Red RC » Racing

December 7, 2023

Orlowski takes opening 1:12 Worlds qualifier

Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski has taken the opening round of qualifying at the 1:12 World Championships in Florida. Top Qualifier at the last running of the Worlds in 2020, he would TQ the first of the 6 rounds at Beachline Raceway by 0.25 of a second from Top Seed & defending Champion Marc Rheinard. A very closely contested 8-minute qualifier, Rheinard’s Awesomatix team-mate Kemp Anderson was right in the mix. Posting the fastest lap of the round, the American was laying down the TQ pace before dropping off the top spot with a bad lap and eventually completing the Top 3. Running in the second fastest heat having nor featured in seeding yesterday, Xray’s Alexander Hagberg took a confidence boosting P4 for the round ahead of the Awesomatix of Sam Isaacs and Snowbirds podium finisher Donny Lia.

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December 7, 2023

Rheinard top seed at 1:12 Worlds

Current 1:12 World Champion Marc Rheinard is the top seed at the 21st running of IFMAR’s original electric category. The Awesomatix driver set the fastest 3-consecutive laps in the second of the 3 seeding rounds today at Beachline Raceway in Florida. Having won the first of his two Worlds titles in Florida nine years ago, the multiple Electric Touring Car Champion will lead away tomorrow’s opening qualifier ahead of Schumacher pairing Ollie Payne and Michal Orlowski. Payne was just 0.053 off the pace of Rheinard, the British driver’s best time also coming in the second controlled practice. With Rheinard fastest in the opening two rounds, Orlowski would top the third & final practice breaking into the 32-seconds for the first time, with the Top 3 separated by just 8/100ths of a second. Leading the home challenge Sam Isaacs made a significant improvement in CP3 to end to up 4th ahead of fellow American and Awesomatix team-mate Kemp Anderson. Completing the Top 6, Germany’s Jan Ratheisky was the highest placed Xray.

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December 6, 2023

ROAR remove Reedy SP5 25.5 from approved motor list

ROAR has announced that Reedy’s SP5 25.5 motor is to be removed from the North American governing body’s approved motor list effective from Noon (PST) on Friday, December 20, 2023. In a statement sent to us by ROAR, they state that while most motors are in spec there are some that do not meet the minimum stator stack length requirement of 19.7 mm and therefore they are removing the motor from the list. Reedy, who have been made aware of the issue, will be required to resubmit the motor for a new inspection and approval once manufacturing issues are resolved.

Read ROAR statement here

December 6, 2023

Lutz confirmed for opening round of Asian Buggy C/ships

Having announced an expanded calendar for the 2024 Asian Buggy Championships, Scotty Ernst has confirmed Kyosho 1:8 Offroad star Ryan Lutz will make the trip to New Zealand for the opening round of the season next February. Round 1 of the 4 round championship, that also includes races in the Philippines, Australia and Indonesia, takes place on February 8-11 at the Counties RC Car Club with Lutz set to compete in Nitro Buggy and E Buggy thanks to his sponsors Alpha Plus, Futaba and Kyosho. Extending the ABC’s reach in 2024, an overall point series has been introduced for Season No.2 with other top international drivers expected to be announced to make appearances over the championship.

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

December 6, 2023

Rheinard’s 1:12 World title defence off to positive start

Reigning 1:12 World Champion Marc Rheinard got his title defence off to a positive start with the Awesomatix driver topping the opening round of controlled practice at Beachline Raceway in Florida. Setting a time of 32.983 for his fastest 3-consecutive laps, the German also had the fastest lap for the round with only team-mate Kemp Anderson, 3rd quickest for the round, also able to run a 10-second lap of the track which is proving popular with drivers. Overall it was the Schumacher of Ollie Payne who posted the second fastest time with team-mate Michal Orlowski fourth quickest. Japan’s Hayato Ishioka’s Roche was fifth for the round, with recent U.S. Indoor Champs winner Sam Isaacs completing the Top 6. Keven Hebert was the top Xray in P7 over a second down on Rheinard’s time.

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December 6, 2023

JConcepts F2 SCT low-profile height body

JConcepts has released the F2 body for SCT trucks as its latest body for Short Course racing and bashing. The concept is simple, lower the roof line, improve functionality of air-release louvers, incorporate the latest number and name plate performance geometry, while providing an edginess to the design. The F2 has always been a unique design, now, the Short Course gets the IFMAR World Championship winning treatment. The design starts at the front-end with high impact looks of a large format canvas in the grille and headlight area. The included decal sheet can be used to stealth out the entire front-end with blank decals or go for two of the different and highly detailed looks of the light and signal appearance found on passenger vehicles. In the hood area, there is a large cut-in feature with trim-lines allowing the user to add additional air escape holes. The fenders are hard-edged, provide plenty of clearance for racing and bash tires and blend straight into the F2 design.

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December 5, 2023

‘Preparations for Worlds has to be exceptional to win’ – Alexander Hagberg

IFMAR’s original electric World Championship takes place in Florida this week where the 21st Champion will decided among a small but ultra competitive field. One of those drivers who will be vying for success is Alexander Hagberg who, as one of the great specialists of the category, is also one who holds a membership to one of RC racing’s most elite clubs. In 2014 he claimed his first World title when he won 1:10 Nitro Touring Car in Thailand, and then in 2018 he took the sport’s biggest prize in 1:12 in South Africa. As the reigning European 1:12 Champion, equalling David Spashett’s record of 8 titles when he won in April of this year, it is fair to say he isn’t going into these Worlds on the back of a run of impressive form since.

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December 5, 2023

FIRC announces FEMCA VP Kee as Race Director

The organisers of the Foshan International Invitational RC Championship, which takes place on December 15-17 at the new GDC Indoor track in China’s central Guangdong Province, has announced FEMCA Vice President Leonard Kee as Race Director and race commentator of the inaugural running of the event. The race which aims to promote high level racing to local racers, has attracted a number of high profile international entries including former World Champion Ronald Volker from Mugen Seiki, Xpress team driver & 1:12 World Finalist Yugo Nagashima, and Team Yokomo’s Australian National Champion Simon Nicholson. FEMCA, the governing body of radio-controlled car racing in Asia and Australasia that represents 15 nations, is looking to boost racing in the region following Covid, with Kee’s attendance a big boost for both FEMCA and the event which hopes to become an annual international electric touring car fixture. On the announcement Kee, who was the Race Announcer for the 1:8 GT World Championship in Australia said, “Hi All, I’m Leonard you can call me Leo. I’m the Vice President of FEMCA. Am absolutely thrilled to be heading to one of the premier carpet tracks in Asia for their inaugural race, The 2023 Foshan International Invitational RC Championship as their Race Director as well as race commentator. One of my tasks for this race is to evaluate the feasibility of the Foshan venue for upcoming regional and world events. It’s going to be a blast. I look forward to seeing my friends from the RC world there.”

Source: Foshan International Invitational RC Championship [Facebook]