Shepherd Micro Racing are pleased to announce that former European Champion, World Championship finalist and multiple German National Champion Oliver Mack will be joining their Team in 2009. With his extensive experience, he will aid in the development of the Velox, but Of course he will also be promoting the Shepherd brand at all major races as an important part of their national and international team.
Source: Shepherd [team-shepherd.com]
The JMRCA 1/8th scale Japanese On road Nationals took place last weekend in Keitune. Qualifying saw Mugen racer Keisuke Fukuda take pole position from Yasushi Takashi with Yuya Sahashi 3rd. The 45 minute final however saw problems for the pole man, who retired after 11 minutes giving Kyosho team driver Takaaki Shimo the lead which he extended to 1 lap over Yasushi Takashi by the end to take the title for the new M3.
Source: Kyosho [kyosho.com]
The first Picco Cup Asia was held last weekend at the ACO track in Hong Kong with racing for both 1/10th & 1/8th on road. The event attracted over 170 drivers from all around Asia as well as 1/10th scale World Champion Daniele Ielasi, Alberto Picco and Patrick Schaefer from Europe. After 4 rounds of qualifying it was Meen Vejrak from Thailand that took the TQ in 1/10th scale, while in 1/8th scale it was Shepherd driver Ielasi that came out on top. After 45 minutes of intense final action Daniele took the win in 1/8th scale, finishing only 5 seconds ahead of fellow countryman Alberto Picco, with Team C driver Hung in 3rd. In 1/10th scale Meen Vejrak took his Xray to victory ahead of 2nd placed Serpent driver Ts Kai Leung, while the final podium step went to Hung Cheung Hang.
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The 2008 Borneo Cup for 1/8th scale off-road buggies & truggies took place recently in Malaysia. In the buggy class it was HongNor driver Sunny Wong that took the TQ spot setting a new lap record, but it was his VP Pro team mate and Losi driver Edy Susanto that took the win in the final with Sunny in 2nd and Mugen driver Daniel in 3rd. In the truggy class, Sunny was able to claim the win ahead of Nanda driver Lim Kok Beng in 2nd, while Hobao racer Wong Yoke Meng took 3rd.
Source: VP-Pro [vp-racing.com]
LRP are reporting on the 2008 Australian 1/10 Nitro On-Road Nationals were held at the Brendale track in Brisbane recently, host of the 2006 IFMAR World Championships. The race attracted over 120 drivers split into 1/10th Touring cars, 1/8th On road and Pullstart class and it was LRP team driver Peter Jovanovic who was setting the pace already from the first practice rounds through to the first qualifying rounds. With the last qualifier run in the late evening when the traction on the track increased significantly, he dropped to 2nd on the grid as Jesse Davis came through to take the TQ spot. After problem before the start of the final, that forced Peter to start from the pitlane, he was able to work his way into the lead by lap 20. From there on it was just a matter of getting the car through the finish line and with the softer LRP VTEC tyre going the distance without any changes or problems, Peter won the final by over a lap and a half to claim his 3rd National title in a row.
Source: LRP [lrp.cc]
The 1/8th scale Japanese Nationals tool place at the Mugen Seiki owned track in Chiba this weekend, thankfully under dry conditions. Qualifying saw Hot Bodies driver, and 2wd World Champion, Hayato Matsuzaki take pole position with 3 round wins from Mugen man Kenji Osaka in 2nd, both of whom took the 2 direct final placings while current World & Japanese Champion Atsushi Hara placed 3rd and had to race in the semis. The Semi Finals saw Hara easily win, with a time 26 seconds faster than the winner of the semi B, Kyosho driver Kazua Tanaka and both of these would line up in 3rd and 4th respectively in the final. The 1 hour long final saw Hara get to the front early where he controlled the pace keeping a safe distance to 2nd placed runner and team mate Matsuzaki with Osaka and Kawamoto spending the majority of the race in 3rd and 4th. Hara would take the win by 12 seconds from Matsuzaki in 2nd, while Kenji Osaka took 3rd a further 15 seconds back.
Source: Hot Bodies [hb-buggy.jugem.jp]
More 1/8th scale 2wd Classic news, this time from France which saw Gilles Garrigou wrap up the 2008 National title at the final race in Bourg en Bresse. Driving his DXF Primo throughout the year, Gilles had this to say:
I am very happy to have captured my first title after 24 years running in the same category. My thanks go to DXF competition for the super racing car they have created and also because they have offered me the new DXF Streto Vortex to run in the 2009 season. I also want to thank Kit models for their help all this year and especially Eric Lecour for his help at every race. And finally RB engines for supplying me with excellent product throughout the season.
The first Monte-Carlo Cup, of which hopes to become an annual event on the classic calendar was run recently on the La Turbie track in the hills above Monte-Carlo. Qualifying for the event saw an Italian domination with Simone Giordano taking the pole position with his Mantua Intrepid from Motonica driver Emanuele Oberto in 2nd and Nicola Ometto, driving another Mantua in 3rd. The start of the 60 minute final saw a good start at the front, but problems for pole man Giordano dropped him down the order. This allowed Ometto to break away at the front and he was able to pull out a commanding lead to win by 7 laps ahead of Simone Zanon in 2nd and Massimo Poldi in 3rd, all driving the Mantua, which in fact took the first 7 positions in the final.
Source: Automodellismo [automodellismo.net]
