October 10, 2022

Sugiura defends JMRCA National title after 2 year break

Yusuke Sugiura has successfully defended his JMRCA Japanese1:8 Offroad National title as the championship was hosted for the first time over the weekend since 2019 due to Covid.  The weekend was very much a repeat of 2019 as the Futaba Buggy Track in Ichihara City hosted the championship once again.  Topping three of the four rounds of qualifying to secure the overall TQ,  Sugiura would again lead home Sanwa’s Kouki Kato in the 1-hour final, crossing the finish line with a 1-lap advantage for his fourth consecutive National title win.  Making it an all Mugen podium was 3rd place qualifying Shin Adachi who finished just 1/3 of a lap behind Kato.

Image: Kouki Kato [Facebook]


October 8, 2022

3 out 3 for Balestri in Italian National Championship

Dario Balestri has completed a clean sweep of the 2022 AMSCI Italian 1:8 Onroad National Championship with victory at the third & final round today at Pista Di Leno.  Originally planned as a two day event, forecast bad weather saw the season finale condensed down to Saturday qualifying and finals.  Three rounds of qualifying would see the former World Champion secure the TQ from Xray’s Filippo Domanin and Mirko Salemi.  In the 30-minute final, the Infinity driver would continue his form from the previous two championship rounds to take victory number 3 from team-mate Carmine Riola.  The Mugen of Andrea Pirani would complete the podium with young Domanin having to settle for fourth.

Image: Ielasi Tuned [Facebook]


October 4, 2022

1up Racing Cup – Report

Perfect weather all weekend made for some incredible racing at the 2nd Annual 1up Cup hosted by Steel City R/C Speedway in Fontana, CA! Seeding took place on Friday followed by 3 rounds of qualifying on Saturday with 2 counting. Sunday featured triple mains for all racers with the top 2 finishers bumping up in the first round of mains.  In the Modified TC class is was JJ Wang setting the pace in qualifying as he went on to take TQ ahead of Jacob Cruz and Robbie Cerrato. JJ would go on to win A1, but Jacob Cruz was able to get by and take the win in A2. A3 was all about JJ again as he pulled away from the field while the others battled to secure the final podium spots. Top 3 – JJ Wang, Jacob Cruz and Robbie Cerrato.

Continue reading report here


October 3, 2022

ROAR Fuel Onroad National titles for Butterfield & Colon

The ROAR Fuel Onroad National Championships took place over the weekend with Serpent’s Bryce Butterfield and Mugen’s Jose Colon taking the two big wins in Puerto Rico.  Held at Barceloneta RC Speedway, qualifying would see Butterfield top all three rounds of 1:10 200mm with his fastest 4-minute run in Q3 securing him the overall TQ ahead of Infinity/Wallace Motorsports’ DJ Apolaro.  In the 45-minute A-Main, Butterfield would continue that form to win by a 2-lap margin over Serpent team-mate & 4th place qualifier Jose Almonte with Apolaro completing the podium.

Continue reading here


October 2, 2022

Canas wins Buggyland 9.0

Less than a month after the country hosted the 1:8 Buggy World Championship, some of the best offroad drivers where back in Spain over the weekend for the the annual Buggyland race where Sworkz’ Juan Carlos Canas was this year’s big winner.  The 9th edition of the Madrid based event, qualifying in Pro Buggy opened with Kyosho driver Joao Figueiredo setting the pace around the Circuito de Fuencarral from Canas, Berkan Kilic and Marco Baruffolo.  Q2 & 3 saw Canas go fastest securing the former champion the overall TQ from Figueiredo, young Spain talent Adrian Pariente, Kilic, Baruffolo and World Champion Davide Ongaro. Having already secure the eBuggy TQ & win from Ongaro and Pariente, Canas would do the double to win from the 1-hour nitro final from the Mugens of 8th place qualifier Burak Kilic and former World Champion Robert Batlle after Anger was an early retirement from 2nd position. In Saturday’s Nitro Truggy Final Tekno’s Baruffolo claimed victory, the Italian holding off Canas (P2) and Figueiredo (P3).

Image: Sworkz [Facebook]


September 25, 2022

Salven wins European C/ship 40+ title in Utrecht

He might have officially announced his retirement from top level competition at the 1:8 Onroad World Championships in the USA in 2019, but Michael Salven showed this weekend that he hasn’t lost any of his competitiveness.  Racing at the RACO 2000 track in Utrecht, the Netherlands, the Serpent designer became the EFRA European 40+ Champion for a second time.  A multiple 1:10 and 1:8 European Champion over the years, the Dutch based German secured the overall TQ as he took his Serpent 990 to the top of the times in 4 of the 5 rounds of qualifying. Unfortunately turning wet for the finals day, this didn’t effect his pace and despite suffering oneway bearing gearbox issues 10 minutes into the 45-minute final he was able to recover the lost ground and take the win.  Joined by from Martin Zevenhoven (2nd) and Felix Reto (3rd), it was to be an all Serpent podium.  In 1:10, another stalwart of onroad nitro racing took the title as Switerland’s Traugott Schaer led home Claus Ryeskov and Jurmin Etnel.

Image: Michael Salven [Facebook.com]


September 23, 2022

Philippine Masters 2023 – Announcement

The Philippine Masters is back for 2023 with the organisers of this international 1:8 Offroad event announcing April 27-30 as the date for the 11th running of one of Asia’s major RC events.  After more than a two year break, the hardworking QCRCCC club are excited to welcome drivers back to the beautiful Circulo Verde track located in the heart of Manila.  Over the years the race has brought some of the biggest names in offroad racing to the Philippines.  Davide Ongaro, Robert Battle, David Ronnefalk, Adam Drake, Ty Tessmann, Atsushi Hara and Kyle McBride just some of the drivers to enjoy both the racing and hospitality in Manila. Directed by the voice of RC Scotty Ernst,  this is a race that is as much about the fun you have away from the track as it is the fun you have racing.  Two classes make up PM2023, 1:8 Buggy and 1:8 Truggy, with entries limited to 120 total.  With the Philippines one of the most affordable countries in the World to visit and vacation in, PM23 is a bucket list race to attend.

Source: Philippine Masters [philippinemastersrc.com]


September 20, 2022

Feldmann crowned IFMAR 1:5 Touring World Champion

Markus Feldmann is the 2022 IFMAR 1:5 Touring Car World Champion, the German becoming the first repeat champion in the category. As the ISTC World Championship was taking place in Italy, across the Atlantic the large scale World Championships was taking place at Steel City R/C Speedway, Fontana, USA, the same venue that hosted the 2019 1:8 Onroad World Championship. In qualifying it was Marius Hetland who secured the TQ with his fastest time from the six rounds of qualifying coming in Round 5. Also setting his best time in Q5, 2013 Champion Feldmann qualified P2 to book his place directly into the 1-hour A-Main. Having qualified 6th, track owner Kyle Goodwine would win the first of the Semi Finals ahead of 2019 Champion Marko Grigic and Martelli Gianmarco. In the 2nd Semi Final, pole sitter Andrea Catalani would retire from the lead with less than 10 minutes to go allowing Edoardo Repetti to take the win ahead of Austin Sarnelle. The 11th running of the championship, in the final Feldmann would go to the front after just a few laps and while Hetland got back to the lead twice, Feldmann stayed at the front for the second half of the race to take the title. Enjoying a strong performance on home soil, Goodwine would finish on the same lap as Feldmann to become Vice-Champion with Martelli Gianmarco third for an all Mecatech podium.  Hetland would eventually finish 5th after late issues.

Image: IFMAR [ifmar.org]