July 26, 2024

Canas Top Qualifier at European Championship

Sworkz’s Juan Carlos Canas is the Top Qualifier at the EFRA 1:8 Nitro Buggy European Championship at the Ongaroring in Italy.  The defending Champion, secured the overall TQ after topping 3 of the 5 qualifiers at the home track of reigning World Champion Davide Ongaro.  It would be the Italian who got qualifying underway on Thursday with his Team Associated fastest from the Mugen of Burak Kilic and Bruno Coelho’s Xray.  Round 2 would Canas hit the top, the Spaniard fastest from Kilic and Ongaro.  Making for a interesting first day in Sicile, after his two strong opening showings Kilic then delivered a TQ run in Q3 ahead of Canas, Coelho and Ongaro.  With everything still to play for, Day 2 of qualifying would see Canas get the better of his two main rivals in the first encounter taking Q4 by just  4/10th of a second from Kilic with Ongaro third.  Now a two way battle for the overall TQ between Canas and Kilic, on an increasingly grippy track Canas, pushed intensely by Coelho, posted the fastest time of qualifying to seal the overall TQ – just 6/100ths of a second separating the Top 2 Q5 times.  Overall Kilic would end up second followed by Ongaro with Coelho fourth ahead of team-mate David Ronnefalk with the Top 6 rounded out by Berkan Kilic.

Image: Sworkz [Facebook]


July 22, 2024

Davis takes 1:8 at Queensland IC Onroad State Titles

The Queensland IC Onroad State Titles took place at England Park Raceway, Brisbane, over the weekend where it was Infinity driver Jesse Davis who was crowned the new Champion of the 1:8 Onroad category.   The reigning Australian National Champion and World Championship Finalist, Davis took his O.S. Speed powered IF18-3 to both the TQ and victory.  Andrew Shapland made it an Infinity 1-2 in the half hour final with the Mugen Seiki of Tim Moylan completing the podium.  Moylan would take the title in 1:10 Touring Car, securing the TQ and the win ahead of Xray’s Michael Stone.  In 1:8 GT, former Large Scale World Champion Russell Grenenger successfully defended the title he won last year again with his Ielasi Tuned powered Hong Nor package followed home by the similar car of Jason Vallely.

Image: Speedy RC [Facebook]


July 22, 2024

Xu Xi doubles at FEMCA EP Offroad Championship

Xray driver Xu Xi completed the double at the FEMCA EP Offroad Championship which took place at the GDC track in Foshan, China, over the weekend.  FEMCA, the governing body of radio-controlled car racing in Asia and Australasia and which represents 15 nations, brought back the race this year after a long absence with the aim of building back up the race, which like other FEMCA Championships crowns the official Champion of Asia.  With 4WD attracting the largest entry, in qualifying it was leading Chinese international touring car driver Marco Ma who secured the TQ for Xray ahead Xi after topping 4 of the 5 rounds.  In the triple finals however after a poor start in A1, Xi was able to get the better of his team-mate and win A2 & 3 to lift the overall title.  With Ma second, Liu Hai Feng completed the podium.  In 2WD, Xi had the perfect race securing the TQ and wrapping up the overall win in A2.  Second would go to the Team Associated of Ashton Witte with Zhao Ji Chen rounding out the Top 3.

Image: GDC Indoor Race Club


July 21, 2024

Another win for Orlowski at ETS Round 2

Defending ETS Champion Michal Orlowski has made it two from two as the Schumacher driver continued the perfect start to his title defence with victory at Round 2 in Aigen, Austria.  With World Champion Bruno Coelho returning the series as part of his title defence preparations for the Worlds in California later this year, the Xray driver and Orlowski where in a league of their own.  While Coelho topped seeding ahead of Awesomatix’s Lucas Urbain, in qualifying it was Orlowski who went fastest in 3 of the four rounds as Coelho secured P2 on the grid with a TQ run in Q4.  In A1, while Coehlo set the fastest lap, it was Orlowski with the win by a 1.6-seconds margin.  A2 was a closer affair but again the Pole took the win to secure maximum points for the weekend to extend his lead in the standings.  Coelho would dominate A3 winning ahead of the Serpent of former Nitro Touring Car World Champion Dominic Greiner who took advantage of a number of incidents, the result giving the German P4 overall.  The podium would be completed by the Awesomatix of TITC Open Brushless Champion Simon Lauter, the former ETS Pro-Stock Champion’s efforts in moving up to the premiere class again paying dividends as he equalled his best finish from last year’s season finale.  In Pro-Stock, defending Champion Olivier Bultynck dominated proceedings with the Belgian securing the TQ and win ahead of the Xray of Adam Izsay with Round 1 winner Lukas Ellebrock taking the final podium step.

Image: ETS [Facebook]


July 19, 2024

2024 IFMAR 1:10 IC Touring Worlds – Stage 1 Report

The new Stage 1 Report for the IFMAR 1:10 IC Touring World Championship, which was originally due to take place in Costa Rica but last week got switched to Thailand, has just been published.  Great hosts of the 2014 Worlds for the same category, the covered semi indoors Huge RC track in Bangkok which is owned former Electric Touring Car World Champion Surikarn Chaidajsuriya the 10th running of the Worlds for the category will now stage the 10th running of the World Championship from November 15th to 23rd.  Costa Rica’s plans to host the race was dealt a blow over local complaints about noise and it was thought they had overcome that issue to build a sound barrier wall but with the permit required still in doubt FAMAR cancelled the event.  IFMAR, in accordance with its own General rules, quickly contact FEMCA, host Bloc of the previous 1:10 IC Touring Worlds in 2022, and within 5-days were able to announce Huge RC as the new hosts of the race.  While Hotrace Tyres had been confirmed as the control tyre for Costa Rica, the new Stage 1 report highlights that as yet no brand as yet been decided for Thailand.  As with 2022, Maxima together with Rapicon with be the official 16% nitro fuel options for drivers.

View Stage 1 Report here


July 18, 2024

ARC join eSIC grid with new signing Stanley

ARC is the latest manufacturer to confirm it will be on the grid at the Electric Singapore International Challenge (eSIC) on September 14-15th with confirmation that new signing Brayden Stanley will travel to the second running of the event.  The talented Australian joins an impressive list of international factory drivers already confirmed for the race which is headed up by Singapore’s top international touring car driver Nicolas Lee and JK Chhua.  Hosted by the Marine Parade Radio Control Modellers Club, defending Champions Mugen Seiki together with Yokomo, Infinity, Express and now ARC will support the race which has the goal of bringing back racing in Singapore in style with the creation of one big exciting weekend for the onroad racer.

Source: eSIC [Facebook]


July 17, 2024

Serpent Nitro GT Series Hong Kong – Report

The first round of the Serpent Nitro GT Series took place at the Tom Racing Circuit in Hong Kong on July 14th.  The weather was perfect for racing, with a sunny day at 34 degrees.  The race consisted of two classes: the Sport GT class, which primarily features RTR GT Chassis with stock engines, and the Open class, which has no restrictions on chassis or engine.  After three rounds of qualifying, Sam Kwong took the top qualifying spot in the Open class, while Jason Choi took the TQ in the Sport GT class.  Following a 45-minute A-Main final, Opel Chiu emerged as the winner in the Open class, followed by Simon Chan in second place and Ricky Yim in third. The Sport GT class race was more thrilling, with the second, third, fourth, and fifth positions all having the same number of laps and a very tight gap.  In the end, Tiger Ho emerged as the winner, followed by Ming Wu in second place and Jason Choi in third.

Report: Justin Wan


July 16, 2024

Giaimo crowned Italian GT Champion at Vallelunga

Schepis Model driver Rosario Giaimo is the new AMSCI Italian 1:8 GT National Champion after taking his second consecutive win at the season finale held at Miniautodromo Vallelunga over the weekend.  Winner of Round 2 at the Naxos World track in Sicily in May, Giaimo would qualify second at Round 3, the TQ going to the Genius Racing chassis of defending Champion & World Championship Top Qualifier Alex D’angelo.  In the 45-minute final, Giaimo would lay down the fastest lap the race to take the victory from newly crowned European Champion Natanaele Senesi.  Having qualified a lowly P8, Senesi was just 4-seconds off Giaimo with D’angelo completing the podium.  In the GTE category it was Senesi who wrapped up his 5th consecutive Italian National Championship title.

Image: Genius Racing [Facebook]