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March 29, 2024

Sweep officially confirmed as ISTC Worlds spec tyre

South Korean tyre manufacturer Sweep has been officially confirmed as the controlled tyre for this year’s IFMAR 1:10 Electric Touring Car World Championships which takes place at Finishline RC Raceway in Bakersfield, California, in November. Details of the spec D-36R3PGS (Part number 3036217) tyre were published in the latest Stage Report from the organisers together with confirmation of Mighty Gripper Yellow V3 as the spec additive. Sweep’s D series compound was developed following a raw material shortage issue early last year with the new compound made from totally new materials which are more stable and have a more consistent supply. The D series compound provides much more consistent laptimes between first and second run and even third runs. There is also improved durability on sidewall meaning less issues on high speed straight aways. The D compound was supplied as the controlled tyre at the recent TITC in Thailand with it having zero issues with the super hot weather and very difficult track conditions, many of the top drivers complimenting its performance. Another improvement is the wheel from Sweep which has a better fit with D series tyres making for a better balance. The tyres contain EXP-S soft thick inserts for longer lifespan and consistency. The D-36R3PGS tyre will be supplied for the 1UP Racing West Coast Invitational race at Finishline RC Raceway at the beginning of May with reigning World Champion Bruno Coelho confirmed for Mike Reedy Memorial Invitational Class at the event.

Source: Sweep Racing [sweepracing.com]

March 29, 2024

IFMAR announce 1:8 Offroad Worlds return to Redovan

IFMAR has made the somewhat surprise decision that 2022 World Championship hosts Redovan in Spain will again host the 1:8 Offroad World Championship in 2024. With it a week since it was announced that originally selected hosts Brazil would be unable to run the event for the FAMAR Bloc, alternative host countries quickly surfaced keeping hopes alive of the Championships remaining in South America. Bolivia was quickest off the mark followed by Mexico and then former hosts Argentina. However on discussing the situation the IFMAR Board of Directors have made the somewhat controversial decision to revert to the previous host bloc EFRA, with the well known Baldo brother’s family owned track given the task of once again hosting the sport’s biggest race. Executing an excellent World Championship in 2022, where Davide Ongaro defended his title win from four years earlier in Australia, last year the track also hosted the European Championships for a second time. IFMAR’s own rules stipulate that a new acceptable host must be received from the Bloc within one month of notice of the originally selected venue no longer being in a position to host the race which was the case. With this in mind IFMAR’s decision is one that is sure to divide opinions and alienate the RC community in South America but it also raises questions about the process for selecting World Championship hosts going forward. In our opinion while the ultimate goal of any World Championship is to crown the best driver in the World it should also be an opportunity to showcase RC Racing in its best light to new audiences, something we believe is often missed or over looked.

Read full IFMAR announcement here

March 28, 2024

IFMAR ISTC World C/Ship Motor & Battery homologation

IFMAR has published details of its approval process for motor and battery manufacturers wishing for their products to be used at this 1:10 Electric Touring Car World Championships which will be hosted by Finishline RC Raceway in Bakersfield, California, in November. At last year’s IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championships in Arizona, a number of drivers were forced to switch motors and battery brands as their sponsor’s products while ROAR/EFRA approved had not completed the approval process with the World Federation. The most high profile case of this was 2WD World Champion elect Tater Sontag who while at the time sponsored by Fantom, had to use a motor from Hobbywing and batteries from Protek. Manufacturers with previous IFMAR approved batteries and motors do not need to re-apply for homologation once the product remains unchanged but with the Spec class moving to 17.5T this year all motors will need to go through the approval process. All applications must be made between March 25th and July 5th, 2024.

Source: IFMAR [Facebook]

March 27, 2024

McBride confirmed for Philippine Masters return

Fresh from his National Championship double title win over the weekend, Kyle McBride has been confirmed for making his return to the Philippine Masters in Manila next month. The Australian was a regular visitor to the event prior to Covid but missed the return of the event last year as he took a break from international competition in 2023. Now back on the international stage with Kyosho, having attending the opening round of the Asian Buggy Championship in New Zealand last month, the World Championship finalist is looking forward to the second round in the Philippines. The 12th running of what has become Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race, McBride said, “Super excited obviously, the Philippines track is one of the best in the world in my opinion. We’ve had the pleasure of going there quite a few times in the past. They are super nice people, Edward and all of his crew offer lots of hospitality and it’s always a world-class event. Obviously a lot of top drivers are going this year so it’s going to be one of the big ones. They always build super technical but fast and flowing layouts. We can’t wait.”

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

March 25, 2024

Balestri wins Ielasi Tuned International Cup

The 2024 edition of the annual Ielasi Tuned International Cup took place at Pista Leno in Italy over the weekend where it was Infinity’s Dario Balestri who took the 1:8 win ahead of Mugen Seiki’s Simon Kurzbuch and Capricorn’s Toni Gruber. In qualifying for the race put on by former World Champion Daniele Ielasi, it was 1:8 GT World Champion Gruber who took the opening qualifier ahead of Balestri but the reigning 1:8 Onroad World Champion go to the top in Q2 & 3 to secure the overall TQ from Gruber. With two P2 runs young Xray star Filippo Domanin secured P3 on the grid for the 45-minute final ahead of Kurzbuch with Thomas Lorenzi and last year’s winner Francesco Tironi completing the Top 6. Balestri lead away from the start but about half way into the race had issues with Gruber going to the front but then the German would have problems of his own. In the end some very quick pit work for a last minute fuel stop helped keep Balestri ahead of Kurzbuch, the pairing enjoying a great battle for the win as Gruber completed the podium just 3 seconds back after 194 laps of racing.

Image: Ielasi Tuned [Facebook]

March 24, 2024

Orlowki crowned ETS Champion

Michal Orlowski is the new ETS Champion, the Schumacher driver securing the Modified title for the first time with a dominant performance at the Season #16 finale in Austria. With the Polish driver’s busy onroad & offroad schedule meaning he would miss two of the six rounds in the current ETS season it meant every race counted and he delivered on that requirement by winning all four events he attended. In Vienna, he topped all four rounds of qualifying to secure the TQ ahead of Awesomatix pairing of Lucas Urbain and TITC Open Brushless Champion Simon Lauter. In the finals, Orlowski was again the class act with his Hobbywing powered prototype Schumacher winning A1 by 2.5 seconds and then sealing the deal in A2 by a 4-second margin. Winning A3 from Lauter, Urbain would secure second overall for Round 6 to take the runner-up spot in the standings ahead of team-mate Marc Rheinard, the multiple ETS Champion having a tough season finale and finishing P10. In Pro Stock, it was Lukas Ellebrock who took the Round 6 win but it would be Olivier Bultynck that took the title by a single point having finished Runner-up last season to Simon Lauter, the later making the impressive step up to the Modified class this season.

Image: ETS [Facebook]

March 24, 2024

SIGP victories for Coelho & Hamon

The SIGP International RC Car Grand Prix made a return over the weekend with dominant performances from Bruno Coelho in electric and Jeff Hamon in nitro seeing the two international visitors take the victories in China. Established as one of China’s biggest annual international races prior to Covid, defending 2019 Touring Car Champion Coelho was the class of the field with his Xray. Having taken all four qualifiers, from the TQ he secured the overall win with perfect drives in A1 & 2 with his efforts netting him 20,000 Chinese Yuan, approximately €2,500. While Coelho cruised to victory, Yokomo’s Nicolas Lee and the Xray of JJ Wang enjoyed a good battle for the runner up spot. In A1, Wang would get passed the Singapore driver but on used tyres he couldn’t hold the position. In A2, Wang took advantage of Lee being on used tyres and took second setting them up for an interesting A3 battle. With a minute to go in final A-Main a mistake by Wang dropped him to third allowing Chinese National Champion Ma Haoran passed for second behind winner Lee. Overall it was Lee who got second with Wang completing the podium on his return to international competition. In the 1:8 Onroad Nitro Final, Hamon’s Serpent was untouchable over the 45-minute final and the Australian netted himself an easy 20,000 Chinese Yuan. Despite a big crash at the start, Matrix Tires founder Cristian Boni recovered to finish second with fellow Italian Cristiano Sartor joining him on the podium in Xiamen.

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March 23, 2024

Coelho & Hamon Top Qualifiers at SIGP

Xray’s Bruno Coelho and Serpent’s Jeff Hamon are the Top Qualifiers at the SIGP in China but the second day of qualifying saw very different fortunes for the two drivers. Having topped the opening qualifier yesterday, defending SIGP Electric Touring Car Champion Coelho continued that form going fastest in the remaining three rounds for a clean sweep In Xiamen. In Q2, it was Chinese National Champion Ma Haoran also driving an Xray who was his closest challenger. Driving a prototype of Yokomo’s upcoming MS1.0, Nicolas Lee repeated his Q1 performance with another P2 in Q3. Having missed Q1 yesterday due to a fever, while still under the weather it was a much better day for JJ Wang with him wrapping up qualifying with the second fastest time in Q4. Overall that puts him P3 on the grid for the A-Main behind Lee and ahead of Haoran. With qualifying in 1:8 Nitro Onroad based on each driver’s single fastest time from the four rounds, Hamon’s Q1 pace was to prove important for the World Championship Finalist. After a morning rain shower, Hamon would top Q2 but in a slower time and then in Q3 & 4 he suffered one-way bearing failures that resulted in two DNFs. Hong Kong’s Ray Poon would top Q3 from Italy’s Cristiano Sartor with Wang third and he was again fastest in Q4, this time from Matrix Tires’ Cristian Boni. Overall the Q1 times of Boni and Sartor gave them 2nd and 3rd overall with Poon set to line-up P4 on tomorrow Main final grid.

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