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April 28, 2023

Batlle sets pace at Philippine Masters

Robert Batlle is the top seed for the Philippine Masters, the factory Mayako driver topping the single round of controlled practice from Davide Ongaro on the challenging Manila track. With Race Director Scotty Ernst making the call to reduce the counting consecutive laps from the traditional 3 to 2 given the challenge of putting together 3 clean laps, Batlle’s best effort was 1:57.225 compared to the 1:58.176 of the race’s former Champion Ongaro. Sworkz Micha Widmaier made it an all European Top 3 followed by local driver Daniel Miranda with Australian Jackson Beale completing the Top 5 from fellow countryman Jak Parsey.

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April 28, 2023

Philippine Masters – Track Focus

The Philippine Masters is back and is live in Manila today with a track best described as ‘challenging’. Located in the capital city, the very 3D looking track is the creation of top Philippines driver Edward Sio, one of the people behind the Philippine Masters since its inception in 2015. Having to move the track location a few hundred metres from its previous home, one of the stand out features of the move is the massive three story driver stand. With the new track built during Covid restrictions, the reason for the massive structure was to meet the then guidelines on the spacing of people so each floor was used as pit area to ensure everyone was spaced apart. Made from the same dirt of the original track, the build took 45-days. Building the track to how Edward wanted it and rolling it to a flat surface, they then dug up around a foot into the top layer to allow for the all important bonding of final race surface. Giving the 30 degree plus temperatures in Manila, just spraying the top layer would not last as the top layer would eventually break and reveal a dusty dry dirt. Instead they soaked the loose 1-foot deep top layer with a mixture of molasses and glue before rolling to the finish they wanted.

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April 26, 2023

Philippine Masters returns & kicks off all new Asian Buggy Championships

The excitement is building in Manila ahead of this weekend’s Philippine Masters which returns following a forced Covid break of more than 2-years. Asia’s premiere 1:8 Offroad race, a capacity entry will battle it out in both nitro Buggy and Truggy to become the latest champion of the established event. Adding to the excitement of the weekend is that the Philippine Masters will kick off the brand new Asian Buggy Championships that has been created by Scotty Ernst, a figure who was instrumental in helping take the Philippines Masters from a local race to one which has brought some of the worlds best drivers to the capital city. This year is no exception with back to back World Champion Davide Ongaro leading the entry for Team Associated. While the Italian will be here to embrace the country’s tagline, ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’, he is also here to win but will have to work for it as he will be joined by former World Champion Robert Batlle.

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April 24, 2023

Balestri wins EFRA GP

Dario Balestri took the 1:8 win at the EFRA GP race in Leno, Italy, over the weekend, the Infinity driver leading home the ARC of Silvio Hächler and Capricorn of Mirko Salemi. In qualifying, it was Balestri who took the TQ ahead of fellow World Champion Simon Kurzbuch with Francesco Tironi, Hächler and Toni Gruber making up the Top 5 places on the grid. In the 45-minute final it was Balestri who control the race taking victory from Hächler, a late mistake from team-mate Tironi ending the potential for an Infinity 1-2 finish. Having come through from the last chance final to secure P11 on the grid, Salemi came through to complete the podium.

Image: Dario Balestri [Facebook]

April 17, 2023

Hebert wins Mile High Indoor Champs

The Mile High Indoor Champs at 5280 Raceway in Colorado saw Keven Hebert take the win in Modified Touring after the title came down to a three way tie breaker at the end of the triple finals. In qualifying for the annual event which was first held in 2012, it was the Awesomatix of Kemp Anderson who took the overall TQ from Sam Isaacs with the fastest time in the fourth & final round of qualifying while Hebert’s Xray secured the third spot on the grid. In the finals, Isaacs took the win from Hebert with Anderson dropping to third. In A2 it was Hebert’s turn to get by the pole sitter winning from by 1-second. In the final encounter Anderson would get the win but with each driver also having a P2 it all came down to combined times with ROAR Champion Hebert getting the overall win by less than a second from Isaacs with Anderson completing the podium.

Image: Keven Hebert [Facebook]

April 16, 2023

Title No.8 for Hagberg at 1:12 European C/ship

Alexander Hagberg is an eight time 1:12 European Champion, the Xray driver claiming his latest EFRA title and matching David Spashett’s record today in the England at the 40th running of the championships. Securing the overall TQ, the Swede took the overall title after 2 of the 3 A-Main legs winning both encounters ahead of outgoing Champion Michal Orlowki who qualified third on the grid. Winning A3 from from his Schumacher team-mate Orlowski, Britain’s Ollie Payne would finish 2nd overall with Orlowski completing the podium in Eastbourne. Reigning World Champion Marc Rheinard took his Awesomatix to fourth overall with the Top 5 rounded by the Xray of fellow German Jan Ratheisky. In the Stock class Orlowski would successful defend his title. The 13th edition of the Stock title, the Pole also got it done in A2 with Payne and Louis Parker third for an all Schumacher podium.

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April 15, 2023

Hagberg Top Qualifier at 1:12 European Championship

Alexander Hagberg is the Top Qualifier at the 2023 EFRA 1:12 European Championship. The Xray driver, who is chasing his 8th European title in the Modified class, secured top spot for the triple finals by topping 3 of the 6 rounds of qualifying in Eastbourne, England. With three drivers going into the final round vying for pole position, the former World Champion took the deciding round with his Hobbywing powered X12 from reigning Champion Michal Orlowski and current World Champion Marc Rheinard. Overall having TQ’d Round 1 & 5, Schumacher’s Ollie Payne will start second followed by team-mate Orlowski with the Awesomatix of Rheinard lining up in P4. In the Stock class, Orlowski will defend his title from the TQ having topped the opening four qualifiers with fastest times in the final two rounds securing Payne 2nd with Louis Parker making it an all Eclipse 5 top 3. Awesomatix’s Mark Stiles will start fourth.

Image: Xray [Facebook]

April 11, 2023

Miedema wins International Dutch F1 Masters

Jitse Miedema has won the International Dutch F1 Masters, the Infinity driver becoming the champion of the annual event for a fourth time. Previously held at the ISTC World Championship hosting MACH track, the 2023 edition of IDFM would take competitors to the RC Hotwheels Deventer, where Miedema immediately made his intentions clear in practice. In qualifying the Dutchman who secure the overall TQ from the Xray of Britain’s Luke Lee, Miedema topping 3 of the five rounds compared to Lee’s two fastest times. Bram Lagerwey, driving an Infinity completed the Top 3 on the grid. Triple 10-minute finals, A1 saw Miedema win by 3-seconds from Lagerwey who found away passed Lee who struggled in the finals with either with a lack of rear grip or steering. The result was repeated in A2 and 3 for Miedema to lead an Infinity 1-2 from Lagerwey with Lee completing the podium ahead of the Schumacher of Michael Lee and another of the British visitors James Greener.

Image: Luke Lee [Facebook]