May 6, 2023

TQ hat trick as Phend tops Nitro Buggy at Silver State

Dakotah Phend has completed a TQ hat trick at the Silver State Indoor Championships claiming the overall TQ in the big one, Nitro Buggy, on Day 2 of qualifying.  The opening day of qualifying at the Las Vegas event saw the TLR driver crowned Top Qualifier in both eBuggy and Nitro Truggy before the switch to Nitro Buggy and eTruggy for the second day of quali action.  The opening round would see HB Racing’s Cole Ogden top the times from Phend and the Tekno of Ryan Maifield.  In Q2 it was Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin who set the pace ahead of Sworkz’ Camden Lime with Phend down in P6.  The third & final qualifier however saw the Michigan driver hit the top with the fastest time ahead of the Tekno of Italy’s Marco Baruffolo.  Overall this left Phend with pole for the A-Main ahead of Ogden, Rivkin, Baruffolo and Lime.  With Phend not contesting eTruggy, the TQ would go to HB Racing’s Mason Fuller ahead of Rivkin and Phi Long Nguyen.

Image : Jconcepts [Facebook]

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May 5, 2023

Phend kicks off Silver State with TQ double

Team Losi Racing’s Dakotah Phend led the way on the first day proper of the Silver State Indoor Championships taking a double TQ in Las Vegas.  This year’s Joey Christensen run event has attracted a record 1100 plus entries with Day 2’s action made up of qualifying for eBuggy and Nitro Truggy.  Running 3 rounds of qualifying with the best two to count, it was Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin who took the opening eBuggy round from Phend.  The second time of asking it would be Phend at the top from the Xray of Ty Tessmann.  Making it three different chassis manufacturers to post a TQ round but all running on JConcepts tyres, Mason Fuller set the pace in Q3 for HB Racing. Overall this secured Phend the TQ from Rivkin, Fuller and Tessmann.  In Nitro Truggy, Phend sealed the No.1 spot for the A-Main with TQ runs in the opening two rounds ahead of Tekno’s Ryan Maifield.  Having opened with two disappointing rounds, Sworkz Camden Lime hit the top in Q3 ahead Kyosho’s Ryan Lutz, but overall it Maifield who secured second spot on the grid ahead of the Kyosho of Portugal’s Joao Figeuiredo, Lutz and Rivkin.  Next up for the more than 400 drivers is a long day of Nitro Buggy and eTruggy qualifying.

Image : Jconcepts [Facebook]

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May 3, 2023

Philippine Masters 2023 A-Main Videos

After more than two-years of a break following Covid, Asia’s premiere Offroad race returned on April 28-30th with a challenging track layout in the capital of Manila.  A bucket list destination race, the Philippine Masters attracted drivers from 15-nations across the globe with the sell out entry enjoying the country’s amazing hospitality and fun atmosphere of the race at the Circulo Verde track.  Watch all the action from both the Buggy and Truggy A-Main encounters on our Youtube channel and see how both finals unfolded in these Asian Buggy Championships productions with commentary by the one and only Scotty Ernst.

Source: Philippine Masters [philippinemastersrc.com]

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May 2, 2023

Polito wins Italian National Championship Round 2

Sworkz driver Mattia Polito took the win at the second round of the ultra competitive Italian 1:8 Offroad National Championship over the weekend.  With Round 1 Top Qualifier & Winner Davide Ongaro in Manila where he would dominate the Philippine Masters for his third win of Asia’s premiere offroad race, this was an opportunity for his rivals to secure valuable points in his absence.  Hosted by the AOL Club in Policoro, a charming town on the Ionian coast, qualifying would see Infinity team driver Riccardo Berton secure the TQ.  Strike one for Hotrace Tyres in the big Italian tyre manufacturer rivalry with Polito second for Matrix Tires.  Behind, Alex Zanchettin completed the Top 3 ahead of Marco Ravaglia while Marco Baruffollo found himself qualifying down in the B-Main.  In the 45-minute final, Polito would get by Berton setting the fastest lap of the race with his Gi-mar powered Sworkz on his way to victory by 19-seconds from the pole sitter.  Having bumped up to the A-Main to start 11th, Baruffollo would takes his Tekno through the field to complete the podium by just four seconds over Leonardo Valente with Zanchettin fifth.

Image: Modellismo RC [Facebook]

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May 2, 2023

Vejrak wins Hotrace Asia Cup

Meen Vejrak was the winner of the the inaugural Hotrace Asia Cup which was hosted at the Tom Racing Circuit in Hong Kong over the weekend.  Attracting an international field, in qualifying it was the former 1:10 200mm World Champion who set the pace topping all four rounds of qualifying.  Driving a Capricorn, the Maxima team driver would start from the TQ ahead Italy’s Carmine Riola, Australia’s Jeff Hamon and Hong Kong’s Lolo Sam.  In the 45-minute final, Vejrak continued that form leading throughout the 45-minute encounter.  Initially chased by Riola, the factory Infinity driver would retire with engines issues just as the race reached 1/3 distance.  Promoting the Serpent of Hamon to second, Vejrak would win by a lap with the Infinity of Sam completing the podium.  In 1:8 GT Wong Wai Kin took the win driving a Capricorn while in the 1:10 235mm final KK made it a clean sweep for the Italian manufacturer.

Image: Team Corona [Facebook]

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April 30, 2023

Ongaro takes dominant Philippine Masters win

Back to back World Champion Davide Ongaro gave a master class performance today in Manila to become Champion of the Philippine Masters, Asia’s premiere Offroad race making its return this weekend after a Covid hiatus.  The Team Associated driver’s third trip to the Circulo Verde track, the win of today’s 1-hour final gives the Italian a 100% winning record in the Capital City.  Starting from the TQ, having topped all four rounds of qualifying, with Mayako’s Robert Batlle lining up  second, the huge crowd of onlookers were anticipating an intense battle between the two World class drivers based off Batlle’s faster pace but lack of luck in qualifying.  Unfortunately the finals day wasn’t to be a luckier day for the Spaniard.  Early into the race, his buggy stopped on track as if he had flamed out before throttling up again but this was the start of the failing of his throttle servo.  He would retire just as the race entered the second half.  While Ongaro was in control out front, despite having of moment himself when he flamed out during second fuel stop, it would be freshly crowned Truggy Champion Micha Widmaier who came through for second while a delighted Christian Wolhuter made it two Sworkz on the podium after a good battle with fellow Australian Aaron Dexter.

Check out full event coverage here

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April 30, 2023

Widmaier crowned Philippine Masters Truggy Champ

Sworkz’ Micha Widmaier has been crowned Truggy Champion at the Philippine Masters.  Taking the TQ honours having topped all four rounds of qualifying, the German dominated the 30-minute final despite loosing a front wheel.  One driver expected to push Widmaier for the win, unfortunately young Australian Jackson Beale’s challenge was over before it had really ever had a chance to happen.  The only driver to match Widmaier’s 40-second lap time in the final, the 17-year-old suffered very early troubles, an electrical lead issue eventually leading to his retirement.  With fellow Aussie Jordan Van taking over as the leading challenger behind the German, he too would have issues eventually dropping down the order to finish 9th of the 15 starters.  In the end, having opened up a comfortable lead, Widmaier cruised home for the title.  Behind, local racer Daniel Miranda took his HB Racing Truggy to second with the similar chassis of Kiwi Shane O’Connor completing the podium on the return of the Philippine Masters following a Covid forced hiatus.

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April 29, 2023

Widmaier is Philippine Masters Truggy Top Qualifier

Micha Widmaier is the Truggy Top Qualifier at the Philippine Masters.  The factory Sworkz driver dominated qualifying topping all four rounds at the challenging Circulo Verde track in the capital city of Manila.  The German will start tomorrow’s half hour A-Main ahead of the Tekno of Jackson Beale, the Australian posting three P2 runs after a difficult opening qualifier on Friday.  With the Philippine Masters his first ever race outside of Australia, Jordan Van will line-up third also at the controls of a Tekno chassis having produced Top 3 runs every round.  Korean driver Apex Kim will start 4th ahead of Kiwi Shane O’Connor and Philippines diver Daniel Miranda.  Set to be a 15 Truggy A-Main starting grid, 12 directly qualifying, the final 3 driver are set to bump up from the B-Main.

Check out full event coverage here

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