Red RC » Electric

May 29, 2023

Rivkin does double at Worlds Warm-up

The official Warm-up Race for this year’s IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championship took place over the weekend with reigning 2WD World Champion Spencer Rivkin doing the double. With the event at Hobby Action also doubling up as the 1up Buggy Challenge, the Warm-up Race had a limited international entry with just Xray having a major team presence as many team drivers had already attended the track’s high profile annual Desert Classic event back in March. In qualifying it was Team Associated’s Aydin Horne who took the 2WD TQ ahead of Rivkin with that order reversed in 4WD, while Schumacher’s Broc Champlin completing the Top 3 in both. In 2WD Rivkin opened with a win but Champlin got the win in A2. Rivkin would get the A3 win as Top Qualifier Horne dropped to P7 for a final podium line-up of Rivkin with the win from Champlin with Horne third. In 4WD, Rivkin sealed the deal with wins in A1 & 2 while victory in A3 gave Horne second from Champlin with Dustin Evans P4.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]

May 29, 2023

Isaacs defends ROAR Electric Onroad Paved National title

Sam Isaacs has successfully defended his ROAR Electric Onroad Paved National title, the Awesomatix driver taking the win from the Mugen of Jacob Cruz and Xray’s Keven Hebert. Racing at Coral Springs RC Track in South Florida, Isaacs dominated qualifying taking all four rounds to secure the overall TQ from Hebert, Xpress driver Felix Law and Cruz. Continuing his form in the finals, Isaccs wrapped with the title with wins in A1 & 2 allowing him to sit out A3. While Hebert would take that win, second places in all three mains was enough for Cruz to secure the runner-up spot with Hebert having to settle for the final podium placing.

Image: Jacob Cruz [Facebook]

May 29, 2023

Nicholas Lee wins HKRCSA Cup Round 1

Attracting over 120 entries, the opening round of the latest season of the long running HKRCSA Cup took place over the weekend at Tom Racing Circuit in Hong Kong where Nicholas Lee would take the win. Making the trip from Singapore for the race, the factory Yokomo driver would open qualifying with a TQ run over the Xpress of Japan’s Yugo Nagashima. With four rounds of qualifying, Lee would secure the overall TQ from fellow countryman & new 2023 team-mate Ethan Cheng. A multiple winner of the Cup, Xpress driver Hay completed the Top 3 on the grid for the triple A-Mains. Winning both A1 and A3 from Serpent driver Kenrick Fong, Lee would secure the overall win leaving the rest of the podium to be decided in A3. Keeping ahead of Fong for the A3 win, the result would give Hay second overall in the tie breaker as Fong completed the podium ahead of another Serpent of Patrick Chau. In the Stock class Hong Kong driver Tiger Drity took the win over Lam Suen and Joey Chan for an all Xray podium.

Image: Nicholas Lee [Facebook]

May 22, 2023

Electric to run as ‘World Cup’ at IFMAR 1:8 GT Worlds

The organisers of the IFMAR 1:8 GT World Championship in Sydney, Australia, have announced they will have a 1:8 Electric GT class as a supporting ‘World Cup’ race during the event from October 8-14th. Having also run as a ‘World Cup’ race at the inaugural 1:8 GT Worlds in Homestead in 2020, the electric class will continue as a support race given the low numbers achieved last time. While expect slightly higher numbers at John Grant International Raceway than the 18 that was achieved three years ago in the US, IFMAR says this is not enough to warrant a true IFMAR World title. While the official Warm-up Race run by the hosts New South Wales Radio Control Racing Car Club was effected by rain, several drivers have tested on the Monday after that event to check tyre wear for the 1 hour main final and it was confirmed that the Q3 tire from PMT, which is the controlled tyre for this event, can make the 60 minutes without any problems. More news on the Sydney event will be available in the 2nd Stage report which should be available end of June.

Source: IFMAR [imfar.org]

May 22, 2023

Hamon lifts Mod Touring Car NSW State Title

Jeff Hamon lifted the Australian NSW State Titles in electric Touring Car over the weekend at the Newcastle On Road R/C Car Club. Better known for his nitro onroad exploits, the Serpent team driver took the Modified title with victory over the Xray of Top Qualifier Ari Bakla with multiple champion Simon Nicholson completing the podium for Yokomo. Racing on the tight track, Hamon, winner of the recent 1:8 GT Worlds Warm-up race, qualified third behind Nicholson with John Puse fourth. Opening with the win in A1 of the triple A-Mains A2 would see a DNF as Bakla took the win. All to play for in A3, Hamon got to the front early and despite Bakla having the fastest car on track, he kept him at bay to win and secure the title.

Image: Jeff Hamon [Facebook]

May 15, 2023

Branson wins British Touring Car National opener

Xray’s Kyle Branson got his BRCA National Electric Touring Car title defence off to the best possible start over the weekend taking victory at the opening round in Stafford. In qualifying it was new Yokomo signing Alex Thurston who took the first round from the Schumacher of Zak Smith. Branson responding to go quickest in Q2 again with Smith second fastest. All to play for in Q3, multiple British Champion Chris Grainger popped up to take the final round with his Schumacher from the Xray of Ben Cosgrove. With Branson in third, that was enough for him to take the pole position. Cosgrove’s second place was enough to give him the tie-break for third over fellow Xray runner, Harley Eldridge. In the finals, it was Branson, who came, saw and conquered, taking all three legs of the final for the overall win. Behind him it was Smith with two seconds and a third, and Harley Eldrige took the third podium spot with a brace of thirds.

Read 13.5 & 17.5 Class reports here

May 15, 2023

2023 1:12 World Championship Stage 1 Report

The organisers of the 2023 IFMAR 1:12 World Championships have just published the Stage 1 Report for the 21st running of the title which will be decided at Beachline Raceway in Cocoa, Florida, from December 4th to 9th. The largest indoor racing facility in the state, this will be the seventh time these World Championships are hosted in the US and mark only the second running of the title since it separated from being part of the same World Championship week as 1:10 Electric Touring Car after South Africa in 2018. The most significant information from the Stage 1 Report is the tyre information with Jaco tires the official controlled foam for the event with their Magenta front and Pink rear. These tyres will be available to competitors for practice from late June. Beachline Raceway, which recently hosted the ROAR Electric Carpet Off-Road Nationals, will run a Warm Up Race on November 24-26. With the last 1:12 Worlds held in 2020 in the UK just before Covid hit the World, with Marc Rheinard taking the title for a second time, the return of the championships is set to be extra interesting following the news that reigning back to back Touring Car World Champion Bruno Coelho will make his first attempt at the title. Red RC will travelling to Florida in December to cover the unfolding of the fourth and final World Championship of the 2023 season.

View Stage 1 Report here

May 14, 2023

Orlowski takes TQ & 4WD Win at Euros Warm-up

Michal Orlowski took the TQ and 4WD win at the 1:10 Electric Offroad Euros Warm-up Race today at RACO2000. Having finished 2nd in Saturday’s 2WD action behind winner Bruno Coelho, today Orlowski ruled the astro turf track leading a Schumacher 1-2 at the Dutch event from team-mate Wesley van Helmond. In qualifying the 2015 Champion would top the times in 3 of the four qualifier with van Helmon the only other driver to TQ a round when he went fastest in Q4 ahead of Coelho’s Xray and Tommy Hall’s Team Associated. In the triple finals, the Polish ace opened proceedings with a win over Xray’s Martin Bayer before sealing the deal in A2 with victory over van Helmon. With both Bayer and Coelho finding a way passed van Helmond, the A3 win gave Bayer the runners up spot ahead of the Dutch driver with Coelho getting 4th. The 2023 EFRA European Championships will take place from July 17-22.

Image: Michal Orlowski [Facebook]