Red RC » Events

December 17, 2023

Volker wins hugely successful inaugural FIRC

Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker has won the hugely successful inaugural Foshan Invitational RC Championship in China. One of a number of international drivers to make the trip to the new GDC Indoor track in the central Guangdong Province, Volker completed the perfect weekend taking the TQ honours before converting that in the overall win with victory in A2. The biggest challenger to the former World Champion would come in the form of Chinese driver Vening Zhuo who was justly rewarded for his impressive showing with second overall. Highly complimentary of Zhuo talents, Volker only discovered during the event that the driver keeping him honest all weekend was the very same person he had been offering racing advice too after he had reached out to the professional racer through social media. An event created to give Chinese racers experience of international competition, it would be Japanese visitor and Xpress team driver Yugo Nagashima who would complete the podium for what race organiser Gavin Kwok is aiming to establish into one of Asia’s major annual international touring car races.

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December 17, 2023

Volker takes A1 at FIRC

Ronald Volker has taken the opening A-Main at the inaugural Foshan Invitational RC Championship in China, the Mugen Seiki driver kept honest over the 5-minutes by the Awesomatix of Chinese driver Vening Zhuo as chaos broke out behind. With race organiser Gavin Kwok’s goal of hosting the race at his GDC Indoor track to highlight the international level to local racers, Volker put on the perfect display as he lead the field away from the TQ. Only Zhuo would be able to hang with the former World Champion as the pair quickly pulled away and gapped the other 8 starters. Behind all the attention was on the battle for 3rd with the pack building up behind a struggling Marco Ma who had Xray team Jerry Dai all over his back bumper. Six laps in as they came on to the straight Ma got out of shape setting a chain of crashes with Xpress’ Yugo Nagashima coming out the best of it in 3rd having found him push out of position and down to ninth on the opening lap. With Volker and Zhuo quickly in traffic the both navigated it well to with Nagashima holding position to complete the Top 3 ahead of the recovering Dai.

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December 16, 2023

Volker Top Qualifier at inaugural FIRC

Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker is the Top Qualifier at the inaugural Foshan Invitation RC Championship. Heading up the international entry at the new Chinese race that the organisers are aiming to establish as a major annual event, the former World Champion secured pole position for tomorrow’s triple finals when he made it three from three in the penultimate round of qualifying at the recently opened GDC Indoor Track. Once again it was Chinese driver Vening Zhuo who would be Volker’s closest challenger but the German edged back out his advantage over the Awesomatix driver in the third round. Competing the Top 3 for the round would be Marco Ma, the Xray driver managing his first 23-lap run of the day ahead of the Xpress of Yugo Nagashima, the Top Seed also putting together a 23-lap run.

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December 16, 2023

Volker takes opening qualifier at FIRC

After his struggles in seeding practice, Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker bounced back in qualifying to take the opening round at the Foshan Invitational RC Championship in China ahead of the Awesomatix of Vening Zhuo and Xray’s Marco Ma. Finding himself in the second fastest after his lap times dropped by 2-seconds from free practice, Volker had a busy opening qualifying run as he avoided the traffic with late contact with a lapped car costing him some time. Despite this the German was 3-seconds clear of Zhuo as his main rivals Yugo Nagashima and Simon Nicholson both had issues. The Top Seed for qualifying Nagashima lead away the top heat but a mistake by the Japanese driver in the chicane meant his Xpress needed marshalling and with 4.5 seconds lost he finish P4. Starting directly behind Nagashima, Nicholson looked to benefit from the mistake but inside the final 30-seconds the Yokomo drivers pinion came undone and his run was over.

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December 16, 2023

Nagashima tops seeding at FIRC

Xpress factory team driver Yugo Nagashima is the top seed at the inaugural Foshan Invitational Championship in China, the Japanese driver topping the single seeding round ahead of Yokomo’s Simon Nicholson. The biggest international RC event to be held in China post Covid attracting 129 entries to the newly opened GDC Indoor track, drivers faced tough conditions this morning with Ronald Volker struggling significantly having set the pace in free practice yesterday. Low traction and brand new hand out Sweep tyres saw most drivers out their drifting skills to the test. Making it a good start to the event for Xpress, Hong Kong driver Eric Lam completed the Top 3 ahead of newly crowned Chinese National Champion Rocket Zhang as the driver now face into four rounds of qualifying, with two to count.

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December 14, 2023

XRS Finland – Report

Some 50 drivers lined up at Fullspeed RC in Vantaa, Finland, for the highly anticipated XRS Finland race last weekend. Organised by EuroRC, this event featured a diverse lineup of racing classes, including Touring Prostock, Touring Modified, CS-12, C12, and Eurotruck. With skilled competitors not only highlighted the exceptional skill level of its participants within the national level but also showcased a European-class proficiency, with drivers such as Joseph Quaqraine, Pekko Iivonen, Juho Levänen, Janne Koivisto, and Oiva Metsola demonstrating a level of racing finesse that placed them among the elite in the European racing community. Their presence elevated the competition, making each class a true spectacle of high-speed precision and strategic mastery.

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December 13, 2023

IFMAR World Champion Manufacturer Stats

With the 1:12 World Championships in Florida last week marking the conclusion of another season of World Championships for RC racing’s World Governing Body IFMAR, they have issued an updated list of World Champion Manufacturer stats. With 2023 the 46th year of the federation, which ran its first World Championship in 1977, it is the manufacturer that won that 1:8 Onroad title that holds the honour of the most winning manufacturer in the sport. Thanks to Davide Ongaro kicking of this year’s World Championship calendar with victory at the 1:10 4WD Offroad World Championship at Hobby Action in Arizona, Team Associated have amassed 32 World titles. That impressive achievement gives them double the titles of joint second placed Japanese companies Yokomo and Kyosho. Interestingly this year two new names were added bring the list to 30 manufacturers past and present. Thanks to Toni Gruber’s win at the 1:8 GT Worlds in Australia, Hong Nor is now a World Champion manufacturer. Although a well established electric onroad manufacturer for over a decade, Awesomatix claimed its first World title in Florida with their own team manager ‘Mad Max’ Machler lifting the 1:12 Spec World title at Beachline Raceway making the newest World Champion manufacturer.

View World Champion manufacturers list here

December 11, 2023

Rivkin & Phend turn RC teachers for a day!

They are two of the biggest names in offroad racing and represent two of the biggest manufacturers on the international stage but last week both Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin and TLR’s Dakotah Phend became RC teachers for a day as part of two different events. Two time World Champion Rivkin was taking part in the launch of Hobbywing Tech Explorers. Held at World Championship venue Hobby Action Raceway, it marked the first collaboration with a school outreach program. Rivkin touched on his journey with RC, overcoming challenges, and dreaming big. He also discussed the mechanics, electrical aspects, and disciplines of the hobby, along with the incredible values it’s brought into his life – from friends, mentors, and unforgettable experiences. On his social media Rivkin said he was ‘So thankful to have had the opportunity to hold my first public gathering and launch a new program with Hobbywing North America called Tech Explorers! Meeting and seeing these kids remind me what it was like when I first laid eyes on RC cars. I want to personally thank Larry and Hobby Action RC Raceway for letting us utilise the track and rental cars. I’m totally looking forward on doing many more of these!’ Phend brought his 1:10 Electric and 1:8 Nitro buggies to a middle school as part of a career day where he shared his story with pupils. On his Facebook page he posted, ‘I was able to be apart of career day earlier this week at Angola Middle School. I went over how I was able to turn a passion into a career. There are a lot of great and unique opportunities in today’s world!’. It is great to see both drivers promoting RC racing in this way and well done to everyone involved in inspiring the future generation.

View Mr.Phend taking his class here