Red RC » International

February 27, 2023

Wahl wins Open Brushless at TITC

He has been more involved in the background lately acting as mechanic for multiple World Champion Marc Rheinard, but over the weekend Tim Wahl added a significant title to his own CV with victory of Open Brushless class at the TITC in Bangkok. The biggest category at the legendary Touring Car race with 118 entries, the German took his ORCA OE1 WLE powered Awesomatix A800R to a dominant victory. Securing the TQ early on his way to topping all four qualifier at the Infinity RC Addict track, Wahl won the opening two A-Mains comfortably from fourth place qualifier Natthawat Rungcharat. With Wahl sitting out A3 that went to no.2 qualifier Kriengsak Suttiprawat to give them second place on the podium ahead of Rungcharat.

Image: ORCA [orcarc.com]

February 27, 2023

Maifield defends Dirt Nitro Challenge Buggy title

Ryan Maifield has taken the big win at the Dirt Nitro Challenge, the Tekno driver winning a thrilling 1:8 Nitro Buggy final to defend his title from TLR’s Dakotah Phend. The 24th running of World renowned track builder Joey Christensen’s signature event, the race in Perris California started on one track but switched to a hastily prepared smaller covered track as rain arrived replacing the SoCal sunshine. In qualifying it was Phend who had the pace topping both qualifiers, his opening round the faster time. Second fastest in Q1 it was HB Racing’s Cole Ogden who would line-up directly behind Phend for the 45-minute final followed by Xray’s Ty Tessmann and Maifield, his best run being a P3 in the second qualifier. With the running order Phend from Maifield for most of the race, things turned just inside 10-minutes to go with a bad lap from Phend allowing Maifield to the front. Despite Phend’s best efforts, it was going to be yet another DNC title for Maifield as they took the finish separated by just 1.6-seconds. Tessmann would complete the Buggy podium having won the previous day’s Nitro Truggy Final from Phend and Maifield. Phend would a the win in eBuggy with victory over Juan Carlos Canas and Mason Fuller.

Image: Ty Tessmann [Facebook]

February 25, 2023

Coelho is Top Qualifier on TITC Return

Making his return to the TITC having missed the last edition of the race in 2020, after which the race itself was forced into a 2-year Covid break, Bruno Coelho is the Top Qualifier for the 19th edition of the famed Bangkok race. The Xray driver held the provisional TQ after the first day of qualifying at Infinity RC Addict, but went even better on Day 2 taking both the remaining rounds of qualifying. Behind the reigning World Champion, with the second fastest times in both Q3 & 4 having TQ’d the opening round, Axon’s Akio Sobue will start his TITC title defence from P2. With a strong Japanese showing at the event, Ishioka Hayato will start third behind his team-mate while Yamamoto Ryosuke led the Infinity charge securing P4 on the grid. Double TITC Champion Alexander Hagberg lines up 5th for Xray ahead of Marc Rheinard’s Awesomatix with the A-Main line-up completed by Naoto Matsukura, Jin Sawada, Jilles Groskamp and Chavit Sligupta. Unfortunately for RC Maker’s Ryan Maker just missed the cut, equalling his previous TITC qualifying best with the BQ honours.

Image: Xray [Facebook]

February 24, 2023

Coelho holds provisional TQ at TITC

Bruno Coelho holds the provisional TQ after day 1 of qualifying at the TITC in Thailand. The reigning World Champion opened the morning’s qualifying at the Infinity RC Addict track with the third fastest time while top seed Akio Sobue continued to be the pace setter for Axon ahead of team-mate Ishioka Hayato. However in Q2, the former Champion took his Xray to the top of the times bettering Sobue’s Q1 time by almost a second with a 5-minute run that was over 3.3-seconds faster than own first attempt. With 2 from 4 rounds of qualifying to count, tomorrow’s action in a very hot Bangkok with conclude with Q3 & 4 for Modified running in the afternoon into evening.

Image: Xray [Facebook]

February 23, 2023

Defending Champion Sobue is Top Seed at TITC

Defending TITC Champion and 2022 World Championship podium finisher Akio Sobue is the top seed going into qualifying at the legendary Bangkok touring car event. One of the World’s most significant international touring car races outside of the World Championships, this is the 19th running of the TITC which returns after a forced two year break during the Covid Pandemic. After days of free practice for the strong international field to dial themselves into the unique traction of the Infinity RC Addict track, it was two time Champion Sobue who set the fastest 3-consecutive laps in the single controlled practice. Behind, Axon team-mate and 2022 Worlds Finalist Ishioka Hayato was second fastest ahead of the Awesomatix of Marc Rheinard and returning former TITC Champion Bruno Coelho, the Xray driver having last contested the event in 2019. Winner that year, Alexander Hagberg completed the Top 5 as the drivers now face into 2 rounds of qualifying tomorrow (Friday) with Rounds 3 :& 4 scheduled for Saturday.

Image: Axon [Facebook]

February 20, 2023

Tessman wins Hotrace Grand Prix

With the biggest names in 1:8 Offroad gathering in the US for this week’s 24th running of the iconic Dirt Nitro Challenge, Ty Tessman took a nice pre event race victory at the Hotrace Grand Prix over the weekend at Channel Islands Raceway in California. In qualifying it was factory Tekno driver Marco Baruffolo who was the Top Qualifier, the Italian fastest from Tessman’s Xray and Mayako’s Jared Tebo. Winning their respective Semi Finals, Tessmann winning from Robert Batlle while Baruffolo won his 20-minute encounter from HB Racing’s Ryan Pavidis, it was the Canadian who had the fastest winning time to secure pole for the final. Over the 30-minutes, Tessmann would lead for all but a couple laps early on, and despite Baruffolo having the fastest lap, would win by a 20-seconds margin. Batlle completed the podium for Mayako while team-mate Tebo moved up from 6th on the grid to finish fourth ahead of Pavidis.

Image: Hot Race Tyres [Facebook]

February 16, 2023

MIBO International Race onroad track layout

The organisers of next month’s brand new MIBO International Race in the Czech Republic has released the track layout on which the titles of inaugural Champions will be decided over the two and half day event that runs from March 3-5th. Featuring a 30 metre long straight, the track is 19 metres deep and is the creation of touring car racer Enrico Jung with input from man behind this event Michal Bok. A follow on from the very popular pre-pandemic Mibosport Cup held at the Sports V Hotel venue in Hrotovice, the first running of the MIBO International Race has already attracted an entry of more than 200 that includes star international drivers such as Mugen’s Ronald Volker, Yokomo’s Christopher Krapp and Xray’s Bruno Coelho.

See top view of onroad track layout here

February 14, 2023

Butterfield wins Florida Winter Nats

Reigning ROAR Fuel Onroad National Champion Bryce Butterfield took victory at the 47th Annual Florida Winter Nats. Securing the overall 1:10 TQ after five rounds of qualifying at Nuggets Ranch RC Raceway, the factory Serpent driver would take his 750 EVO to a comfortable win in the 30-minute Main Final over the Xray of Franco Desiderio and the Infinity of Jerry Guerra. With this year’s edition of race attracting over a 100 entries, in 1:8 Pro Diego Morganti, son of former US Onroad Nitro ace Paolo, took the TQ but his final was short lived ending after just 2-laps. The No.2 qualifier Ralph Birch would also hit trouble early on, the former 1:10 World Champion retiring after only 8 laps. Following his 1:10 victory, it wasn’t to be a double for Butterfield as he too retired half way through the 45-minute Main. In the end it was Eric Dennett who took the win by 6.6 seconds from Joachim Bruneaunnett with Rafael Angulo completing the podium. In 1:8 GT, Jose Almonte took the win for Serpent ahead of the IGT8 of Morganti with Carlie Lopez completing te Top 3 at the end of the half hour encounter.

Image: Bryce Butterfield [Facebook]