Red RC » Racing

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]

December 5, 2023

Triple win for Drake at 19th Annual Toys For Tots Race

This past weekend Mugen/JConcepts driver Adam Drake and his wife Ronda hosted the 19^th Annual Toys For Tots Race at The Drake Raceway in Palm Desert, CA. With 180 entries, the event had a lot of competition and also brought in some great toy donations for kids in need this holiday season. Qualifying started at 9am that morning and the race program called for two rounds of qualifying to determine each class TQ. There were 12 classes to compete in and only a driver’s best qualifier would be used to determine who made the main events. Drake set the TQ in 1:8 Expert Nitro Buggy, 1:8 Open Electric Buggy, and 1:8 Open Nitro Truggy classes, and he would go on to take the win in all three classes but ultimately the biggest winner was the kids’ charity.

Source: Adam Drake [Facebook]

December 4, 2023

Greiner announces retirement from nitro racing

One of the outright fastest nitro onroad drivers of the last decade, 2016 1:10 Onroad World Champion Dominic Greiner has announced his retirement from nitro racing. In an interview with the German last year ahead of the 1:10 Nitro Onroad World Championship in Thailand, the Capricorn driver highlighted the growing difficulty of trying to remain competitive while also holding down a full time job. Having made a very emotional 6th World Championship Final appearance at the 1:8 Worlds in Japan which was won by his long time sparring partner Dario Balestri, Greiner made the announcement on social media that after 15-years in nitro racing he was calling time on it. A driver who always wore his emotions on his sleeve, his retirement will leave a big void in the nitro onroad racing scene. Having witnessed first hand the highlight of his World title win in Gubbio which came after a flawless performance in the final, we also had the opportunity to experience his raw emotion of making the final in Japan last month where he hinted at it being his final race. Red RC would like to thank Dominic for the great memories, emotions and laughs shared together around the world over the years.

Read Greiner’s full post here

December 4, 2023

Edmunds takes 1:8 Buggy South Australian State Title

Team Associated driver Jayden Edmunds claimed the South Australian State Title for 1:8 Nitro Buggy over the weekend. The 17-year-old took his Adam Drake 3 engined RC8B4 to the TQ at the Southern Districts Model Car Club track after topping three of the five qualifiers as racers experienced rain on and off during Saturday’s qualifying. Taking the other two rounds, Q2 & 4, Andrew Foord would line up 2nd for the 45-minute final ahead of Damon Davis-Perry, Aaron Dexter and Caleb Noble. A hotter day on the Sunday for finals, Edmunds was able to gap the field eventually winning by half a lap from Dexter’s TLR with the Mugen Seiki of Zac Foster completing the Nitro Buggy podium. In eBuggy Edmunds would finish runner-up as Noble took his Tekno to the title over the triple A-Main. Top Qualifier Jack McMillian would compete the podium.

Source: Speedy RC [speedyrc.com.au]

December 4, 2023

D’Angelo crowned Italian 1:8 GT Nitro Champion

Genius Racing’s Alex D’angelo is the 2023 AMSCI Italian 1:8 GT Nitro National Champion. Top Qualifier at the 1:8 GT World Championship in Australia in October, he secured the title with a second place finish behind Schepis Model driver Rosario Giaimo at the third & final round of the championship at Miniautodromo Vallelunga RC. Going into the season finale, a number of drivers remained in contention for the title including Round 2 winner & Raptor driver Loris Luise, Xray’s Natanaele Senesi and Capricorn’s Alessio Mazzeo. In qualifying it was Mazzeo who took the TQ from Senesi and D’angelo but in the 45-minute final it was Giaimo from p9 on the grid who came through for the race win ahead of D’angelo and Mazzeo, second being enough for the Gimar engine GT8.23 of D’angelo to secure the title. In 1:8 GTe, it was also Mazzeo who also took the TQ honours again from Senesi and he duly converted it into the win after taking both A1 and A2 to secure the overall 2023 title for Capricorn.

Image: Alex D’angelo [Facebook]