Red RC » National

March 26, 2024

Payne wins season finale, Harper takes RugRacers Series

The fifth & final round of the Hertford Radio Car Club run RugRacers Series saw Schumacher’s Ollie Payne take the win but it was team-mate Elliot Harper who took the overall 23/24 Series title. While four drivers had a chance at the title going into the season finale, other commitments meant winner of the previous round Alex Thurston, Harper and Hayley Eldridge where absent, the latter competing at the ETS in Vienna where she was making history in becoming the first ever female to make the Modified A-Main. In qualifying Payne took the top spot, 4-seconds ahead of the returning Olly Jeffries with Matthieu Dambrine securing 3^rd position on the grid. The first final saw a commanding win from Payne where he would pull away, managing the gap for the rest of the run to take a comfortable 3-second win over the Awesomatix of 16-time BRCA Champion Jefferies. A2 began with Jeffries chasing Payne and looking for an opportunity to get by but the Top Qualifier would stay out front to win the round and secure himself runner-up spot in the championship while her efforts over the previous rounds secured Eldridge third in the final standings.

Source: RugRacers [Facebook]

March 25, 2024

Toia doubles at New Zealand Offroad EP Nationals

Team Yokomo’s Logan Toia completed the double at New Zealand’s Offroad EP Nationals, the 16-year-old securing the 2WD Buggy title for the first time and successfully defending his 4WD championship. Hosted by the Taranaki Radio Control Car Club in New Plymouth, this year’s Nationals attracted 65 drivers for a total of 190 entries. In qualifying, it was three rounds per class to the best two deciding the grids with 2WD producing TQ runs from three different drivers. Kasey Dawson took the opener with Shane O’Connor topping Q2 before Toia TQ’d the third one and that was how the lined up for the final with Dawon the Top Qualifier. In 4WD Luke Duthie topped Q2 & 3 for the TQ from Toia who was fastest in the first round. The 2WD finals were a similar story to qualifying with a different winner in each of the triple mains and it coming down to a tie breaker between O’Connor, winner of A1, and Toia, winner of A3, the latter’s faster time giving him the title. Winning A2, Dawson completed the podium. In 4WD, Toia retained his title by winning A1 & 3, with Duthie winner of A2 finishing runner-up while fourth place qualifier Dawson completed the podium ahead of O’Connor.

Image: Logan Toia Racing [Facebook]

March 25, 2024

Lemieux & Champlin winners at JConcepts Spring INS

Xray’s Chase Lemieux and Schumacher’s Broc Champlin came out the main winners at the JConcepts Spring Indoor Nationals hosted by RC ONE Racing in Michigan. The second stop on the 2024 INS calendar, Spencer Rivkin having completed the double at the 14th season opener at Trackside Hobbies last month, in 2WD Buggy it was Champlin who secured the TQ ahead of Aydin Horne who opened the three rounds of qualifying with a TQ run before Champlin went fastest in Q2 & 3. Qualifying for 4WD would see TLR’s Dakotah Phend claim the TQ with Horne again lining-up second with Champlin P3. Starting the 2WD finals from P3, Lemieux took A1 from Champlin with that order reversed in A2 meaning it was all to play for in the third encounter. While Champlin made an early break from the chasing pack, Lemieux was chasing him down until he collected a lapped car and while he continued he would retire shortly after, the race now Champlin’s for the taking but it wasn’t to be. With Horne jumping out of lane and head on into the path of Champlin, it would take a corner off his car, handing Tom Rinderknecht the A3 win and the overall victory to Lemieux on tie-break. In 4WD, Champlin would get the overall win taking the opening two A-Mains to wrap things up early with the podium being completed by Phend and Horne.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]

March 24, 2024

McBride adds another Australian National title

Kyosho’s multiple Australian 1:8 Offroad Champion Kyle McBride added to his tally with a double victory at the 2024 RCRA Nationals which was hosted by the Southern Districts Model Car Club at its track in Adelaide. In qualifying, Nitro Buggy would see the World Championship finalist top 5 of the 6 rounds to secure the overall TQ from the reigning Champion Alex Benadzik, the Team Associated driver having topped Q5 ahead of McBride. In eBuggy qualifying it was a similar story only this time Benadzik managed two TQ run as McBride secured the TQ. While able to convert his eBuggy TQ into a relatively straight forward title win ahead of Benadzik despite issues in A2, with Tekno’s Caleb Noble completing the podium, in Nitro Buggy it was a very different story. While leading his Semi final, McBride would have a random flame out that was followed by a few more that dropped him right to the back of the field. Turning out to be a glow plug issue he would finish 15th putting him P9 in the Last Chance Qualifier race. With only the winner progressing, he managed to work his way to the front to win the 10-minute encounter from Ben Panic to go to the back of the grid for 1-hour final. He wouldn’t take long for McBride to get into the hunt and with Benadzik hitting issues that would see him retire early, he took a lead he would hold to the finish for yet another National title. Behind, second place starter 17-year-old Christian Wolhunter took his Sworkz to second with Zac Foster completing the podium.

Image: Kyle McBride [Facebook]

March 18, 2024

Harper takes Essex Winter Series title

Elliot Harper is the new Essex Winter Series Champion, the Schumacher driver taking the title in fashion with TQ & victory at the fifth and final round. Going into the season finale with two wins to his credit, Harper would open the title decider by taking the overall TQ with two TQ runs. Behind him on the grid having topped the other two qualifiers would be Alex Thurston, winner of last season’s final round, who since Round 4 has made the switch from Yokomo to Mugen. The Xray of defending Champion Kyle Branson completed the Top 3 for the single main. Setting the fastest lap of the race, Harper would edge out a 4-second gap on Thurston who was busy keeping winner of the season opener Branson behind. In the championship that 3rd was enough for Branson to finish runner-up ahead of Thurston with the season’s 3rd different winner over the popular 5 round series Harley Eldridge ending the season 4th.

Image: Schumacher RC Racing [Facebook]

March 18, 2024

Mazzeo dominates Italian GT Championship opener

Alessio Mazzeo put in a dominant start to the Italian 1:8 GT National Championship, the Capricorn driver completing a double victory at the season opener at Mini Autodromo Stradivari in Cremona in Northern Italy. Securing the TQ for both nitro and electric, in the triple main electric finals defending Champion Mazzeo would secure the win ahead of Genius Racing’s Alex D’angelo and Schepis Model’s Rosario Giaimo. In the 45-minute Nitro final, the former European 1:10 Nitro Onroad Champion and World Championship podium finisher would set a new track record enroute to winning by almost a full lap from Giaimo with Serpent’s Andrea Catanzani completing the podium from 6th on the grid. Qualifying 5th for the final, that was where defending Champion D’angelo would finish the race.

Image: Alessio Mazzeo [Facebook]

March 11, 2024

Isaacs takes ’24 ROAR Onroad Carpet National title

Sam Isaacs is the 2024 ROAR Onroad Carpet National Champion in Modified Touring Car, the Awesomatix driver taking the title from last year’s Champion Keven Hebert. Hosted by 997 RC Raceway in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, qualifying say Isaacs secure an early TQ as he topped the opening three of the four qualifiers. Going fastest in Q4 with his Xray, Hebert would secure 2nd on the grid for the triple A-Main ahead of last year’s Vice-Champion Chris Adams. Completing the 2023 podium, 1:12 World Championship Top Qualifier Kemp Anderson would line up P4. In the finals Isaacs continued his form winning the opening two to secure the title. Winning A3 from Adams, Hebert would have to settle for the runner-up spot this year with the Adams completing the podium. Hebert wouldn’t leave Pennsylvania empty handed however securing the 1:12 National title from the small field over Anderson and Isaacs.

Image: 997 RC Raceway [Facebook]

February 23, 2024

Schumacher Winter Series Finale – Report

The 2023/2023 Schumacher Winter Series presented by the Louth Radio Control Car Club concluded last weekend with the sixth & final round of the popular Indoor Series. In the Contact RC 17.5 Touring Car class, outgoing Champion and Schumacher racer Alex Brocklebank took a commanding Top qualifier position after the four qualifying rounds. The battle for the second spot was a close affair between the Awesomatix of Daniel Leonard and Mugen of Tim Wood. Tim taking the 2nd spot on count back with Daniel in 3rd. In fourth place was Awesomatix racer Paul Sleight from fellow Awesomatix racer James Herring and Matt Cook with his Mugen Seiki. The single leg final started at a quick pace with Wood making an early overtake on Brocklebank who would fall to the rear of the field. Tim and Daniel would battle with Daniel making a mistake, which would allow Paul Sleight through. A minute in Paul would make a move and claim the lead, with the rest of the field clawing themselves back. Wood would Gather himself up and give the spectators a race for the lead, contact between himself and Paul would see the recovering Alex Brocklebank take the lead and create a gap which he would see to the end. Daniel and Matthew Cook would recover and take advantage of the melee and place themselves in the final two podium positions. Paul and Tim would recover to 4th and 5th respectively with James Herring round out the field.

Continue reading here