Red RC » International

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]

June 24, 2024

Balestri European Champion with dominant 200mm win

17-years on from when he last held the title, Dario Balestri is once again the EFRA European 1:10 Nitro Touring Car European Champion after a dominant win in France over the weekend. Having secured the TQ ahead of Infinity team-mate Jilles Groskamp at the Le Model Club Thionvillois track, the Italian would win the 45-minute final from the Dutch driver by over a lap. With Balestri’s main challenge in the final coming from the Capricorn of the defending Champion Toni Gruber, the only glitch in the race for Balestri came with just under 10-minutes left on the clock when he had a moment and his car put all four wheels on the grass. 9-seconds up on Gruber at the time, the German couldn’t capitalise because at the same time he would flip his car and on low fuel with a scheduled fuel stop just 2-laps out he suffered a flame out. Rejoining in fourth behind Carmine Raiola, he would recover and get back passed the Italian Champion to complete the podium behind Groskamp as Balestri took the title for a third time making him the most successful champion of the category.

Image: EFRA [Facebook]

June 21, 2024

Balestri Top Qualifier at 1:10 200mm European C/Ship

Dario Balestri is the Top Qualifier for the 2024 EFRA 1:10 Nitro Touring Car European Championship, the Italian heading an Infinity 1-2 in France from team-mate Jilles Groskamp. Racing at the Le Model’Club Thionvillois in northern France, where rain has effected the action, Balestri topped the opening three qualifiers to secure pole position for Saturday’s title race which is the 18th running of the championship. A former double champion of the category, reigning 1:8 Onroad World Champion Balestri last held the 1:10 European title in 2007 having successful defended his 2006 win. Fastest in Q4 & 5, Groskamp will start second ahead of the Capricorn of defending Champion Toni Gruber. Enjoying a very strong season in his National 1:8 Onroad Championship with wins at the first three rounds, British driver Alex Thurston locked in the final direct qualifying spot in the Main taking his Mugen Seiki to P4. Top French nitro onroad racer Quentin Leroux just missed the cut ending qualifying P5 despite being second fastest in Q5 and he will have to progress from the Semi Finals.

Image: EFRA [Facebook]

June 17, 2024

Tironi & Johansson winners at Oslo Open Nitro Race

Infinity pairing Francesco Tironi and Alexander Johansson claimed the wins at the 2024 Oslo Open Nitro Race held at the impressive Hverven Raceway located south of the Norwegian Capital over the weekend. Organised by the Oslo Modellbilklubb, the race attracted a strong international entry and after 4 rounds of qualifying it was Italian Tironi who secured the overall 1:8 TQ honors from Finland’s Teemu Leino, the team-mates recording two TQ runs each. The Serpent of Italian Jonathan Gandin completed the Top 3 ahead of the ARC of Swiss driver Silvio Hachler and Capricorn of Germany’s Thilo Diekmann. In the rain delayed half hour final, Tironi would lead from start to finish, setting the fastest lap of the race to finish almost a lap up on Hachler . With Leino an early retirement Fabian Vernersson completed the podium. In 1:10, it was Viktor Wilck who secured the TQ from Norway’s Tom Erik Haaversen with Johansson P3. A problem for Wlck at the start allowed Haaversen to lead early but it was Johansson who took the win as Haaversen hit issues. Second would got to øyvind Stusdal with Wilck recovering to complete the podium.

Image: Francesco Tironi [Facebook]

June 10, 2024

Pavidis back for Brisbane round of Asian Buggy C/ships

After a successful debut in the Asian Buggy Championships at the Philippine Masters back in April, Sparko team driver Ryan Pavidis is to return for the third round in Brisbane, Australia, next month. Pavidis claimed a podium at Round 2 in Manila in only his second ever international race with the 22-year-old finishing second in between reigning World Champion Davide Ongaro and former World Champion Atsushi Hara. Commenting on his entry confirmation for the penultimate round of the Scotty Ernst promoted 4 round Championship at Pine Hills Dirt Racing on July 11-14, the American said, “I’m looking forward to touching down in Brisbane and getting up to speed on the masterpiece of a track Zac (Ryan) and the PHDR crew have built for us. Round 2 of the ABC in Manila was arguably the best event I’ve attended and I have no doubt this will be right up there as well.”

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

June 9, 2024

Ongaro regains 1:8 eBuggy European title

Team Associated’s Davide Ongaro has regained the title he last held in 2019 with victory today in France at the EFRA 1:8 Electric Buggy European Championship. The Nitro Buggy World Champion took the TQ at the home to the Montpellier GP and from the front was the class of the field in the triple A-Main title deciders. Leading away the 13-buggy grid ahead of Tekno’s João Figueiredo it would be the Sworks of current 1:8 Nitro Buggy European Champion Juan Carlos Canas would be the Italian’s closest challenger but Ongaro was never under any serious threat. Wrapping up the title in A2 this allowing Ongaro to sit out A3 which was duly won by Canas to secure the runner-up spot. Qualifying P6, Xray’s Bruno Coelho would have a good A3 taking P2 to secure the final step on the podium ahead of team-mate French teenager Noha Ben Mohamed. Fifth would go to Mugen Seiki’s Berkan Kilic with Figueiredo rounding out the Top 6.

Image: EFRA [Facebook]