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February 28, 2023

Widmaier confirmed for Philippine Masters

Micha Widmaier is the latest factory driver to be confirmed for the return of the annual Philippine Masters, one of Asia’s most high profile 1:8 Offroad international events. The German will travel to the beautiful Circulo Verde track located in the heart of capital city Manila to lead the Sworkz challenge at the 11th running returning of the race. The multiple German National Champion will be joined on the track by Sworkz founder Scott Yang who himself is an accomplished racer. Taking place from April 28-30th, the event returns after more than a two year break and will see the capacity entry lead by Team Associated’s back to back World Champion Davide Ongaro and former World Champion Robert Batlle for the Mayako team.

Source: Philippine Masters [philippinemastersrc.com]

February 27, 2023

Maifield defends Dirt Nitro Challenge Buggy title

Ryan Maifield has taken the big win at the Dirt Nitro Challenge, the Tekno driver winning a thrilling 1:8 Nitro Buggy final to defend his title from TLR’s Dakotah Phend. The 24th running of World renowned track builder Joey Christensen’s signature event, the race in Perris California started on one track but switched to a hastily prepared smaller covered track as rain arrived replacing the SoCal sunshine. In qualifying it was Phend who had the pace topping both qualifiers, his opening round the faster time. Second fastest in Q1 it was HB Racing’s Cole Ogden who would line-up directly behind Phend for the 45-minute final followed by Xray’s Ty Tessmann and Maifield, his best run being a P3 in the second qualifier. With the running order Phend from Maifield for most of the race, things turned just inside 10-minutes to go with a bad lap from Phend allowing Maifield to the front. Despite Phend’s best efforts, it was going to be yet another DNC title for Maifield as they took the finish separated by just 1.6-seconds. Tessmann would complete the Buggy podium having won the previous day’s Nitro Truggy Final from Phend and Maifield. Phend would a the win in eBuggy with victory over Juan Carlos Canas and Mason Fuller.

Image: Ty Tessmann [Facebook]

February 20, 2023

Tessman wins Hotrace Grand Prix

With the biggest names in 1:8 Offroad gathering in the US for this week’s 24th running of the iconic Dirt Nitro Challenge, Ty Tessman took a nice pre event race victory at the Hotrace Grand Prix over the weekend at Channel Islands Raceway in California. In qualifying it was factory Tekno driver Marco Baruffolo who was the Top Qualifier, the Italian fastest from Tessman’s Xray and Mayako’s Jared Tebo. Winning their respective Semi Finals, Tessmann winning from Robert Batlle while Baruffolo won his 20-minute encounter from HB Racing’s Ryan Pavidis, it was the Canadian who had the fastest winning time to secure pole for the final. Over the 30-minutes, Tessmann would lead for all but a couple laps early on, and despite Baruffolo having the fastest lap, would win by a 20-seconds margin. Batlle completed the podium for Mayako while team-mate Tebo moved up from 6th on the grid to finish fourth ahead of Pavidis.

Image: Hot Race Tyres [Facebook]

February 14, 2023

Butterfield wins Florida Winter Nats

Reigning ROAR Fuel Onroad National Champion Bryce Butterfield took victory at the 47th Annual Florida Winter Nats. Securing the overall 1:10 TQ after five rounds of qualifying at Nuggets Ranch RC Raceway, the factory Serpent driver would take his 750 EVO to a comfortable win in the 30-minute Main Final over the Xray of Franco Desiderio and the Infinity of Jerry Guerra. With this year’s edition of race attracting over a 100 entries, in 1:8 Pro Diego Morganti, son of former US Onroad Nitro ace Paolo, took the TQ but his final was short lived ending after just 2-laps. The No.2 qualifier Ralph Birch would also hit trouble early on, the former 1:10 World Champion retiring after only 8 laps. Following his 1:10 victory, it wasn’t to be a double for Butterfield as he too retired half way through the 45-minute Main. In the end it was Eric Dennett who took the win by 6.6 seconds from Joachim Bruneaunnett with Rafael Angulo completing the podium. In 1:8 GT, Jose Almonte took the win for Serpent ahead of the IGT8 of Morganti with Carlie Lopez completing te Top 3 at the end of the half hour encounter.

Image: Bryce Butterfield [Facebook]

February 13, 2023

2023 Philippine Masters track build revealed

The organisers of the Philippine Masters have after much hard work revealed the new Circulo Verde Race Track which will host one of Asia’s most high profile 1:8 Offroad events from April 27-30th. After a two year break due to Covid, 2023 will be 11th running of the event and 5-weeks of very hot work has resulted in the creation of this impressive sculpted track on the site which is located in the centre of the country’s capital Manila. This year will see reigning back to back World Champion Davide Ongaro and former World Champion Robert Batlle return to the Philippine Masters and lead the capacity 120 entries under the watchful eye of Race Director Scotty Ernst.

View more track images here

February 12, 2023

Ongaro dominates Montpellier GP

Davide Ongaro has opened the 2023 1:8 Offroad season proper in Europe with a dominant performance at the Montpellier GP in France. The Italian secured the overall TQ on Saturday and kicked off Sunday’s finals action with a win of his 20-minute Semi Final over Juan Carlos Canas that secured pole for the Main event. Winner of the other Semi Final, Elliot Boots would line up third on the grid behind his Sworkz team-mate Canas but they would be no match for the World Champion over the 1-hour decider. Setting the fastest lap of the final, the Team Associated driver would go on to lap the entire field at Circuit du MBM. Boots managed to get the better of Canas to finish half a lap up on the Spaniard as they lined up either side of Ongaro on the podium. Finishing fourth would be Infinity’s Riccardo Berton, the Italian have a lap over new Mayako signing Robert Batlle in fifth.

Image: RCMag [Facebook]

February 11, 2023

Ongaro Top Qualifier at Montpellier GP

The European 1:8 Offroad season kicks off this weekend with the traditional running of the Montpellier GP in France where Davide Ongaro is the Top Qualifier. The World Champion took the top spot in qualifier with TQ runs in Q2 and Q3 after the Team Associated driver opened proceedings with a P5. The opening qualifier would be topped by Sworkz’ Elliot Boots, the multiple European Champion backing that up with 3rd in the final round to secure 2nd overall. Boots’ team-mate & former Montpellier GP Champion Juan Carlos Canas ended qualifying third overall thanks to being 2nd fastest in Q1 and 3rd fastest in Q2. Kyosho’s Joao Figueiredo was next up ahead of Infinity’s Riccardo Berton with HB Racing’s Thomas Musso, who leads the French charge, completing the Top 6.

Image: File Image

February 5, 2023

Coelho & Rheinard win Snowbirds

Bruno Coelho and Marc Rheinard are the two big winners of this year’s Snowbird Nationals. In Modified Touring Car, defending Champion Coelho took the overall TQ for Xray from the Awesomatix of Rheinard with Alexander Hagberg lining up 3rd. With just a single A-Main to decide the winner of the 29th running of the iconic American race, World Champion Coelho would hold off his German rival taking the win by 2/10th of a second. A further 1.6 seconds back, Hagberg made it an all European podium line-up. Top American finisher would be ROAR National Champion Sam Isaacs in fourth. In the 1:12 GTP Modified it was Rheinard who was Top Qualifier. The reigning 1:12 World Champion lead the 8-minutes from start to finish posting the fastest lap in the process. Behind former World Champion Hagberg came through from 5th on the grid to finish 2nd ahead of 2nd and 3rd place qualifiers Donny Lia and Iaascs.

View 1:12 Podium here