Red RC » Gas

June 2, 2024

Senesi crowned 1:8 GT European Champion

Natanaele Senesi is the new EFRA 1:8 GT European Champion claiming the title for the very first time at the Naxos World track in Sicily, Italy. Lining up P5 for the 45-minute title decider, the World Championship finalist took his Senesi Motorsport S21 GT car to victory by a 10-second margin from the Xray of Top Qualifier Edoardo Repetti with Serpent’s Andrea Catanzani completing the nitro podium. Only the third running of the European Championships for the category, there was plenty of drama at the start of the final. Set to start P3 on the grid for the 45-minute encounter, Capricorn’s Alessio Mazzeo called a technical timeout in the warm-up which put him to the back of the grid. On the race start Repetti suffered a flame out. Taking the lead of the race after a few laps, during his first fuel stop Senesi would flame out handing Catanzani the lead. Chased down by a recovering Senesi, with three minutes to go Catanzani would lose 2nd gear allowing Senesi back to the front where he would stay to the finish to end Bernard-Alain Arnaldi reign over the category. Arnaldi would give up his back to back title finishing P6. In the 1:8 GTE title race, Top Qualifier & Schepis Model team driver Rosario Giaimo was able to complete the job and wrapped up the championship with wins in A1 & 2 of the triple finals with Senesi and 2023 Champion Mazzeo completing the Top 3.

Image: Natanaele Senesi [Facebook]

May 31, 2024

Repetti is 1:8 GT European C/Ship Top Qualifier

Italy’s Edoardo Repetti is the Top Qualifier at the 2024 EFRA 1:8 GT European Championships which are underway at the Naxos World track in Sicily, Italy. The former European Large Scale Champion took his Ielasi Tuned powered Xray to the TQ honours with TQ runs in Q3 & 4 together with a P2 in the fifth & final round. Also registering two TQ runs and a second, but losing out on the tie-breaker, Schepis Model driver Rosario Giaimo, winner of the recent Italian National Champion round at the same track, qualified 2nd having taken the Electric GT overall TQ earlier in the day. Former 1:10 Nitro Touring Car Champion Alessio Mazzeo completed the Top 3 for Capricorn. Top Qualifier at last year’s European Championship in Croatia, Serpent’s Andrea Catanzani ended qualifying P4. Only the third running of a European Championship for the category, defending back to back Champion Bernard-Alain Arnaldi took his Genius Racing chassis to 6th as the fastest non Italian driver.

Image: Xray [Facebook]

May 27, 2024

Ongaro wins Euros Warm-up Race

Team Associated’s Davide Ongaro took the win at the Euros Warm-up Race at his home track the Ongaro Ring, the Sacile track set to host this year’s EFRA European 1:8 Buggy Championship at the end of July. With rain forcing qualifying to be reduced to just 3 rounds, it was the Sworkz of reigning European Champion Juan Carlos Canas who secured the TQ from World Champion Ongaro with Sworkz’ Mattia Polito third ahead the Xray of David Ronnefalk. In the Semi’s both Canas and Ongaro won their Semi finals with Ongaro’s race time giving him pole for the final which he would lead all the way. Setting the fastest lap of the 45-minute Main, Elliot Boots who take his Sworkz to second finishing 8-seconds behind Ongaro. Canas would complete the podium ahead of Daniel Pariente and Polito with Mugen’s Berkan Kilic rounding out the Top 6.

Image: ModellismoRC [modellismorc.net]

May 27, 2024

Shimo crowned Japanese 1:8 Onroad Champion

Infinity’s Takaaki Shimo is the new JMRCA Japanese 1:8 Onroad National Champion. Racing at the 2023 World Championship host venue Infinity International Speedway, Shimo regained the title he last held in 2016 with a 2.5-second victory over Top Qualifier Naoto Matsukura. In qualifying the Infinity of Matsukura topped three of the four rounds to secure the TQ and lock himself into pole position for the 45-minute final. A TQ run in Q2 would secure reigning 1:10 Nitro Onroad World Champion Tadahiko Sahashi second overall, a result that also locked him directly into the Main. With Shimo P3 after qualifying and the Mugen Seiki of defending Champion & 2019 World Champion Shouki Takahata 6th, they would both have to race their way into the Main from the 20-minute Semi Finals. Shimo won his Semi while the other went to Takahata. In the Main, Matsukura lead for 2/3rd of the race as he and Shimo gapped the field but getting by Matsukura, Shimo maintained that lead to the end to secure the title. Three laps back Tadahiko Sahashi would completed the podium ahead of Takahata.

Image: Infinity [Facebook]

May 27, 2024

Kurzbuch wins ENS season opener

Mugen Seiki’s Simon Kurzbuch opened the latest season of the Euro Nitro Series with maximum points, the former World Champion winning the 1:8 category from the TQ position. The first of the four round championship took drivers to the Ettlingen track in Germany where qualifying would see both Kurzbuch and the Capricorn of reigning ENS Champion Toni Gruber post two TQ runs each over the four qualifiers. On tie-break it was 2023 World Championship Top Qualifier Kurzbuch who lined up on pole for the 45-minute final ahead of Gruber with the Infinity of Teemu Leino P3. Able to establish an early gap over his rivals, Kurzbuch would cruise to victory by over a lap from Leino, Gruber having retired from the race just after half way distance. Bumping up from the B-Main to line up 11th on the grid, 1:8 Onroad legend Lamberto Collari would work his way through the field to complete the podium for Infinity. In 1:10, Melvin Diekmann got his title defence off to the perfect start taking his Capricorn to the TQ & win ahead of the Infinity of former Champion Jilles Groskamp with France’s Quentin Leroux taking the final step on the podium.

Image: Simon Kurzbuch RC [Facebook]

May 20, 2024

Butterfield doubles at ROAR Onroad Nitro Nationals

Serpent’s Bryce Butterfield completed a title double at the 2024 ROAR Onroad Nitro Nationals regaining his 1:10 title he lost last year and adding the 1:8 title to his CV. With rain reducing track time at the Tri-State Radio Controlled Auto Racers hosted event in Ohio, in qualifying for 1:10 200mm Butterfield would top 2 of the 3 rounds to secure the TQ from the Infinity of DJ Apolaro and the Serpent of defending champion Jose Almonte P3. In 1:8 again it was Butterfield with the TQ from the Mugen Seiki of Ralph Burch and Apolaro. In the 1:10 final, with Apolaro going out early Butterfield would take a convincing win from David Dunn. Also a 45-minute encounter, in 1:8 Apolaro would lead the first half of the race with Birch an early retirement. Posting the fastest lap of the race however Butterfield would hit the front in the second half to do the double taking the title with a 2-lap advantage over Apolaro with Joachim Bruneau completing the podium.

Image: Bryce Butterfield [Facebook]

May 20, 2024

Ongaro wins Italian Nationals second round

Having taken maximum points from the opening round of the AMSCI Italian 1:8 Buggy National Championship held in March, defending Champion Davide Ongaro extended his points lead with a repeat victory at Round 2. Attracting 67 entries, it was to be a very challenging weekend for the host club Nitro Buggy Genzone as the event started with Friday’s practice being cancelled after heavy rain flooded the track. Preparing the track for a Saturday morning start having pumped out the water the club was dealt a second blow when they arrived Saturday morning to discover thieves had stolen equipment and catering supplies. Despite the incident, the club did manage to get the event underway with Ongaro’s Team Associated securing the TQ, after topping 2 of the 4 rounds, from Sworkz’s Mattia Polito and WIRC Racing’s Marco Baruffolo who topped one round each. After the Semi finals it was Polito who lined up on pole for the 45-minute final ahead of Ongaro, WIRC’s Andrea Trevisan and Infinity’s Riccardo Bertin. Over the race, the order would settle into a repeat of the season opener with Ongaro taking the win from Polito after a close battle with WIRC Racing’s Marco Baruffolo again completing the podium.

Image: Riccardo Verardo [Facebook]

May 16, 2024

Brazilian Nitro Onroad Nationals Round 1 – Report

The first round of the 2024 Brazilian Nitro Onroad Nationals was held in Florianópolis, SC, Brazil, recently. Despite delays caused by heavy rains in the area which decreased practice times for all participants, the finals happened on Sunday under much desired sunny weather. With record attendance for such an event after an ongoing economic downturn and some long term effects of the pandemic on the closure of many tracks and shops, the event was a success, with 46 registered drivers including two from Argentina as well. The event was divided in four categories; 1:8 GT, 1:8 Onroad and 1:10 Touring Car, the latter divided in two grids of Sport and Racer. Sport designated for rookies while the Racer category was for seasoned drivers.

Continue reading here