Ultimate Racing have announced that new Losi/GRP signing Yannick Aigoin has joined their team. Yannick, who is a top European driver and 2006 European Champion will collaborate closely with the UR technical department developing new parts and accessories. And on top of all this Aigoin Racing is now the exclusive Ultimate Racing distributor for France.
Source: Ultimate Racing [modelixracing.com]
After an eventful 2007 with his HoBao Hyper 8.5 Graham Alsop finished the year in style with a 3rd round win at the CML Nitro Winter Championships at Frankley. A thrilling 20 minute A Final saw Graham hold off challenges from CML/HoBao teammates John Holmes and John Howells to clinch a well deserved victory, 3 seconds ahead of 2nd placed Simon Willetts, with John Holmes having to settle for 3rd a further 10 seconds back.
Source: CML [cmldistribution.co.uk]
December 28th saw the successful running of the first Irish Christmas Grand Prix meeting for EP 190mm Touring Cars, which was organised by the Lucan Model Car Club on the club’s polished floor indoor venue in Celbridge. The event attracted 21 competitors as EP racing continues to show great growth in the country. In qualifying it was Schumacher driver Derek McCloskey who claimed the top spot ahead of the Serpent S400 trio of Chris Lawlor, winner of the recent Munster Grand Prix, Keith Dempsey and Steven Brock. The A Final, run over two Legs, saw Lawlor take the opening victory ahead of McCloskey with Tony Kavanagh’s Associated completing the podium. In Leg 2, McCloskey managed to convert his TQ position in to a win which was enough to secure overall top honours as Lawlor managed just third. Taking second in Leg 2 and third overall was Keith Dempsey, who recorded the fastest lap in each leg of the Final.
Click here for the final results… content
The Japanese governing body, the JMRCA have announced a number of important ammendments to their rules and regulations for 2008 that include the use of 2.4Ghz radio systems to be allowed during sanctioned racing. New vehicle regulations include the use of 5 cells in the touring car expert class, in place of 4 cells, while the rest of the classes in both electric and gas essentially move over to IFMAR regulations regarding technical specifications. Finally the use of brushless motors is now permitted in both 1/12th scale pan cars and 1/10th scale off road.
Source: JMRCA [jmrca.com]
We recently heard the unconfirmed report that top Dutch International racer and Mugen team driver Rick V has followed in the footsteps of his American counterpart Mike Swauger and joined JP Racing for the 2008 season. Although currently unconfirmed, Rick had had a difficult World Championship in Argentina when he could only manage a place in the 1/8th final, a bad result for a multiple European finalist and World semi finalist. Rick returns to the French assembled JP Racing motors, the powerplant that helped him make a name for himself before moving over to use GRP motors when they were initially released. We will let you know further details when the deal is confirmed.
Neo Buggy are reporting that Finland’s most famous offroad driver Joseph Quagraine has announced his departure from long time sponsors HoBao. After 5 years together, JQ has developed into one of the most exciting and fast drivers in the current crop of top class European drivers. He had this to say about the announcement:
I would like to thank HoBao for their great support during the last five years. HoBao was my very first sponsor back in 2003, and they helped me make a name for myself on the international racing scene. I will never forget that! But now the time is right for me to move on, and I wish them all the best for the future. As for me, I am now looking forward to a new challenge.
Source: Neo Buggy [neobuggy.net]
Mirage have a report on their site from last weekends round 3 of the Rug Racers series which was run at Woodson Park in Hertfordshire. Qualfiying saw Andy Moore just beat out his Hot Bodies team mate Olly Jefferies in 2nd with new Xray signing Elliot Harper 4 seconds back in 3rd. Final 1 saw Moore make a mistake that let Jefferies into the lead following closely by Harper, but Olly could hold on for the leg win. In the 2nd leg Moore once again clip a corner and rolled leaving Jefferies out in front once again followed by Harper which was how it finished in the leg and overall with Moore coming home in 3rd.
Source: Mirage [mirageracing.com]
The 4th round of the BRCA 1/12th scale Nationals was held last weekend at the Tamworth track and in qualifying for Saturday’s 19T turn event it was Chris Kerswell that claimed the TQ spot ahead of Andy Griffiths in 2nd. In the final, a coming together at the start knocked Griffiths out of contention and Mick Farrell took off after the then leader Kerswell and eventually got passed, but he too fell out of contention and this left Keith Robertson to come from 5th on the grid to take the win. In the modified class there were no surprises with Andy Griffiths taking the TQ and in the final he managed pull away and take the win, giving him his 4th in a row and enabling him to wrap up the modified title with his HB Cyclone 12.
Source: Mirage [mirageracing.com]
