January 9, 2017

Ralph Burch returns to Serpent

Serpent have announced the signing of 2010 IFMAR 1/10th Nitro Touring World Champion, Ralph Burch to their team. The 32-times ROAR National Champion will return to Serpent as driver and also sales promoter, campaigning the manufacturers Project 4X touring car and later on also Serpent’s nitro on-road kits. Additionally Ralph will also be working for Serpent America/Desoto Racing as sales promoter and to support dealers and drivers with all Serpent-related matters.

I’m really excited to be returning to Serpent America. I look forward to working with the team and Serpent America dealers. Serpent has always had some of the best engineered cars in the industry, so I cant wait to get started. See you at the track soon.

Source: Serpent [teamserpent.com]

January 9, 2017

Boots & Ongaro get The Italian Job done

The 2017 edition of the annual The Italian Job Race was held at the IBR Padova track this past weekend. In the premier Pro Nitro Buggy class it was newly-signed Tekno driver, Alex Zanchettin who took the TQ from the TLR duo of Marco Baruffolo and Renaud Savoya. Elliott Boots and Riccardo Berton (both Kyosho) would complete the top five with Martin Wollanka (Xray), Robert Batlle (Mugen) and Lee Martin (Infinity) coming in sixth to eighth place. The 60 minute main final was then run without top qualifier Zanchettin who ran into issues before his semifinals and so the race for the win was on between Ongaro and Boots. Davide looked to hold the upper hand in the opening stages but fading shock absorbers would lead to several mistakes by Ongaro, allowing Boots to take the lead while Marco Baruffolo was able to take profit of Ongaro’s issues and so the TLR driver was able to take the second spot some 20 minutes from the end. Up front, Elliott Boots brought home the win with Marco Baruffolo in second and Davide Ongaro in third.

View the Pro Buggy and E-Buggy results here

January 9, 2017

Dakotah Phend sweeps CRCRC Winter Midwest Champs

The 30th annual CRCRC Winter Midwest Championships were held this past weekend at The Ohio R/C Factory with over 330 race entries for the usual mix of 1/10th electric Modified and Stock off-road classes. TLR’s Dakotah Phend would top seed in 2WD Mod Buggy while Kyosho’s Jared Tebo went quickest in 4WD Mod Buggy and Mod Truck as Ryan Cavalieri (Team Associated) top seeded 2WD Mod SCT. After the qualifiers things looked a bit different up front as Dakotah had shifted into second gear to top qualify 2WD Mod Buggy, 4WD Mod Buggy and 2WD Mod SCT while Jared Tebo was quickest in Mod Truck. Elsewhere Aaron Korhmann TQ’d 4×4 Modified SCT.

Continue reading the report here

January 8, 2017

Orlowski holds off Ronnefalk to win first 4WD encounter

Fresh from wrapping up the 2WD win with ease at the DHI Cup, Michal Orlowski has won the first 4WD A-Main encounter but this time round the Schumacher driver had to work hard to stay out front.  Having claimed the overall TQ yesterday, Orlowski came under intense pressure from the No.2 starting Ronnefalk in a battle that went on for the entire race.  Keeping his calm however, he would manage to hold off fellow World Championship finalist Ronnefalk by 9/10ths of a second. Behind, Joern Neumann managed to see off the challenge of Marc Rheinard, the Serpent driver looking to lack the kind of performance he will need to retain a 6 consecutive DHI Cup title.

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

January 8, 2017

Orlowski opens 2017 with flawless DHI Cup win

Michal Orlowski has kicked off his 2017 season with a flawless win in 2WD Buggy at the DHI Cup presented by LRP.  Starting as Top Qualifier, the defending champion produced a repeat performance of his dominant opening A-Main performance in A2 to retain his title.  In the battle for the best of the rest, which would be decided in A3, it was former back to back champion Joern Neumann who claimed second with the A3 win over Marc Rheinard, who completed the podium at the sixth running of offroad at the historic Danish event. Off the podium, Team Associated’s Jesper Rasmussen would be the top Scandinavian this year snatching fourth overall from former DHI Cup champion David Ronnefalk thanks to his third place finish in A3.

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

January 8, 2017

Kutvonen cruises to easy A1 win at DHI Cup

Having secured his first overall TQ last night for the DHI Cup having started second a number of times before, Viljami Kutvonen made sure he capitalised on pole position taking a convincing tone to tone win in the A1.  Starting ahead of defending 7-time champion Ronald Volker, the Awesomatix driver was able to pull clear with ease eventually crossing the finish line 1.6-second ahead of the Yokomo driver.  Behind Naoki Akiyama ensured the Top 3 finished as they had started, the Japanese driver having a lonely race. Freddy Südhoff would be the highest placed driver to gain a position over the 5-minutes getting passed the Xray of Alexander Hagberg after a minute & a half.

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

January 8, 2017

Orlowski makes light work of rivals in A1

Michal Orlowski made light work of his rivals in the opening A-Main of 2WD Buggy at the DHI Cup this morning.  The Top Qualifier almost immediately took control of the race clearing off in the distance ahead of Joern Neumann and David Ronnefalk, an early mistake putting Marc Rheinard out of contention.  With defending champion Orlowski winning by 7.5-seconds, the main action of the race was to come towards the end as Ronnefalk caught Neumann getting by when the German cased the jump in front of the front of the drivers stand.  Next time round however Ronnefalk would get it wrong at the same section allowing Neumann back through.  Ronnefalk would made another attempt to get second on the final lap but trying to capitalise on a bobble from Neumann flipped over & needed marshalling but still managed to hold onto 3rd ahead of Dane Jesper Rasmussen.

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

January 7, 2017

Orlowski does TQ double at DHI Cup

Having become the 2WD Buggy Top Qualifier earlier in the day, Michal Orlowski completed the TQ double at the DHI Cup presented by LRP taking the final two rounds of 4WD qualifying to secure pole for tomorrow’s A-Mains.  The Schumacher driver had a less than perfect start to qualifying when he ran Q1 with a loose steering servo but despite this still managed to get P2 behind Joern Neumann.  After another P2 run in Q2 behind David Ronnefalk, Orlowski finally delivered in Q3 setting the stage for a Q4 showdown for the overall TQ.  With both Neumann and Rheinard struggling, Orlowski just had Ronnefalk to contend with and while they went back and forth, both having to deal with traffic, it was Orlowski who took the spoils.  Behind him it is Ronnefalk who will line-up second followed by undefeated 4WD champion Neumann, with Rheinard and Samppa Orhanen making up the Top 5 starters.

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

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