Red RC » Racing

January 2, 2024

Zanchettin joins Xray

Xray has announced that multiple Italian National Champion Alex Zanchettin is joining its team and will race their XB8 platform. Zanchettin had previously raced for the Mayako team signing for them at the beginning of 2022 but in 2023 made an appearance as part of the ongoing Infinity Offroad project when he joined lead driver Riccardo Berton for The Italian Race during the Summer. Commenting on the Xray announcement Zanchettin said, “I’m so proud to join such prestigious and ambitious brand like Xray. I always looked up to Xray for dedication to work and for their winning attitude and I’m sure that hard work and their top quality products will be the key to achieve our common goals. Can’t wait to see you all at the track again”.

Source: Xray [teamxray.com]

January 2, 2024

2024 EFRA Homologated Motor Lists

EFRA, the governing body for RC racing in Europe, has just published updated Homologated Motor lists for 2024 for all electric racing categories. Competitors looking to compete at Europrean Championship and EFRA GP events in 1:12, 1:10 Touring Cars and 1:10 Offroad classes can only use Brushless Motors that are included on the 2024 EFRA Homologation Lists, a procedure that began in 2016. When a motor (or rotor) has been approved and included on the relative list, the manufacturer must not change the technical specification, visual appearance or description. Any changes require a new part number and the motor (or rotor) will have to be resubmitted for approval. Drivers are also not allowed to make any changes to the motor, something that happened in Pro Stock at the 2022 European Championships when two driver’s motors were ‘found not to comply with the submitted samples to the EFRA Spec Homologation Lists’ promoting Olivier Bultynck to Champion. Homologation has caused a number of manufacturers issues recently with team drivers having to switch motors or batteries at recent World Championships as their sponsors’ where not IFMAR approved. ROAR, the North American governing body, has had a number of high profile cases where motors where randomly purchased and tested and found to not meet the specification of the original submitted motor that was approved for its sanctioned events. A standard many independent races run by, the offending motors had their motors removed from the approved list. View the full EFRA Motor Homologation lists here.

Source: EFRA [efra.ws]

January 2, 2024

Tessman calls time on career after 20-years of racing

2014 1:8 Buggy World Champion Ty Tessman has called time on an impressive career that puts him up there among the greats of offroad racing. The Canadian announced the decision to retire from the sport after 20-years of racing as he is set to become a father in 2024. Never an easy decision for any sports professional who has dedicate their live to achieving success, the decision by Xray to drop him at the end of 2023 after a 7-year partnership would certainly have played a factor in his departure from the sport. A driver who only represented two manufacturers during his extensive career, Tessman paid tribute to Hot Bodies for giving him the opportunity to turn professional in the sport with his father Gord and mother Leann a pivotal part of the ‘Team Tessman’ journey, the highlight of which was his World title win in Italy 10-years ago. Having witnessed and reported on many of Ty greatest wins over the years, Red RC would like to thank the Tessmans for the memories (late cold nights at the Dirt Nitro Challenge pitting in the Pro-Line tent particular stand outs!!) of some epic race battles and wish Ty all the best in his new family life. Who knows maybe the story will repeat itself in years to come.

Read Ty’s full announcement here

December 30, 2023

JConcepts Finnisher polycarbonate pre-trimmed 1:8 wing

JConcepts has introduced a new Finnisher polycarbonate pre-trimmed 1:8 offroad rear wing. Responding to the wing development, it has come up with a technically advanced alternative for 1:8 racing. The wing features a brand-new design incorporating a multi-height layout which allows the wing to sit in a lower stance. The side-dams feature a surface which has a recessed section for increasing rigidity. The pre-trimmed polycarbonate wing formed in heavy-duty material, has been in the JConcepts line previously as the “Hybrid” wing. Now, it has been refined with taller side-dams, and taller rear gurney. Angular sections blend nicely into the high-performance shape giving a location for that initial step and transition to the wing’s gurney position. At the rear of the wing rests 7 individual ribs which support the wing’s upper section as it transitions to the gurney. The wing is extremely light weight, formed in 1.5mm polycarbonate, the Finnisher has a lot of competition elements rolled into one.

View wing mounted here

December 28, 2023

12-year-old Thilo Baldes joins Serpent Team Europe

Serpent has announced that 12-year-old German racer Thilo Baldes will be racing for Serpent Team Europe from the 2024 season using its recently released 990 Evo 1:8 Onroad chassis. Coming from a strong nitro onroad racing heritage, his father Joerg an accomplished racer and his uncle Uwe well known both as a racer and race promoter, the announcement comes off the back of Thilo’s best season yet. In September 2023, the youngster from Adenau near the famous Nuerburgring achieved his greatest success to date, becoming German Champion in 1:8 nitro onroad racing (Class 2 and German Junior Champion in this class). Set to compete in regional, national and international races, commenting on his new chassis deal, he said, “I am extremely happy and also very proud to be a member of Serpent Team Europe. This is a great opportunity for me. The support is huge! I would like to thank everyone involved for this support and trust, especially Jirka Hassler from 2 speed”. Also supported by Italian engine brand Reds Racing, his father Joerg added, “With the new Serpent 990 Evo and powerful engines from REDS, which we have been using successfully since the Summer, we have an excellent package for the new challenges when Thilo has to move up to National Class 1 after his title win.”

Source: Serpent [serpent.com]

December 28, 2023

JConcepts BIGFOOT 4 Louisville ’90 Ford F-250 body set

Having become extensively involved in the RC monster truck scene in recent years thanks to owner Jason Ruona’s own personal love of all things BIGFOOT, JConcepts has released its latest body for the iconic truck with the BIGFOOT 4 Louisville 1990 Ford F-250 body set. They designed the body to accept the included wrap-around front bumper and rear bumper assembly. A tough task considering most polycarbonate bodies are not produced to hold injection molds parts in this manner. The front clip of the body was built to accept a drop-in injection molded and chrome 3D front grille assembly. They also elected to add an assortment of injection molded and chrome plated engine accessories to this set. These items include the dual and vertical air-filter assembly commonly used on BIGFOOT #4 during this time. An included fastback is built to attach to the body with inner roll-bar assembly which is already injection molded blue in colour. The inner roll-bar assembly makes it possible to mount the included mock light buckets on top and during assembly, add the iconic fluorescent pink light covers to finish off the look.

View more images here

December 28, 2023

JConcepts Teazers 1:8 Truck tyre

New from JConcepts is the Teazer tire which the Florida company has created for the competitive world of 1:8 truck racing. Packed with almost 4000 individual pins, the Teazer uses a multi-height and multi-width pin system to incorporate the dense pin count. The square based, angular lugs alternate in height and width to connect with a track surface by allowing the taller pins to reach deep and contour with the terrain. The shorter pins stiffen the base, add surface area, and provide increased longevity for long main events. JConcepts started this design with conditions in mind that were very typical of 1:8 offroad. Dusty, bumpy and sometimes wet and dry areas make this form of racing the most difficult to tame and the Teazers have all the ingredients. The tires feel to the touch much like a field of grass, the individual blades of tire tread grip independently to form the ultimate low traction or slick groove condition tyre. Alternating bars support sections of the tire where more forward grip is desired while the half-height design of the bar still allows flexibility.

Source: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]

December 26, 2023

McBride back at Kyosho

With his father Scott giving a very subtle hint on Christmas eve as to the impending news with a photo posted on social media, Kyosho has today officially confirmed the return of Kyle McBride to its International 1:8 Offroad team. One of the young stars of the 1:8 Offroad Worlds in Pattaya, Thailand in 2010, which earned him the title of the ‘wonder from Down Under’, the Australian first joined the iconic Japanese manufacturer in 2011 on the back of that performance. Now he returns to bolster their international team which in recent years has not been as prolific. Since his appearance in the 2018 World Championship Final in Perth then driving his Team Associated to 9th, McBride has had a number of chassis sponsors but the return to Kyosho should see his back on the international stage as Australia’s top offroad driver. Commenting on the announcement McBride said, ‘Officially going back to my roots. Sincere thank you to Team Kyosho and Hobbies Australia for the opportunity to join the team and represent this professional brand again. I look forward to equipping these amazing Japanese vehicles and showing what I am capable of with them. Bring on 2024!!!’

Source: Kyosho Corporation [Facebook]