Red RC » Events

April 3, 2017

Naoto Matsukura doubles at Buggy Asia Madness

The inaugural BAM Buggy Asia Madness electric off-road race kicked off at Shanghai’s SMP AstroTurf race track this past weekend. The Scotty Ernst Production event in cooperation with SMP and RCI aims to replicate the success of the AOC series and grow electric off-road racing in Asia and China. The 3-day pilot race attracted 60 drivers from all over China as well as several top world class drivers from abroad including current 2WD World Champion, Spencer Rivkin from Team Associated, Japanese drivers Shin Adachi and Young Kaito Kodera from Yokomo, Czech Xray driver Kaja Novotny, and multi-time World Champion Naoto Matsukura from Team Infinity. The local top drivers included Yokomo’s Wang Hai Feng and Serpent’s Lin Le Hua. The BAM was held in a total of five classes, 2WD Modified and Stock, 4WD Modified, 2WD Truck, and a Tamiy Lunch Box fun class. The race format five rounds of qualifying with the best two to count, followed by triple bump-up A-mains.

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April 3, 2017

Hagberg & Hönigl win 1/12th European Championships

Alexander Hagberg and Hupo Honigl both retained their 12th scale European Championship titles in Sittard, The Netherlands after an intense three days of racing. In the Modified class, which was running to 6.5T blinky rules for the first time, it was a business as usual for Alexander as the Swede took his 4th successive championship with his Xray. Backing up his wins in Italy and Slovakia (twice) Hagberg was imperious winning all five rounds of qualifying and then winning the first two legs of the A-final for a perfect weekend. Behind Alex teammate Hupo Hönigl took second after a 3-leg battle with CRCs Markus Mobers was only decided at the end of the final leg.

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April 3, 2017

2017 Jokerteam GT12 Championship Rd1 – Report

The 2017 Jokerteam GT12 Championship got underway with round 1 taking place at the traditional asphalt track in Bolzano, Italy in perfect weather conditions. The sugar-treated track delivered a good level of grip right from the get go and Mattia Dall’Oca (Schumacher) started from where he finished last year, with TQs in both Q1 and Q2. In the latter he showed a blistering pace, securing the overall TQ for the afternoon’s A-main. Not far behind, Johnny Orsolin (Jokerteam/Schumacher) showed a relentless pace which was good for a TQ in Q3 and an overall P2 on the finals’ grid. Completing the top three qualifiers, Claudio Giovanelli (Jokerteam/Schmacher) pushed his Atom CC at a consistent pace and an overall trouble-free performance to the third spot on the grid.

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April 3, 2017

Jefferies, Finlay & Giddins win at EWS International

British Xray driver Olly Jefferies secured the overall victory at the 2017 EWS International after taking narrow victories in the first two A-finals, before stamping his authority by rounding out the weekend with a win in the third leg too. However, Olly had to work hard for the victory, coming under intense pressure from the number 2 starting Yokomo of Christopher Krapp in each of the three races. As practice and qualifying proved, the top five on the grid were a class above the rest, entertaining the spectators with three five-minute displays of amazing driving. The lap times remained close between the five drivers which, whilst it led to a lot of nose-to-tail racing, meant overtaking manoeuvres were few and far between. As each driver appeared to close to consider looking for a passing opportunity, they also had to be aware of the driver on their own tail, and risk losing a place rather than gaining. That said, Olly did not put a wheel wrong to allow his German challenger, or any other driver, any serious chance of even considering lining up a pass.

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April 2, 2017

EFRA 1/12th European Champs – Qualifying report

It was déjà vu all over again in the Netherlands as reigning champions Alexander Hagberg and Hupo Honigl dominated qualifying for their respective events. In the Modified class Alexander Hagberg completely crushed the opposition with a clean sweep, winning every one of the five rounds. The Swedish driver is going for a 4th consecutive European championship in the class which will tie him with Markus Feldmann (Large Scale Touring Car) for the most consecutive wins of any European Championship.

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April 2, 2017

Three different TQ drivers so far at EWS International

Saturday at the 2017 EWS International presented by Infinity and Sweep has concluded, and in the premier modified class, it was a different driver setting the pace in every round, highlighting just how close the racing is. After Olly Jefferies had topped the opening round for Xray, Christopher Krapp moved Yokomo to the top of the scoreboard, setting the pace in Q2. The German driver, a veteran of this event having attended the previous three editions when it was known as the ICC, said “finally! It feels so good to have finally TQ’d a round at Essex!”, noting that whilst he had been in contention in all of his previous visits, he had never scored that elusive ‘zero points’. Noting a change to a softer rear diff fluid was the most notable change to his BD8, he also switched back to his single colour practice bodyshell. Despite both this and his race coloured Protoform LTC-Rs being mounted the same, the plain colour felt better for him.

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April 1, 2017

EWS International practice & Q1 update

With controlled practice now completed, the overall results showed a tie on the official ranking list with both Yokomo’s Ronald Völker and Infinity’s Kyle Branson setting an identical time of 45.65 seconds over three laps. Having no other way to separate the drivers, race announcer Oli Meggitt chose to use the second best time set, which means it will be the World Champion who carries the number one sticker on his car through the four rounds of qualifying.

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April 1, 2017

Völker quickest as EWS International gets underway

The 2017 EWS International presented by Infinity and Sweep got underway on Friday evening, with three rounds of optional free practice to allow the 130 entries to acclimatise themselves to the new track layout. The track, designed by race announcer Oli Meggitt and realised by Richard King and the EWS track team, features a huge area of 34×24 metres and the unique EWS corner kerbs. Commenting on the track layout, recently crowned EWS Series champion Elliott Harper noted that there was a “good variety of corners” and expected this to lead to some “close times throughout practice and qualifying”.

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