Red RC » Racing

January 16, 2023

Clean sweep for Phend at Southern Indoor Championship

Dakotah Phend has completed a clean sweep of the first major on the 2023 1:8 Offroad calendar winning Buggy, Truggy and eBuggy at the the RaceTime Entertainment organised Southern Indoor Championship in Alabama. Having already opened his 2023 electric programme with a triple victory at the ‘Clash of Champions’ at Hoosier RC Hobbyplex in Indiana last weekend, in qualifier at SIC the TLR driver would secure the TQ in Nitro Buggy from last year’s triple champion Ryan Maifield. In Truggy, Phend would start from 3rd with Mayako’s Jared Tebo the Top Qualifier while eBuggy saw him qualify P2 behind Maifield’s Tekno. In the finals, Phend kicked off yet another impressive race day with Truggy victory over Tebo and Sworkz’ Joe Bornhorst. Next up was Nitro Buggy and from the front he controlled the half hour encounter finishing over 18-seconds up on Maifield with the Kyosho of Ryan Lutz completing the podium. To cap off yet another star performance from the ‘Phenom’ he won eBuggy but this one went to the wire. Winning A1 by a comfortable margin, in A2 it was Top Qualifier Maifield who lead home the 15-cars with Phend 3rd leaving the pair tied on points. With A1 just fractionally faster, Phend completed the triple while HB Racing’s Mason Fuller completed the overall Top 3.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]

January 15, 2023

2 in a row as Branson wins EWS Round 3

Round 3 of the popular British based Essex Winter Series took place over the weekend with reigning Champion Kyle Branson making it two in a row. Runner-up at the opening the season opener when Xray team-mate Bruno Coelho took the win on the series’ return following Covid, Branson would qualify on pole for the latest encounter taking all four round of qualifying. Xray team-mate Harley Eldridge qualified second but found herself defending from Capricorn’s Alex Thurston in the single leg final allowing Branson to take the win. Eldridge kept Thurston at bay reversing their finishing order of the previous round. Following his rejoining of the Schumacher team last week, Chris Grainger qualified & finished 4t ahead of his new car’s designer Andy Murray. Continue reading here

January 15, 2023

Freeman takes Mod win at RC Chili Bowl

Running alongside its full size oval racing counterpart, the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals, it was Zachary Freeman who came away with the SC Modified win at the ninth edition of the RC Chili Bowl held in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Attracting over 500 entries, the Scotty Ernst organised event is one of the biggest in the industry with its tented indoor pit area packed with manufacturers involved in the R/C oval racing scene. Concluding the 2023 edition of the RC Chili Bowl was the final of SC Modified presented by HobbyWing. All throughout qualifying it had been Zac Rose and Addison Krol, throwing down the heat for the ladies, going back and forth for the top spot with Rose edging out Krol to take the TQ honours. It would be a super smooth start for the 10 car field with all drivers holding their starting positions for the opening laps. A huge pile up in turn 4 however collected almost all the cars and would shake up the entire order creating a completely new race. Third place qualifier Zachary Freeman would come out on top in the lead holding that position to the end with Krol finishing on the same lap fpr second. Dropping back to sixth, Rose would recover to come through to complete the podium.

Image: RC Chili Bowl [rcchilibowl.com]

January 14, 2023

Phend Top Qualifier at Southern Indoor Championship

TLR’s Dakotah Phend has secured the big TQ at the Southern Indoor Championship in Alabama. The first big major on the annual US 1:8 Offroad calendar, the Racetime Entertainment organised indoor event is a big weekend in terms of new driver/manufacturer pairings following some significant driver announcements over the New Year break. In Nitro Buggy, it was Phend who kicked off qualifying with the fastest time ahead of the Ryans, Maifield’s Tekno taking P2 followed by Lutz’s Kyosho with third. Q2 would see Maifield top the time sheets from Sworkz’s Joe Bornhorst with Lutz again completing the Top 3. For Phend it was a bad round 2 as he ended up P5. All coming down to the third & final qualifier, Phend was back to form laying down the outright fastest time of qualifying to secure the overall TQ, 2 rounds from 3 to count. Maifield locked in 2nd overall from Lutz, Team Associated’s Lee Setser and Joe Bornhorst with new team-mate Brandon Rose rounding out the Top 6. In Nitro Truggy, it is Jared Tebo who is Top Qualifier. As the reigning SIC Champion, winning both Buggy & Truggy last year from the TQ, Maifield took the first qualifier from Sworkz’s Camden Lime, Phend and new Mayako signing Jared Tebo. Runner-up last year in Truggy, Tebo would find his stride in the next two qualifiers topping them both for the overall TQ. Again Maifield ends up P2 with Phend 3rd ahead of Lime, Lutz and the TLR of youngster Phi Long Nguyen.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]

January 13, 2023

Zeke Ballinger joins Schumacher

American racer Zeke Ballinger has joined Schumacher Racing as the British manufacturer continues to increase its profile in the US Offroad racing scene. The former TLR driver has enjoyed some strong results in the last number of years including the 13.5 4WD class win at the 2021 Desert Classic and 2nd in Stadium Truck. Also a JConcepts Indoor National Series triple podium finisher, and TQ & winner at the 2022 Rumble in the Rockies, on the announcement Ballinger said, “I am so excited about joining the #SchumacherFamily in 2023 onwards. For me personally, a fresh start and a new challenge is something I am really looking forward to. I can’t wait to continue working with Cav and the rest of my new team mates as well. Thank you Muz, Robin, Tris and everyone at Schumacher for welcoming me with open arms.”

Source: Schumacher [racing-cars.com]

January 13, 2023

Payne joins Contact Tyres

Contact RC Tyres has announced top 1:12 racer Ollie Payne as a new international team driver. The British driver previously ran with Japanese brand Ulti but following his recent move to new chassis sponsor Schumacher the signing is a logical one given Contact is one of the brands in their portfolio.

Source: Contact RC Tyres [Facebook]

January 12, 2023

T-works B74.2 Shock Towers +1.5mm Camber Hole

T-works has added to its offering of shock towers for Team Associated’s B74.2 1:10 4WD Buggy. The V2 versions have a widened +1.5mm camber hole compared to the previous release. On the rear tower T-works has added a second row of mounting holes to the overall wider V2 tower which like the front is machine from carbon fibre.

View comparison here

January 11, 2023

2023 Desert Classic – Announcement

Hobby Action in Chandler, Arizona have announced the date for the 2023 Desert Classic with the 7th edition of the annual event taking place from March 1st to 5th. An event that has established itself as a major fixture in the early part of the international 1:10 Offroad calendar after filling the void left after the demise of the Cactus Classic. Again sponsored by Stickit1 Racing, the 2023 edition is set to have even more significance on the calendar as a preparation race for the IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championships that Hobby Action will host in September of this year. Entries for the Desert Classic are open from the 22nd of this month and the race will be open to all the usual classes.

View event flier here