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June 30, 2024

Kato & Kaino crowned JMRCA National Champions

Team Associated pairing Kouki Kato and Yui Kaino took the titles at this year’s JMRCA 1:10 Electric Offroad Japanese National Championships. Returning to the indoor RC Park Gojo track where he won both the 2WD and 4WD Buggy titles last year, 18-year-old Kato would secure the TQ in 2WD after topping 2 of the 3 rounds of qualifying with team-mate Yui Kaino topping Q3 to secure P2 on the grid. In 4WD qualifying the pair switched order with fastest times in Q1 & Q3 giving 2022 2WD Champion Kaino the TQ. In the finals Kato successfully defended his 2WD title with wins in the opening two A-Mains while in 4WD Kaino regained the title as he also won the opening two encounters. In both categories the podiums were completed by Xray drivers with third place going to Shoya Yamazaki in 2WD and Nana Kaiho 4WD.

Image: Kouki Kato [Facebook]

June 25, 2024

Maifield does the double at ROAR Nationals

Tekno RC’s Ryan Maifield pulled off the double at the ROAR 1:8 Nitro Offroad Nationals over the weekend taking both Buggy and Truggy titles at the Hayden Radio Control Raceway (HRCR). In Buggy qualifying it was defending back to back Champion Dakotah Phend who secured the TQ, his TLR topping all four qualifiers, with Maifield second ahead of team-mate Jared Wiggins. In Truggy it was the Sworkz of Mason Fuller who took the TQ ahead of defending Champion Maifield and Phend but in the 45-minute final Maifield would find a passed Fuller to retain his title as Phend completed the podium. In the 1-hour Buggy final, Maifield lining up P4 after the Semi-Finals, there was an intense four way battle with Kyosho’s Phi Long Nguyen, Muller and Phend all having stints at the front. In the end, it was Maifleld who took over the lead in the final quarter of the race and stayed there to win by 14.801 seconds over Phend and Nguyen.

Image: JConcepts [Facebook]

June 10, 2024

Double for Rinderknecht at JConcepts Summer INS

The third stop on the calendar of the 14th season of JConcepts’ popular Indoor National Series saw Xray driver Tom Rinderknecht do the double in Iowa. Racing at the Island Speedway Offroad indoor track, the Summer 1 Carpet Indoor Nationals saw the Schumacher of Broc Champlin secure the TQ in both Mod 2WD & 4WD with Rinderknecht lining up P2. In 2WD Rinderknecht would take A1 from the pole sitter who in turn took A2 to set the stage for an A3 shoot out that Rinderknecht duly won to take the overall. Behind Champlin, the 2WD podium was completed by the Team Associated of Davey Batta ahead of former 2-time World Champion Spencer Rivkin. In 4WD, Champlin would suffer a DNF in A1 as took the win which he repeated in A2 to wrap things up early. Taking the A3 win Batta secured second with multiple World Champion & 5th place qualifier Ryan Cavalieri taking his Schumacher to third ahead of Rivkin as Champlin completed the Top 5.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]

June 10, 2024

Hall does double at British Nationals Round 3

The third round of the British 1:10 Offroad National Championships took place over the weekend with Team Associated’s Tommy Hall pulling off the double at the Stotfold track in Bedfordshire. In Saturday’s 2WD action, Hall would secure the TQ ahead of defending Champion & Round 1 winner Neil Cragg with the Schumacher of Round 2 winner Ben Smith lining up third. Despite Cragg taking the win in the dying moments of A1, Hall got the job done in A2 & 3 for his first 2WD win of 6 round 2024 Championship. In 4WD it was business as usual for Hall as he made it three from three despite the TQ going the way of his brother Jamie. While suffering a DNF in A2, wins in A1 and A3 gave the reigning Champion the overall Round 3 win ahead of Jamie with Thomas Phipps making it an all Team Associated podium. Hall now leads both championships with Round 4 scheduled for June 29t-30th at Bury Metro.

Image: Racewayone [racewayone.com]

June 4, 2024

Canas wraps up National title with 3 from 3

Factory Sworkz star Juan Carlos Canas has wrapped up the Spanish 1:8 Nitro Buggy National title early with his third win of the season in as many races. The reigning European Champion, who this year has the potential to consecutively hold a National, European and World title, secured the TQ and win at the third round which was hosted at the Circuito de Alhaurin de la Torre over the weekend. Winner of the Silver State Indoor Championships in the US last month, starting from pole after winning his Semi Final in the fastest time, Canas was chased home over the 45-minute final by the Tekno of João Figueiredo, who after qualifying P18 after a tough five rounds of heats, started 4th on the grid. Posting the fastest lap of the race, in the end he would finish just 4.7-seconds back from Canas. Despite a bad tyre choice, Daniel Pariente made it a second Tekno on the podium as he finished third.

Image: Sworkz [Facebook]

June 3, 2024

Harper leads Schumacher 1-2 at British Nationals Rd2

Having announced his return to racing competition last September following a 3-year break, Elliot Harper led a Schumacher 1-2 at the second round of the British 1:10 Electric Touring Car National Championship over the weekend. Racing at the West London track, the former World Championship podium finisher secured the TQ with fastest times in 2 of the four qualifiers. Topping Q2 multiple Champion Chris Grainger secured P2 with teenager Daniel Robins making it a Schumacher Top 3 on the grid. Having made history recently as she became the first female driver to make a BRCA Offroad A-Main, Xray’s Harley Eldridge lined up P4 followed by Andy Murray and the Mugen Seiki of Alex Thurston who secured his first ever National win at Round 1 last month at Halifax. In the double mains, Harper lead home Grainger in A1 and Eldridge in A2 for the overall win from Grainger and with his third from Round 1 now leads the championship standings. After an intense battle in A2 to take second from Grainger, Eldridge would completed the podium ahead of Thurston with Robins finishing up P5.

Image: Schumacher [Facebook]

May 30, 2024

2024 Speed King Tour Rd2 – Report

After a successful opening round of the Speed King Tour 2024 at the Super RC Omiya indoor tarmac track, the popular and competitive electric touring car series sponsored by Rakusai Model moved outdoors for Round 2 at TM Circuit Wakayama in Wakayama prefecture. Now in its 11th year, this race series travels to circuits across Japan to compete for the series championship through six rounds. For the first time in the event’s history, the number of entries reached 100, Atsushi Hara among the line-up, and many racers came to the track a day early. Considering the weather forecast that the next day would be rainy, the organisers decided to hold one round of qualifying for the top category TC0 (Modified) class on Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, it rained on the day of the event, and the decision was made to cancel the race. The TC0 class standings were determined based on the previous day’s qualifying results. The winner was Tamiya driver Ryoma Yoshida, a local junior high school driver, with Takara Sano also driving a Tamiya in second with the Infinity of Ryosuke Yamamoto completing the podium. The next round, Round 3, will be held on 14th of July at the new Next Rush Circuit in Chiba prefecture.

Source: Speed King Tour [speedkingtour.com]

May 27, 2024

Shimo crowned Japanese 1:8 Onroad Champion

Infinity’s Takaaki Shimo is the new JMRCA Japanese 1:8 Onroad National Champion. Racing at the 2023 World Championship host venue Infinity International Speedway, Shimo regained the title he last held in 2016 with a 2.5-second victory over Top Qualifier Naoto Matsukura. In qualifying the Infinity of Matsukura topped three of the four rounds to secure the TQ and lock himself into pole position for the 45-minute final. A TQ run in Q2 would secure reigning 1:10 Nitro Onroad World Champion Tadahiko Sahashi second overall, a result that also locked him directly into the Main. With Shimo P3 after qualifying and the Mugen Seiki of defending Champion & 2019 World Champion Shouki Takahata 6th, they would both have to race their way into the Main from the 20-minute Semi Finals. Shimo won his Semi while the other went to Takahata. In the Main, Matsukura lead for 2/3rd of the race as he and Shimo gapped the field but getting by Matsukura, Shimo maintained that lead to the end to secure the title. Three laps back Tadahiko Sahashi would completed the podium ahead of Takahata.

Image: Infinity [Facebook]