August 30, 2024

1:12 World Champ Mächler confirmed for MonTech NYGP

Reigning IFMAR 1:12 Spec World Champion Max Mächler is the first international entry to be confirmed for this year’s MonTech New York Grand Prix.  A former winner at the event, the German will return to New York for the sixth edition of the high profile US indoor race which takes place at 360v2 RC in New Rochelle from October 10-13th.  Winning his World title last December in Florida, the Awesomatix team manager’s main focus for his NYGP return will be on the 1:12 13.5T SuperStock class.  A Touring Car class winner at the 2019 NYGP, the former European Pro Stock Touring Car Champion is also expected to compete for top honours in the 13.5T SuperStock Touring Car Category.  Drivers will battle it out over a total of 12 classes with Touring Car divided into Modified, 17.5T SuperStock, 21.5 Stock, and 25.5 LMH (LeMans Hypercar) while 1:12 offers Modified GTP, SuperStock GTP, Stock GTP, and  GT12R.  Additionally there are classes for USGT, PRO10, USVTA, and FWD.

Source: Fordham 360 Hobbies & Raceway [Facebook]


August 29, 2024

5th Annual Kinwald Klassic – Announcement

Hobby Action RC Raceway in Chandler, Arizona, has announced details of the 5th annual Kinwald Klassic which takes place on October 11-13th, 2024.  One of the 2023 IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championship host venue’s two big annual events, the other being the Desert Classic, the Kinwald Klassic is held in honour of Offroad RC great Brian Kinwald.  With the multiple World Champion passing away in 2019 after life-long health issues, part of the entry fees is donated to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Southwest Chapter.  The race will cater for several 1:10 2WD & 4WD Buggy classes, Short Course, Stadium Truck, as well as vintage 2WD categories for buggies that were racing at the height of Kinwald’s career.

View full race flyer here


August 28, 2024

Sahashi to defend Nitro Touring Car World title

While the cancellation of Costa Rica staging the IFMAR 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship this year was a blow for the racing community in the FAMAR Bloc, the switch to the Huge RC Circuit in Thailand has given a major boost to the 10th running of categories biggest race with reigning Champion Tadahiko Sahashi confirmed to defend his title.  With a number of manufacturers confirming at the time they would not be sending team drivers to Costa Rica, the Worlds was set to be void of many of its top drivers including those of reigning back to back Champions Infinity.  Following the announcement in July that the Worlds was to return to the FEMCA Bloc, the previous hosts, the switch to the second of Bangkok’s international circuits has resulted in a ‘Who’s who’ of onroad racing entry list topped by Sahashi.  Infinity’s reigning 1:8 World Champion Dario Balestri is also confirmed meaning the potential for crowning the first ever reigning 1:8 & 1:10 Champion.  Sahashi gained the elusive ‘Double Champion’ status with victory at RC Addict in 2022 to go with his 2013 1:8 WC title.  In doing so he became only the second ever driver to win both IFMAR titles, Adrien Bertin’s feat finally being matched 18-years after the Frenchman became the first to achieved it in 2004.  While entries are still open for the November 15th to 23rd event, there are already 7 IFMAR World Champions confirmed with it widely expected Huge RC Circuit owner & former Electric Touring Car World Champion Surikarn Chaidajsuriya will bring that number to 8.  Other factory entries include Capricorn, with current 1:8 GT World Champion Toni Gruber, 2012 World Champion Meen Vejrak & 2016 Worlds Runner-Up Alessio Mazzeo, while Serpent are sending Jeff Hamon and Bryce Butterfield.  Red RC will travelling to Huge RC for the final stop on our 2024 World Championships coverage schedule.

Source: IFMAR [ifmar.org]


August 26, 2024

Lutz big winner at LCRC Mugen Challenge

Ryan Lutz was the big winner at this year’s annual Mugen Challenge in Pennsylvania, the Kyosho driver taking three victories at the LCRC Raceway hosted event.  In 1:8 Nitro Buggy it was the Tekno of former Mugen Challenge winner Ryan Maifield who secured the TQ ahead of Lutz.  Over the half hour final the pair switched the lead a number of times with Lutz eventually coming out on top by 14-seconds with Xray’s Chase Lemieux coming through from P11 on the grid to complete the podium.  In Nitro Truggy Lutz took the TQ ahead of Sworkz’ Joe Bornhorst before going to take the win by a lap from the Teknos of Jared Wiggins and Maifield.  An event that attracted 477 entries, Lutz triple victory weekend also included the TQ & victory in eTruggy.  The only defeat of the weekend for Lutz came in eBuggy.  Having secured the TQ ahead of Maifield, it was third place qualifier Wiggins who got by for the win finishing 1.1-seconds ahead of Lutz at the end of the 10-minute encounter.  Bornhorst claimed the final podium place 3-seconds up on Maifield.

Image: Ryan Lutz [Facebook]


August 25, 2024

Isaacs confirmed to defend MonTech NYGP titles

Having stamped his authority on the 2023 MonTech New York Grand Prix, double Champion Sam Isaacs has been confirmed as heading the entry at the sixth running of the event at 360v2 RC in New Rochelle, New York, this October 10-13th.  The Awesomatix driver, and this year’s ROAR Modified Touring Car Onroad Carpet National Champion, was the big winner of the NYGP last year claiming the TQ in both Mod Touring Car and Mod 1:12 en-route to his double victory.  The result puts the American driver on the high profile US race’s role of honour along with former World Champions Marc Rheinard (2022 NYGP Champion) and Ronald Volker (2019 NYGP Champion).  This year’s event will see drivers compete for victory over 12 classes on the 105ft x 48ft Carpet track.  In Touring Car drivers will battle it out in Modified, 17.5T SuperStock, 21.5 Stock, and 25.5 LMH (LeMans Hypercar).  In 1:12 there is Modified GTP, SuperStock GTP, Stock GTP, and  GT12R.  Additionally there are classes for USGT, PRO10, USVTA, and FWD.

Source: Fordham 360 Hobbies & Raceway [Facebook]


August 25, 2024

Rheinard European Champion once again after 13-years

13-years on from last holding the title, Awesomatix’s Marc Rheinard is the Monaco RC EFRA 1:10 European Touring Car Champion.  Giving Awesomatix and new electric sponsor Cayote their first European title in the Modified category, Rheinard took the title at the Racing Club Roeselare track in Belgium for the third time having qualified second behind Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski.  With Orlowski having a tough day at the office, it was Rheinard who took the first win of the day’s triple finals.  A rain effected A2 would see defending Champion Bruno Coelho win from Orlowski as Rheinard finished P5 meaning it was all to play for in A3.  However it was Rheinard who came out on top to win getting by Orlowski after a small mistake from the pole.  The title see Rheinard matching his tally of Touring Car World Championship wins and is a major boost for the German ahead of the World Championship in the USA later this year.  Overall Coelho took second with Xray team-mate Alexander Hagberg completing the podium ahead Orlowski.  In Pro stock defending Champion & Top Qualifier made it a double celebration for Awesomatix securing the title with wins in the opening two A-Main encounters.  The German was joined on the podium by Schumacher’s Ollie Payne and local racer Niels Degryze.   In the FWD Class, Danish Team Yokomo driver Frederik Hovgaard took the title from P4 on the grid ahead of the Xray of Top Qualifier Adam Iszay and Stefan Schulz.

Image: DMC [Facebook]


August 24, 2024

Orlowski is European Championship Top Qualifier

Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski is the Top Qualifier at the Monaco RC EFRA 1:10 European Touring Car Championships which are taking place Belgium this weekend.  With mixed weather conditions challenging drivers at the Racing Club Roeselare track, Orlowski secured the overall TQ with the fastest times in 2 of the 4 counting qualifiers.  Chasing his first European Championship title in the category, the 1:12 World Champion will line up ahead of Marc Rheinard, the Awesomatix driver setting the fastest time for Q3.  Defending Champion Bruno Coelho, the Xray driver chasing a 4th consecutive title, will line-up 3rd for the finals having set the fastest time in the fifth & final qualifier.  Xray’s Alexander Hagberg, Awesomatix’s Lucas Urbain and the Yokomo of Christopher Krapp complete the Top 6 on the grid.  In Pro Stock, it was defending Champion Simon Lauter who claimed the TQ ahead of team-mate & 2022 Champion Olivier Bultynck.  Schumacher’s Ollie Payne, who was the top seed after practice, ended qualifying P3.

Image: Schumacher [Facebook]


August 22, 2024

Niko Saarinen crowned Finnish 1:8 Onroad Champion

Mugen Seiki driver Niko Saarinen is the 2024 Finnish 1:8 Onroad National Champion, the title being decided at the fourth & final round which took place in Hyvinkää over the weekend.  Three drivers went into the final race still with a chance of the overall with drivers counting 3 from the four races with Pekka Koivula leading the standings from Niko Saarinen and the defending Champion Jere Saarinen. The race was run in tricky conditions with the track changing from wet to dry.   Practice was run on a drying track but luckily when qualifying came around the track had dried up allowing for 2 rounds in the dry before the rain returned.  Based off the dry runs it would be Niko Saarinen who took the TQ, from Panu VehniäinenI and Jere Saarinen.  The main final was driven in drying conditions meaning everybody had to be very careful to not push over the limit.  Niko took the early lead followed by VehniäinenI while there was a collision on the straight between Jere, Joona Lempiäinen and Koivula, which forced the Champion to change tyres due to a broken rim and while Lempiäinen required a bodyshell change.  After 20 minutes Niko was till leading followed by Vehniäinen until the second placed driver  ran into transmission problems and was forced to retire.  Allowing Niko to take the win ahead of Jere with Lempiäinen completing the podium,  overall Niko’s Max Power engined Mugen took the title ahead of the similar O.S powered car of Koivula.  Also driving a Mugen, fitted with a Max Power engine,the outgoing champion complete the Top 3 ahead of the Infinity of  Lempiäinen with Vehniäinen’s Mugen 5th.

Source: Teemu Saarinen


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