Red RC » Electric

February 12, 2024

Zalewski heads Xray challenge for MIBO International

Defending MIBO International Offroad Champions Xray has announced its team for the second edition of the upcoming Czech Republic based event. At the inaugural running of the event Bruno Coelho won both 2WD and 4WD buggy ahead of young Xray talent Bartek Zalewski who kept the multiple World Champion honest. Securing the 2WD TQ last year, now Zalewski will head the Slovakian’s offroad efforts. Enjoying a podium double at the recent EOS Daun, the on-form Zalewski will resume his battles with Schumacher’s Michal Orlowki and Team Associated’s Joona Haatanen with Sworkz’ Joern Neumann joining the mix at the Sports V Hotel in Hrotovice. The Polish teenager will be joined by Xray’s Max Gotzl and lead offroad chassis designer Martin Bayer. An event that sees a double track build allowing offroad and onroad to race side by side, in the onroad competition Xray will be represented by Martin Hudy, Jan Ratheisky, David Ehbrar and newly crowned Snowbirds FWD Champion Stefan Schulz.

Source: MIBO [mibosport.com]

February 12, 2024

Thurston wins Rug Racers Round 4

Team Yokomo’s Alex Thurston has won the penultimate round of the popular UK series Rug Racers organised by Hertford Radio Car Club. In the FTQ format qualifying, it was the Schumacher of OIlie Payne who took the overall TQ for the fourth round ahead of Thurston and Round 2 winner Elliott Harper. With double A-Main finals, A1 would see a great pass by Thurston that would get his Hobbywing powered BD12 to the front where he would stay to the finish to win ahead of Harper’s Schumacher and Round 1 winner Harley Eldbridge’s Xray. With a mistake dropping Payne to P4, for A2 Thurston knew all he need to do was sit behind his rival to secure his first win of the current series. Taking A2 by just 0.2 of a second from Thurston, Payne with secure second with former World Championship podium finisher Harper completing the modified podium.

Image: Alex Thurston [Facebook]

February 12, 2024

INS14 kicks off with double win for Rivkin

The 14th season of the popular JConcepts Indoor National Series kicked off at Trackside Hobbies over the weekend where Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin took the buggy double. The first of 5 stops on the 2024 calendar, the JConcepts Winter Dirt Indoor Nationals attracted over 330 entries to the Wisconsin track once owned by legendary race announcer Scotty Ernst. In 2WD qualifying, Rivkin topped two of the three rounds to secure the overall TQ from the Xray of Chase Lemieux who took Q3 with Schumacher’s Broc Champlin 3rd ahead of team-mate Ryan Cavalieri. 4WD would also see Rivkin take pole this time from Xray’s Tom Rinderknecht and TLR’s Cole Tollard with Davey Batta who topped Q1 ending up 4th. In the 2WD finals, Rivkin took A1 but had a rough A2 finishing P8 as Cavalieri came through for the win ahead of Lemieux. A clean A3 would see Rivkin lead home the field half a second up on Lemieux with Cav third and that was how they would line up on the overall podium. In 4WD, Rivkin was able to secure an early win with victory in the opening two Mains and with a win in A3 Tollard secured 2nd with Rinderknecht 3rd after winning the tie break with Aydin Horne. Round 2 of INS14 switches to carpet with RC One Racing in Michigan hosting the JConcepts Spring Carpet Indoor Nationals on March 22-24.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]

February 8, 2024

Associated confirm Haatanen for MIBO International

Team Associated has confirmed they will be represented at the upcoming MIBO International Race in the Czech Republic with the news that Joona Haatanen will make his debut at the second edition of the event. The Finnish driver is the first team driver from the iconic offroad manufacturer to attend MIBO International and is the latest addition to what is turning into a very competitive field for the offroad side of the unique double track build. A long time Team Associated supported driver, Haatanen had been absent from racing due to serving Finland’s mandatory military service but came back in impressive style with a strong showing at the recent EOS rounds. Running from February 16-18, the event will see Haatanen fly the Associated flag against official team entries from Schumacher, Sworkz and Xray. Having covered last year’s inaugural MIBO International, Red RC is looking forward to covering what is set to be much more intense offroad battle for top honours in Hrotovice.

Source: MIBO [mibosport.com]

February 7, 2024

Schumacher bolster MIBO entry with Kobbevik & livonen

Schumacher Racing has bolstered its entry for the upcoming MIBO International Race in the Czech Republic with the news Daniel Kobbevik and Pekko Iivonen will join Michal Orlowski at the second edition of the event on February 16-18th. Having the British manufacturer previously confirming Orlowski would be taking on the event’s unique double track build, racing for both the onroad and offroad titles, he will be joined by Kobbevik in offroad and Iivonen in Touring Car. A multiple Norwegian National Champion and former European Championship Top Qualifier, Kobbevik will be in the mix for Schumacher against strong opposition led by Sworkz’ Joern Neumann. The 2023 Finnish Modified Touring Car National Champion, Iivonen has had a strong start to the 2024 season making the A-Main at the recent ETS Daun and he will be hoping to build on that as he goes up against the likes of Orlowski, Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker and Yokomo’s Christophet Krapp at the Sports V Hotel venue in Hrotovice.

Source: MIBO [mibosport.com]

February 5, 2024

Lia takes 1:12 title at Snowbird Nationals

Donny Lia has won the 1:12 title at this year’s Snowbird Nationals in Florida, the Awesomatix driver taking the win ahead of Schumacher’s Ollie Payne and Xray’s Alexander Hagberg. Finishing on the podium last year when Marc Rheinard took the win ahead of Hagberg, Lia would qualify third for this year’s event as Bruno Coelho took the TQ from former 1:12 World Champion Hagberg. With a single 8-minute final to decide the 30th running of the world famous event, by lap 4 Lia was in front where he would stay til the finish having built up a 2.4-second advantage over second place which went to Payne, the British driver having started P4. While Hagberg completed the podium, Coelho ended up P5 behind Keven Herbert who would become this year’s Snowbirds Mod Touring Car Champion. The organiser of the annual MonTech NYGP in at 360V2 in New York, Lia’s win continues Awesomatix’ multiple year run of 1:12 titles at the Snowbird Nationals.

Source: Donny Lia [Facebook]

February 4, 2024

Hebert wins ’30th edition’ of Snowbird Nationals

Celebrating it 30th edition, the world famous Snowbird Nationals in Orlando, Florida, saw Xray’s Keven Hebert take the win in Modified Touring Car ending the winning run of reigning World Champion Bruno Coelho. In qualifying it was Hebert who secured the TQ. Running to the FTQ format, the Canadian set the fastest time of the four rounds of qualifying on the third of his attempts. With Coelho suffering a DNF in Q3, the 2022 and 2023 Champion would count his Q2 time which was 1.5-seconds off Hebert’s impressive pace. Setting his best time in the final qualifier Alexander Habgberg completed the Top 3 for the single A-main grid. Setting the fastest lap of the race from the front, Hebert was able to gap the field for a convincing 1.8 seconds win over Coelho with Hagberg making it an all Xray podium.

Image: Bruno Coelho [Facebook]

February 4, 2024

Wins for Kaerup & Orlowski at EOS Daun

Reigning European 1:10 Offroad Champions Marcus Kaerup and Michal Orlowski were the winners at EOS Daun, Team Associated’s Kaerup securing the TQ & win in 4WD after 2WD honours went to Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski. As the defending Champion, having won the three round 2022/23 series, Orlowski completed a clean sweep of reduced 2 round 2023/24 series by backing up his Hann. Munden win in November with another dominant TQ & win performance in 2WD. While Orlowski maintained status up front, the weekend would see fellow countryman Bartosz Zalewski showcase his impressive talents as he qualified second ahead of the returning Joona Haatanen. With Orlowski sowing up the overall win in A2, Haatanen would take his Team Associated to the win in A3 to secure second ahead Zalewski’s Xray with Kaerup finishing just off the podium in fourth having started P6. As the event moved onto 4WD, Kaerup opened qualifying with a TQ run following that up with another in Q3 making the Dane the Top Qualifier. Orlowski topped Q2 to start second ahead of Zalewski who was fastest in the fourth & final qualifier. With Kaerup taking A1, and A2 going to Orlowski, it all came down to the third encounter but with the former laying down the fastest lap to keep Orlowski a bay he took the overall win. The podium in Daun was completed by Zalewski with Haatanen fourth ahead of fellow Scandinavian’s Elias Johansson and Alexander Landen while World Champion Davide Ongaro ended up P7.

Image: EOS [eos.racing]