double win w/end

Team Associated’s Tommy Hall is the new British National 4WD Offroad Champion. Third in last year’s title battle behind Champion Michal Orlowski and Neil Cragg, Hall wrapped up his first national title with victory number three of the class at the penultimate round of the 6 round championship. Having kicked off his 2023 campaign with victory at the season opener at Robin Hood Raceway, a happy hunting ground for Hall who won his 2WD European Championship title there, he was again the man to beat when it returned to the East Midlands track securing the 5th round TQ and win to add the 2023 BRCA title to his CV. Winning from Schumacher’s Ben Smith and Neil Cragg, the result completed the perfect weekend for Hall who on the Saturday came through from 4th on the grid to take the win in 2WD. The result means the title will be decided between Hall and defending champion Cragg at the season finale at the TORCH track on August 5th. In the meantime, Hall travels to the Netherlands to defend his EFRA European 2WD title next week as well as looking to add the 4WD title to his tally.

Image: Racewayone [racewayone.com]