Red RC » International

July 9, 2024

1:10 Nitro Touring Worlds in Costa Rica – CANCELLED

The IFMAR 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship which was due to be staged in Costa Rica in November has been cancelled. In the last few hours FAMAR informed the World governing body, IFMAR, that due to issues surrounding noise from the track effecting local residences that the government will not permit the running of the event. Red RC was aware of the noise issues but was informed that host club ADDAP had planned to build a sound barrier wall after concerns were raised about the high noise levels for the duration of the Worlds. IFMAR is now scrambling to seek an alternative host so the 10th running of the Worlds for the category can hopefully still go ahead this year. As the last host of the 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship in Thailand in 2022, the FEMCA Blok has been offered the opportunity to host it again but with the date only 5-months out this could be a challenging time frame for any tracks interested. It has been a very challenging 2024 for IFMAR, first with the 1:8 Offroad Worlds in Brazil being cancelled before being moving to Spain and then last week the Large Scale Worlds in Australia was cancelled.

View IFMAR statement on cancellation here

July 8, 2024

Xpress team confirmed for eSIC

Having announced last month that inaugural Electric Singapore International Challenge Champion Ronald Volker is to return to the RCMC race track to defend the title, the organisers have now confirmed Xpress is to send its factory team to this year’s event. Taking place on 14-15th September, one week before the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, 1:12 World Championship podium finisher Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu and former Snowbirds Champion Yugo Nagashima will attend the event for the first time. Reacting to the teams confirmed entry, co-organiser of the event and Singapore’s top international driver Nicolas Lee said, “We would like to warmly welcome top Japanese drivers, Yugo and Yoshi, to attend this year’s edition of eSIC race later in September. The Japanese duo represent Xpress team and will be aiming to mount a strong challenge for the win with their latest touring car.” The aim of eSIC to bring back racing in style in Singapore with the creation of one big exciting weekend for the onroad racer with the first edition last September successful setting the stage for the annual event to grow.

Source: eSIC [Facebook]

July 5, 2024

IFMAR Large Scale World Championship – CANCELLED

IFMAR has just announced that the Large Scale World Championship scheduled for October in Sydney, Australia, has been cancelled. The unanimous joint decision was made between IFMAR, FEMCA, EFRA and RCRA due to lack of entries for the race. The cancellation of what would have been the 12th Worlds for the category, marks the first time in the history of IFMAR that a World Championship has been cancelled due to low numbers, only 9 driving committing to the race. Having dealt with NSWRCRCC last year on their excellent running of the 1:8 GT World Championship which Red RC attended, and having followed closely their efforts to try to put on a successful Large Scale Worlds it is a disappointing outcome for all involved. In the announcement on Facebook IFMAR stated, ‘It is with disappointment that for the first time in IFMAR history we are forced to cancel an event due to lack of competitors. The 2024 1/5th Scale IFMAR Worlds in Sydney will not be proceeding. With just over 3 months to go we only have the formal commitment of 9 drivers to attend the race, with such low numbers of drivers it is not viable nor responsible to commit to run a World Championship. This was a joint, unanimous decision, between IFMAR, FEMCA, EFRA, RCRA (who the committed racers represented) and the organizing club NSWRCRCC. With 3 months until the event, yes there may have been last minute entries, however, even with the number of racers at double or triple it is still not enough for a viable event and it is not responsible or fair to allow the organizing club to take on such risk. IFMAR and the BLOCS will discuss the further running of Large Scale events in the future and try to find a solution. The Host Club is still committed to running an event within the same date schedule as the cancelled World Championship and are working with FEMCA for an alternative event. We encourage all large scale racers to look out for these details and support the club if you are able to.’

Source: IFMAR [Facebook]

July 4, 2024

2024 FIRC – 2nd Edition Announcement

After a hugely successful inaugural running of the Foshan International Invitational RC Championship last December, hosts GDC Indoor Race Club in Guangdong, China, has confirmed the date for the 2024 edition. Confirming the 2nd edition will run on December 5-8, a week earlier than last year, the FIRC Championship was created with the goal of providing local racers with an opportunity to see some of the best drivers in the world in action while also getting to race against them. The inaugural event did exactly that with Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker coming away as the winner ahead of China’s Vening Zhuo and Japan’s Yugo Nagashima. Opened in May of 2023, GDC Indoor track is 800 square metres making it the largest professional indoor onroad track in China. Also housing an offroad carpet track, later this month it will also host the FEMCA 1:10 Offroad Championship, the governing body of RC racing that represents 15 nations in Asia and Australasia bringing back the category title after the race’s absence for a number of years.

Source: GDC Indoor Race Club

July 3, 2024

2025 Charity Race – Announcement

Having raised thousands of euros for local charities since its inception, the organisers of the annual Charity Race in Italy has announced a new earlier date for the 2025 edition of the popular Electric Touring Car event. Organised each year by ASD Team La Gang, the Charity Race will take place on January 11/12 at the RC Landia indoor carpet track in Scandiano. Having clashed with the legendary TITC in Bangkok, Thailand, this year, the earlier running of the 2025 edition should boost the number of factory drivers in attendance. Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski has won the past two editions of the race which over the years since beginning in 2010 counts reigning World Champion Bruno Coelho and former Champions Marc Rheinard, Ronald Volker and Alexander Hagberg among its winners. The club are always keen to highlight the main goal of the race stating, ‘Remember, this race is all about giving back! All proceeds will be donated to support children in need. Join us for a fun-filled weekend of racing while making a positive impact on the lives of these youngsters.’

Source: Team La Gang [teamlagang.it]

July 2, 2024

Epp joins 1up Racing as new Lead Designer

US racing accessories brand 1up Racing has announced the hiring of Eric Epp as their new Lead Designer & Brand Manager. In this role, Epp will spearhead all aspects of product development, graphic design, and brand management, focusing on elevating the performance and visual identity of 1up Racing’s proprietary products. Having dealt for many year’s with Epp during the heyday of Protoform bodies, Red RC is excited to see him joining Randy Caster’s 1up Racing, a company we have enjoyed seeing Caster start and grow into the success it is today. On the announcement Caster said, “We are thrilled to add Eric to our team. His exceptional talent and proven leadership in product development and brand management will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our company. Eric has been a supporter of our brand since the very beginning, and I know that his passion for innovation, style and commitment to excellence align perfectly with 1up Racing’s mission to deliver world-class products to our customers.” On his move to 1up Racing Epp said, “I can’t wait to get started!,” Eric said about the new position. “I’ve watched Randy grow this brand from simply selling battery tape and grease into the ultra-cool, wide-reaching, attractive RC brand and media company that it is today. Getting to work with both Randy and Joe Pillars to grow the 1up brand is super exciting. The sky’s the limit for 1up Racing with this group of talent.”

Source: 1up Racing [1upracing.com]

June 30, 2024

Orlowski wins European C/ship Warm-up Race

The Warm-up Race for this year’s EFRA Electric Touring Car European Championships took place over the weekend with Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski taking the win ahead of reigning Champion Bruno Coelho. Racing at the Roeselare track in Belgium, which hosts the 23rd running of the European Championships for the category on August 23-25, it was the very much on-form Orlowski who secured the TQ on tiebreaker as he and Coelho had two fastest runs each over the four qualifiers. Marc Rheinard would complete the Top 3 for Awesomatix ahead of the Mugen Seiki of the championship’s most successful driver 6-time Champion Ronald Volker. In the finals, Orlowski took the first A-Main from Coelho but in A2 it was the Portuguese Xray driver, who will chase a record breaking four titles in a row, that took the win from Orlowski who has yet to hold the title. In A3 however Orlowski got the win for the overall victory ahead of Coelho with the Awesomatix of 5th place qualifier Lucas Urbain completing the Top with Yokomo’s Antoine Brunet missing the podium on tie break. In Stock, top Belgian driver & 2022 Champion Olivier Bultynck had the perfect weekend taking the TQ and victory for Awesomatix over team-mate Lukas Ellerbrock.

Image: Michal Orlowski [Facebook]

June 25, 2024

Volker to defend inaugural eSIC title

Having won last year’s inaugural Electric Singapore International Challenge, Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker is to return to the RCMC race track to defend his title. A sell out race last year, Volker beat Yokomo’s Nicholas Lee who as the country’s top international driver is one of the main organisers behind the eSIC race thats goal is to bring back racing in Singapore in style with the creation of one big exciting weekend for the on-road racers. Taking place on 14-15th September, one week before the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, Volker’s return makes him the third World Champion confirmed for the second edition of eSIC with Infinity’s Jilles Groskamp and Andy Moore already announced as part of the international entry that will travel to Singapore.

Source: eSIC [Facebook]