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September 12, 2017

Matsukura top seed at 1:8 World Championships

Not a name instantly associated with 1:8 Onroad racing, Infinity driver Naoto Matsukura has topped seeding on his debut in the sport’s original World Championship. The reigning 1:12 World Champion capped off an impressive day of controlled practice to top the times for a second time as he set the fastest time of the day in CP4 ahead of reigning World Champion Simon Kurzbuch. Fastest in CP2, the P2 in the fourth and final practice will see Kurzbuch seeded number 2 for qualifying tomorrow. Putting in a surprise fastest time in the opening controlled practice, Jesse Davis would secure 3rd overall in the seeding ahead of Bruno Coelho and Syoki Takahata. Davis will be joined in the top heat by fellow Aussie Jeff Hamon who the made most of the cooler night time conditions to set an even more surprising third fastest time ahead of Carmine Raiola, the Italian completing the overall Top 6 seeding ranking.

Continue reading this report here or view our complete event coverage here.

September 12, 2017

WRC Racing sign Marc Fischer

Italian company WRC have announced the signing of Germany’s Marc Fischer to their team. The German on-road frontrunner will use the company’s STX touring car in his campaign that will include national and international events.

Source: WRC [wrc-racing.com]

September 12, 2017

Matsukura goes fastest in France

Naoto Matsukura has just gone fastest at the 1:8 Onroad World Championships in Monteux, France. The Infinity driver hasn’t run outside the Top 3 and finally went top of the timing sheets in the penultimate round of controlled practice becoming the third different driver to do so in as many rounds. Behind the multiple electric onroad World Champion, fellow Japanese driver Syoki Takahata posted the second fastest time coming good on the form he showed in free practice yesterday. It would be a strong round for Xray with Bruno Coelho setting the 3rd quickest time and being joined by team-mate Alessio Mazzeo, the Italian finding a lot of time to post the 4th fastest time. It was also a good round for reigning 1:10 World Champion Dominic Greiner as he took his Serpent to the 6th fastest time ahead of the reigning 1:8 Champion Simon Kurzbuch.

Continue reading this report here or view our complete event coverage here.

September 12, 2017

Kurzbuch comes good to top CP2

Reigning World Champion Simon Kurzbuch has hit the top of the time sheets for the first time in France as he set the pace in the second round of controlled practice. Starting Day 3 of the 21st running of the 1:8 Onroad World Championship with a confidence boosting time in the final free practice that left him P2 behind Dario Balestri, the Shepherd driver after struggling with windy conditions in CP1 adjusted his car perfectly for CP2 to set the fastest 3-consecutive laps of the afternoon run. Behind him it was his new for 2017 rival Bruno Coelho who was second fastest, the Xray driver also making improvements to his car after struggling in the the opening controlled practice. The first time an Infinity hasn’t filled the top spot on the time sheets, it was Naoto Matsukura who was their quickest driver setting the third fastest time despite crashing out of the 7-minute run. For free practice pace setter Dario Balestri a rear drive shaft failure in the warm-up would prevent him from taking the start of CP2, the Italian saying the drive shaft was due to for changing after the run.

Continue reading this report here or view our complete event coverage here.

September 12, 2017

Davis fastest in opening controlled practice

Jesse Davis has set the fastest time in the opening round of controlled practice at the 1:8 Onroad World championships in France. The Infinity driver set the fastest 3-consecutive laps in difficult windy conditions ahead of team-mate Naoto Matsukura. Continuing to be the main challenger to the Infinity team reigning champion Simon Kurzbuch would take his Shepherd to the third fastest time ahead of free practice pace setter Dario Balestri. Two improvements for the round would be Francesco Tironi and Robert Pietsch who having been seeded in the second fastest group based on free practice times set the 5th & 6th times respectively.

Continue reading this report here or view our complete event coverage here.

September 11, 2017

Balestri leads strong Infinity practice showing at Worlds

After 2 days of practice it is Dario Balestri who is fastest at the 1:8 Onroad World Championships in France. The Italian led a 1,2,3 for Infinity setting the fastest 3-consecutive laps around the RC Circuit Jean Nougier track which drivers have unanimously described as difficult. With Balestri’s fastest time posted in yesterday’s fifth & final run, the main improvement of today came from reigning champion Simon Kurzbuch who would manage to break up the Infinity domination, them having held the Top 7 times for most of the day. Despite engine issues in the 9th round of free practice he would end his curtailed run with 3-laps that where good enough to put his Shepherd driver fourth fastest. The only other non Infinity drivers in the Top 10 would be new Mugen signing Syoki Takahata in 7th and Bruno Coelho who took his Xray to 9th.

Continue reading this report here or view our complete event coverage here.

September 11, 2017

Asia Onroad Championships Rd4 – Report

Round 4 of the Asia Onroad Championships were held at the GRC Raceway in South Korea. A true world-class facility greeted the drivers that gathered from all around the world to compete. In the opening Modified Touring A-main and out to the early lead was Akio Sobue with teammate Marc Rheinard following closely. In the 3rd position was E. C. Kim patiently waiting for the leaders to make a mistake and take advantage. The leaders would get by lapped traffic cleanly, Kim wouldn’t be so lucky. Akio and Marc would battle all the way until the end with only two tenths of a second separating them. E. C. Kim would finish 3rd.

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September 8, 2017

IFMAR 1/8th Nitro Onroad World Champs 2017 – Preview

The 1/8th Nitro Onroad World Championships has a certain special feel to it. As the oldest class in RC racing, the ‘formula one’ of our sport is a highly competitive class and the coveted title will be awarded for the twenty first time next week. After a slight lull in nitro on-road racing, the last few years have featured some exciting and close competition, with an interesting mix of drivers and manufacturers really bringing the class to life once again. I’ve had the opportunity to watch most of the teams throughout the last couple of years from my enviable position of overseeing the ENS championship, and that’s the experience I’ve drawn on to review the contenders and challengers for this year’s World title.

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