Red RC » Events

September 15, 2022

Stiles wins 2022 CARS 1:12 Summer Shootout Series

Mark Stiles clinched the overall championship at the 2022 CARS 1/12 Summer Shootout Series GP last weekend driving his Awesomatix A12 chassis. Going into the 4th and final round of this long-standing UK summer championship Mark needed a solid finish in a high-quality field which featured nearly all of the UK’s top 1/12 scale drivers. After some early struggles in practice and qualifying, Mark lined up 3 rd on the grid for the single leg A Final behind top qualifier Ollie Payne and reigning stock world champion Andy Murray. An early crash put Ollie out of contention and left Andy and Mark out in front, where they both lapped consistently and were never separated by more than 1.5 seconds for the entire 8-minute race. Despite staying close, Mark was unable to pass Andy and the pair finished less than half a second apart. Ollie Payne recovered to complete the podium. This marked the last ever race meeting at the CARS venue in Clay Cross. After more than 40 years the club will be moving to a new venue this autumn where club and national level events will continue to be held. The end of an era, but the start of a new one!

Source: Awesomatix [facebook.com]

September 14, 2022

Sparks fly as Coelho takes Q1

Sparks literally flew as Bruno Coelho took the opening round of qualifying with darkness falling on the opening day of the ISTC World Champions. The top seed after practice, the reigning Champion would lead an Xray 1-2 from Alexander Hagberg, no one more surprised than the Swede with his P2 having been seeding the second fastest heat. Finishing off practice with an ever improving performances, Christopher Krapp would set the third fastest time for Yokomo ahead of Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski, another driver running in the slightly less dark second fastest heat. As cars went to the grid there was calls to not run the top heat as drivers complained about being unable to see. Legendary mechanic Masayuki Miura would make a direct call to race officials for the qualifying not to go ahead saying his driver could not see. Unfortunately that driver, Naoto Matsukura, struggled with the lack of light saw him crash out just two corners into the qualifier.

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September 14, 2022

Coelho sets the pace as free practice concludes

Reigning World Champion Bruno Coelho set the early pace in Gubbio, Italy, the Xray driver posting the fastest 3-consecutive laps of the four rounds of free practice at the ISTC World Championship. With a full 1-second advantage, his closest rival would be multiple Champion Marc Rheinard with Ronald Volker and Jilles Groskamp making it a very familiar picture at the top of the time sheets. Setting the fifth fastest time, Yannic Prumper was the fastest of those in search of their first World Title.

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September 14, 2022

Impending bad weather sets early tone at ISTC World Championship

After a long 4 year wait the ISTC World Championship is finally here but the 11th running of touring car’s biggest prize is off to a tense start as impending bad weather looks set to dictate the running of the 4 day event. With the majority of drivers expressing their dislike of the dots added to a number of corners to meet the rule requirement of being 60% different to that which drivers tested on, the protest to allow the iconic circuit to run in its original layout was rejected by the IFMAR International Jury. The next issue for drivers was the packed Day 1 schedule that will end with the running of the first of the six rounds of qualifying. The opening day of the Worlds is normally a much slightly more relaxed affair with drivers easing themselves into things with just controlled practice runs. The rules also state the timetable can’t be altered from what was originally published.

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September 13, 2022

Coelho “less prepared” but “there to fight” to retain ISTC World Championship

In 2014, the world unearthed a then mostly unheard of young Portuguese driver. Initially it was the wiring on his car that had the internet buzzing, but as the ISTC World Championship in Kissimmee progressed people started to realise this guy was something a bit special as he started mixing it with Touring Car’s elite. RedRC actually knows Bruno Coelho a lot longer than most of the current crop of top drivers. His father Cesar was responsible for organising the 2008 Nitro Touring Car World Championships in Lisbon and was a great host to us as we report on the event with Bruno this slightly wild kid jumping around in the background.

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September 13, 2022

2023 Dirt Nitro Challenge – Announcement

The Dirt has announced that the 2023 ‘The Dirt Nitro Challenge’ will take place from February 22-26 once again at Southern California Fairgrounds in Perris, California. World renowned track builder Joey Christensen once again has big plans for what will be the 24th running of the iconic event. Attracting the biggest names in Offroad Racing from across the World for its unique 5-day racing experience, 2023 DNC summer discount entries are now available for a limited time or until they sell out.

Source: The Dirt [thedirt.us]

September 12, 2022

“My goal is now more focused on win than just making A-Main”, Krapp confident for World Champs

14-years on from making your World Championship debut some might wonder if you can still have the same level of hunger and mental drive to compete at the highest level of your sport. In a category that requires extreme precision and 110% concentration for intense 5-minute periods, electric touring car is full on from start to finish – no time for easing yourself into it! A class, especially in more recent years, in which it has proven difficult for newcomers to crack the establishment, one driver to progress into the top ranks and be a consistent race contender is Christopher Krapp. Now entering into his 7th World Championship, it is two 4th-place World Championship finishes that make this German more motivated that ever to become IFMAR’s 9th different ISTC World Champion this week in Italy.

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September 12, 2022

Raiola wins ‘Gara dei Costruttori’

Mini Autodromo Jody Scheckter in Fiorano played host to the annual Italian ‘Gara dei Costruttori’ race over the weekend with Carmine Raiola taking a narrow victory over Silvio Hächler. The popular manufacturers trophy race, saw ARC driver Hächler take the overall TQ after he topped all four rounds of qualifying. Infinity driver Raiola would secure P2 with young up & coming talent Filippo Domanin, son of former European Champion Fabio, securing third on the grid. In the half hour final while Hächler would set the fastest lap of the race, strong pitstops from Raiola’s crew would allow him to work his way to the front and cross the finish just less than 3-second in front of the Swiss driver. All finishing on the same 119 laps, Domanin would complete the Top 3 one lap up on Francesco Tironi with Alberto Picco claiming fifth.

Image: Silvio Hächler [Facebook]