Red RC » Racing

August 28, 2024

Sahashi to defend Nitro Touring Car World title

While the cancellation of Costa Rica staging the IFMAR 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship this year was a blow for the racing community in the FAMAR Bloc, the switch to the Huge RC Circuit in Thailand has given a major boost to the 10th running of categories biggest race with reigning Champion Tadahiko Sahashi confirmed to defend his title. With a number of manufacturers confirming at the time they would not be sending team drivers to Costa Rica, the Worlds was set to be void of many of its top drivers including those of reigning back to back Champions Infinity. Following the announcement in July that the Worlds was to return to the FEMCA Bloc, the previous hosts, the switch to the second of Bangkok’s international circuits has resulted in a ‘Who’s who’ of onroad racing entry list topped by Sahashi. Infinity’s reigning 1:8 World Champion Dario Balestri is also confirmed meaning the potential for crowning the first ever reigning 1:8 & 1:10 Champion. Sahashi gained the elusive ‘Double Champion’ status with victory at RC Addict in 2022 to go with his 2013 1:8 WC title. In doing so he became only the second ever driver to win both IFMAR titles, Adrien Bertin’s feat finally being matched 18-years after the Frenchman became the first to achieved it in 2004. While entries are still open for the November 15th to 23rd event, there are already 7 IFMAR World Champions confirmed with it widely expected Huge RC Circuit owner & former Electric Touring Car World Champion Surikarn Chaidajsuriya will bring that number to 8. Other factory entries include Capricorn, with current 1:8 GT World Champion Toni Gruber, 2012 World Champion Meen Vejrak & 2016 Worlds Runner-Up Alessio Mazzeo, while Serpent are sending Jeff Hamon and Bryce Butterfield. Red RC will travelling to Huge RC for the final stop on our 2024 World Championships coverage schedule.

Source: IFMAR [ifmar.org]

August 27, 2024

Hitec AD380 Battery Discharger and Analyser

Hitec has announced the latest addition to their popular Charger/Discharger line, the AD380 Discharge Module. Capable of discharging high-capacity batteries at up to 40amps/380 watts, the new AD380 is a user-friendly battery discharger / analyser that caters to both novice and experienced RC enthusiasts alike. The AD380 features three discharging modes to help analyse the health and performance of all your RC battery packs. It is perfect for racers and aerobatic pilots wanting to monitor cell resistance and maximise power output. And sport fliers and bashers can bring their high-capacity packs (up to 6S!) to storage level in a fraction of the time required by typical low-wattage built-in discharge circuits. Let the AD380 help keep your batteries at the proper voltage for storage which is essential to long life with high power output. Use Bluetooth technology and Hitec’s convenient Link Power X app or connect directly to your PC to graph, monitor and compare discharge curves for individual packs.

View features & specs here

August 27, 2024

Sweep Racing ‘Birdshot’ 1:8 Buggy Tyre

Sweep Racing has announced the release of its 20th buggy tyres with the 1:8 Buggy Tyre being named ‘Birdshot’. The new tyre is designed for hard packed or oiled and little loose track conditions according to their team drivers’ needs. The square centre pins extend the tyre’s life and a rounded V6 carcass with multiple size pins provides suitable side bite on the corners. The ‘Birdshot’ will be available in Sweep’s new Liquid compound as well as their M-compound from Ultra soft to Super hard.

Source: Sweep Racing [sweepracing.com]

August 27, 2024

Canas signs with FlySky

With the 1:8 Buggy World Championship just around the corner, FlySky has announced another impressive driver signing with one of the title favourites Juan Carlos Canas the latest to switch to the Chinese manufacturer. The Spaniard will now officially represent the brand and use the Noble NB4 Pro+ transmitter to control his factory Sworkz buggies. Joining drivers such as David Ronnefalk, Ryan Maifield, team-mate Joern Neumann, and touring car ace Marc Rheinard as a FlySky sponsored driver, the back to back European 1:8 Buggy Champion said, “Im happy to go fly sky team, their products have a awesome quality, I tried the noble pro+ some weeks and the feelings on the track are pretty good. Thanks to Flysky team for the opportunity!”

Source: Flysky [flysky-cn.com]

August 26, 2024

Lutz big winner at LCRC Mugen Challenge

Ryan Lutz was the big winner at this year’s annual Mugen Challenge in Pennsylvania, the Kyosho driver taking three victories at the LCRC Raceway hosted event. In 1:8 Nitro Buggy it was the Tekno of former Mugen Challenge winner Ryan Maifield who secured the TQ ahead of Lutz. Over the half hour final the pair switched the lead a number of times with Lutz eventually coming out on top by 14-seconds with Xray’s Chase Lemieux coming through from P11 on the grid to complete the podium. In Nitro Truggy Lutz took the TQ ahead of Sworkz’ Joe Bornhorst before going to take the win by a lap from the Teknos of Jared Wiggins and Maifield. An event that attracted 477 entries, Lutz triple victory weekend also included the TQ & victory in eTruggy. The only defeat of the weekend for Lutz came in eBuggy. Having secured the TQ ahead of Maifield, it was third place qualifier Wiggins who got by for the win finishing 1.1-seconds ahead of Lutz at the end of the 10-minute encounter. Bornhorst claimed the final podium place 3-seconds up on Maifield.

Image: Ryan Lutz [Facebook]

August 25, 2024

Isaacs confirmed to defend MonTech NYGP titles

Having stamped his authority on the 2023 MonTech New York Grand Prix, double Champion Sam Isaacs has been confirmed as heading the entry at the sixth running of the event at 360v2 RC in New Rochelle, New York, this October 10-13th. The Awesomatix driver, and this year’s ROAR Modified Touring Car Onroad Carpet National Champion, was the big winner of the NYGP last year claiming the TQ in both Mod Touring Car and Mod 1:12 en-route to his double victory. The result puts the American driver on the high profile US race’s role of honour along with former World Champions Marc Rheinard (2022 NYGP Champion) and Ronald Volker (2019 NYGP Champion). This year’s event will see drivers compete for victory over 12 classes on the 105ft x 48ft Carpet track. In Touring Car drivers will battle it out in Modified, 17.5T SuperStock, 21.5 Stock, and 25.5 LMH (LeMans Hypercar). In 1:12 there is Modified GTP, SuperStock GTP, Stock GTP, and GT12R. Additionally there are classes for USGT, PRO10, USVTA, and FWD.

Source: Fordham 360 Hobbies & Raceway [Facebook]

August 25, 2024

Rheinard European Champion once again after 13-years

13-years on from last holding the title, Awesomatix’s Marc Rheinard is the Monaco RC EFRA 1:10 European Touring Car Champion. Giving Awesomatix and new electric sponsor Cayote their first European title in the Modified category, Rheinard took the title at the Racing Club Roeselare track in Belgium for the third time having qualified second behind Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski. With Orlowski having a tough day at the office, it was Rheinard who took the first win of the day’s triple finals. A rain effected A2 would see defending Champion Bruno Coelho win from Orlowski as Rheinard finished P5 meaning it was all to play for in A3. However it was Rheinard who came out on top to win getting by Orlowski after a small mistake from the pole. The title see Rheinard matching his tally of Touring Car World Championship wins and is a major boost for the German ahead of the World Championship in the USA later this year. Overall Coelho took second with Xray team-mate Alexander Hagberg completing the podium ahead Orlowski. In Pro stock defending Champion & Top Qualifier made it a double celebration for Awesomatix securing the title with wins in the opening two A-Main encounters. The German was joined on the podium by Schumacher’s Ollie Payne and local racer Niels Degryze. In the FWD Class, Danish Team Yokomo driver Frederik Hovgaard took the title from P4 on the grid ahead of the Xray of Top Qualifier Adam Iszay and Stefan Schulz.

Image: DMC [Facebook]

August 24, 2024

Orlowski is European Championship Top Qualifier

Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski is the Top Qualifier at the Monaco RC EFRA 1:10 European Touring Car Championships which are taking place Belgium this weekend. With mixed weather conditions challenging drivers at the Racing Club Roeselare track, Orlowski secured the overall TQ with the fastest times in 2 of the 4 counting qualifiers. Chasing his first European Championship title in the category, the 1:12 World Champion will line up ahead of Marc Rheinard, the Awesomatix driver setting the fastest time for Q3. Defending Champion Bruno Coelho, the Xray driver chasing a 4th consecutive title, will line-up 3rd for the finals having set the fastest time in the fifth & final qualifier. Xray’s Alexander Hagberg, Awesomatix’s Lucas Urbain and the Yokomo of Christopher Krapp complete the Top 6 on the grid. In Pro Stock, it was defending Champion Simon Lauter who claimed the TQ ahead of team-mate & 2022 Champion Olivier Bultynck. Schumacher’s Ollie Payne, who was the top seed after practice, ended qualifying P3.

Image: Schumacher [Facebook]