New from T-Works is this handheld tyre balance for both 1:8 and 1:10 wheels. The tool has been designed to balance most 12mm hex and 17mm hex wheels, including 1:10 buggy, short course, 1:8 buggy and truggy. To change between 1:8 and 1:10 wheels simple the switch around of wheel adapter on the handle.
View wheel adapter change here
Back to back 1:8 Offroad World Champion Davide Ongaro has released new apparel under his ONG brand. Featuring the Italian’s ONG logo, the back also carries the branding of his long time chassis sponsor Team Associated for whom he recently claimed the iconic American manufacturer’s 32nd IFMAR World Championship title with his 1:10 4WD Buggy victory. If you fancy getting your hands on an ONG t-shirt or hoodie you can contact Davide’s father Mauro directly.
The new GDC Indoor Race Club track in Guangdong, China, is pleased to announcement its first international race event with the hosting of the Foshan International Invitational RC Championship on December 15-17. Located in the centre of Foshan City, the brand new facility was officially opened in May of this year and at 800 square metres is the largest professional indoor onroad track in China. Founded by the international athlete Mr. Kwok Yiu-wai, GDC Remote Control Racing Club hope by hosting this major international electric onroad race that they can boost the level of competition among young local racers. It is also hoped the event will become an annual highlight of the international touring car race calendar. Commenting on the inaugural running of the event the organisers said, ‘The purpose is to let local drivers see the level of international races and drivers, and to allow our teenagers to have close contact with world champions and top drivers to improve their level. We hope to held this event annually from this year.’ With a number of international team drivers expected to be announced in the coming weeks, the schedule for the Foshan International Invitational RC Championship will be made up of 5 categories – Modified Touring Car, 13.5T Handout Touring Car, Modified 1:12, 17.5T Handout FWD Touring and 21.5T Handout 1:10 F1.
Taiwan’s largest event of the year was held over the weekend at the Erchong Floodway track in New Taipei City, where Hong Nor’s owner Hsiang Lin took the win in 1:8 GT. The annual Futaba/O.S. Cup attracted almost 80 drivers from Taiwan and Singapore, and just back from Australia after watching his team driver Toni Gruber claim the IFMAR 1:8 GT World Championship with their X3-GTS, Lin took his own explain to both the TQ and win. Making it back to back wins of the event, Lin was joined on the all Hong Nor/Ielasi tuned podium by Su Jiahong and 3rd placed Liú Qiáozhì.
Image: Hong Nor [Facebook]
Over the weekend the second & final round of the 1:10 Buggy Swedish National Cup was held in Borås where it was Team Associated driver Alexander Landén who completed the series double. The largest indoor event for a long time in Sweden, the race attracted 63 2WD and 43 4WD drivers who arrived Saturday morning to a freshly built layout for the series decider. In 2WD, right from the start it was quite clear that Landén seemed to be the one to beat this time. Locking out all four qualifying rounds we also had the opportunity to test some new ideas on the setup during the fourth round, which improved the car even more for the finals. Behind Alexander, Xray drivers Hampus Berg and David Ronnefalk would line up 2nd and 3rd on the grid. Alexander secured the win by taking the first two rounds with relative comfort, being the only driver scoring 19 lap runs. Hampus Berg won the final leg and by that securing second and third place went to Otto Ausfelt (AE) tied on points with Ronnefalk. This also meant that Landén was crowned the overall Series Champion.
The ninth annual Masters of Dirt took place at BeachRC in South Carolina over the weekend where Dakotah Phend was crowned the overall Master of the event for his combined results in 2WD & 4WD Buggy and Stadium Truck. Attracting over 450 entries, qualifying for 4WD saw three different drivers post TQ runs with TLR’s Brennan Schimmel the overall Top Qualifier on tie break from team-mate Phend with Team Associated’s Aydin Horne securing P3. In 2WD, Phend secured pole having TQ’d Q2 & 3 from new World Champion Tater Sontag whose TLR topped the opening round. Rivkin’s Associated completing the Top 3. With single 10-minute A-Mains, Phend led 2WD from start to finish as Schumacher’s Broc Champlin came through from P5 to finish just ahead of Rivkin. With the event concluding with the 4WD A-Main, it was Rivkin who came through for the win over 3-seconds up on Ryan Maifield and Phend with both Schimmel and Sontag non finishers. In Stadium Truck, Phend took both the TQ and win with Rivkin and Horne completing the podium.
Image: Masters of Dirt [Facebook]
1Up Racing/Team Associated driver Matthew Gonzales completed the double at the Kinwald Klassic at Hobby Action in Arizona over the weekend winning both 2WD and 4WD Buggy. The fourth annual running of the race that is held in honour of Offroad RC great Brian Kinwald and helps raise funds for the Crohn’s Foundation, qualifying at the recent World Championship host venue would see Gonzales reign. Securing the 2WD TQ in the final round of the three qualifiers ahead of Kyle Davis who also set his fastest time in Q3, in 4WD it was a similar story as he took the TQ ahead of Riley Wortman. In the finals, Gonzales continued his form winning A-Main encounters to win 2WD from Scott Spear while in 4WD 4WD Wortman and Davis completed the podium. After his sterling work with the track preparation and maintenance for the World Championships last month, Jake Thayer was back enjoying his racing taking the TQ and win in 17.5 2WD Buggy.
Image: 1up Racing [Facebook]
With Team Associated attending this year’s famous SEMA Show, the leading automotive aftermarket trade fair for the United States, and using that as the starting point for the pending 60th Anniversary of Associated Electrics (1964) and 40th Anniversary of the RC10 (1984) they have created some a little special. To pay homage to the RC10, they decided to make a special display piece, and since AE know its racers love the SLA prototype race cars they have shown over the years, they decided to make an RC10 version the same way. Utilising the RC10 Classic SolidWorks models, they were able to produce crystal clear parts. They have also kept the chassis, nose plate, motor plates, and shocks silver to give that prototype feel and awesome wow factor.
