February 14, 2024

Avid B7 Ringer Titanium Turnbuckles

New from Avid Racing Concepts is the Ringer Titanium Turnbuckles for the new Team Associated B7 1:10 2WD Buggy.  The US brand’s first dip into the turnbuckle market, the Ringer Titanium Turnbuckle is currently available for the B7​ with all other modern 1:10 scale vehicles​ arriving in Marc​h.  Creating a unique design instead of merely replicating the JC Fin style, which dominates 95% of the industry, proved to be an arduous task.  It took one year and four design iterations before they arrived at the distinctive Ringer style.  These feature a shiny black finish with silver highlights making them pop on your vehicle like no others on the market due to their trademark round Ringer design which reflects more light than your traditional flat surface cuts.  They have also incorporated their logo machined into the centre on all four sides so it won’t wear off over time and makes it easy to determine which direction tightens or loosens, the A-Arrow turning forward tightens the turnbuckle.

Source: Avid [avidrc.com]


February 13, 2024

MIBO International ’24 – Offroad track reveal

Ahead of this weekend’s second edition of the MIBO International Race, the organisers of the Czech Republic event has revealed the offroad track layout on which this year’s competitive driver line-up with battle it out for honours.  Unveiling 2-weeks ago the onroad track it will be built next to, the offroad layout is the creation of event organiser Michal Bok, with the carpet track featuring 10-jumps.  Taking place in the Sports V Hotel in Hrotovice and starting Friday evening, the stage for two & half day event is set for some great battles in 2WD and 4WD Buggy between Schumacher pairing Michal Orolwski & Daniel Kobbevik, Sworkz duo Joern Neumann & Micha Widmaier, Team Associated’s Joona Haatanen and Xray’s star of the 2023 MIBO International Bartek Zalewski.

See overhead view of track layout here


February 13, 2024

Motowhips Exhaust coatings

Looking to add a touch of bling to your nitro car?  Motocross custom bike builders Motowhips is offering RC racers the opportunity to have their exhaust coated by the California based company.  The Oil-Slick style coatings for nitro vehicle exhausts can be applied to one piece pipes as well as the usual two piece pipes.  To add this Moto-Style customisation to your nitro vehicle for a Factory finish you can contact Motowhips for more information and options.

View coated exhaust & manifold here


February 13, 2024

European 1:8 Electric Buggy C/Ship – Stage 1 Report

Fresh from hosting its annual European 1:8 Nitro Buggy season opening Montpellier Grand Prix over the weekend, Circuit du MBM’s Stage 1 report for the 2024 1:8 Electric Buggy European Championship has been published by EFRA.  The 8th running of the title race for the category, the famous 300m French track will host the championship on June 07-09.  In 2023, Michal Orlowski became the 6th different winner of the title when he took victory at the Rhein-Main Circuit in Germany ahead of Top Qualifier Bruno Coelho and Burak Kilic.  To-date David Ronnefalk is the only driver to win the time twice after successfully defending his title in 2017.  Reigning European 1:8 Nitro Buggy Champion Juan Carlo Canas won the title in 2022 taking over the reign from Nitro World Champion Davide Ongaro.  With information about the track location, local accommodation and travel information you can view the full stage report here.

View Championship winners here


February 12, 2024

ProTek RC Samurai RM.1 Maifield Edition .21 Engine

ProTek RC has announced the pre-sale of its new Samurai RM.1 Maifield Edition 3-Port .21 Competition Nitro Engine.  Designed in collaboration with legendary professional RC racer Ryan Maifield, the new Samurai RM.1 enhances all the winning features found in the original Samurai RM engine and improves the power plant package even more through higher top end speed, increased fuel mileage, an improved and strengthened engine block, smooth yet powerful bottom end, and a slightly lower CG cooling head with new graphics.  “The ProTek RC Samurai RM.1 engine is smooth but powerful, gets awesome fuel mileage, and is easy to tune,” states Maifield.  “I’ve been running a pre-production RM.1 for a few months at a variety of events in different track conditions, and it has performed flawlessly everywhere I have been.”  Through extensive development and testing by Maifield and the ProTek RC R&D team, the new Samurai RM.1 increased fuel mileage by nearly 60 seconds while achieving higher top end speeds and maintaining a smooth bottom end.  It also features a steel backplate insert to reduce friction and wear while increasing RPMs and providing a stable idle.  A strengthened, black-coated crankcase is also included to maximise durability and reliability.  It also utilises a 3-port ABC piston and cylinder that are designed to offer more torque over the power range, while the blue anodised aluminium LCG cooling head with etched ProTek RC, Samurai, and RM logos on the top keep the weight as low as possible to achieve supreme stability and handling performance.

View more images here


February 12, 2024

Zalewski heads Xray challenge for MIBO International

Defending MIBO International Offroad Champions Xray has announced its team for the second edition of the upcoming Czech Republic based event.  At the inaugural running of the event Bruno Coelho won both 2WD and 4WD buggy ahead of young Xray talent Bartek Zalewski who kept the multiple World Champion honest.  Securing the 2WD TQ last year, now Zalewski will head the Slovakian’s offroad efforts.  Enjoying a podium double at the recent EOS Daun, the on-form Zalewski will resume his battles with Schumacher’s Michal Orlowki and Team Associated’s Joona Haatanen with Sworkz’ Joern Neumann joining the mix at the Sports V Hotel in Hrotovice.  The Polish teenager will be joined by Xray’s Max Gotzl and lead offroad chassis designer Martin Bayer.  An event that sees a double track build allowing offroad and onroad to race side by side, in the onroad competition Xray will be represented by Martin Hudy, Jan Ratheisky, David Ehbrar and newly crowned Snowbirds FWD Champion Stefan Schulz.

Source: MIBO [mibosport.com]


February 12, 2024

INS14 kicks off with double win for Rivkin

The 14th season of the popular JConcepts Indoor National Series kicked off at Trackside Hobbies over the weekend where Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin took the buggy double.  The first of 5 stops on the 2024 calendar, the JConcepts Winter Dirt Indoor Nationals attracted over 330 entries to the Wisconsin track once owned by legendary race announcer Scotty Ernst.  In 2WD qualifying, Rivkin topped two of the three rounds to secure the overall TQ from the Xray of Chase Lemieux who took Q3 with Schumacher’s Broc Champlin 3rd ahead of team-mate Ryan Cavalieri.  4WD would also see Rivkin take pole this time from Xray’s Tom Rinderknecht and TLR’s Cole Tollard with Davey Batta who topped Q1 ending up 4th.  In the 2WD finals, Rivkin took A1 but had a rough A2 finishing P8 as Cavalieri came through for the win ahead of Lemieux.  A clean A3 would see Rivkin lead home the field half a second up on Lemieux with Cav third and that was how they would line up on the overall podium.  In 4WD, Rivkin was able to secure an early win with victory in the opening two Mains and with a win in A3 Tollard secured 2nd with Rinderknecht 3rd after winning the tie break with Aydin Horne.  Round 2 of INS14 switches to carpet with RC One Racing in Michigan hosting the JConcepts Spring Carpet Indoor Nationals on March 22-24.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]


February 12, 2024

Spower Japan B7HP ‘Soul’ Hand Modified .21 Offroad

Following on from the release of its first hand modified racing engine that was specifically for 1:8 GT, Spower has added a second engine to the ‘Soul’ series with the popular B7TT .21 offroad engine undergoing the special treatment.  Based on long-stroke B7TT, the new B7HP piston/liner comes with hand modified conventional 3-ports type enabling more torque the power range.  The stronger DLC coating on new crankshaft has also hand modified with 2 tungsten counterweights contributing to consistent idling and quicker RPM response according to the throttle movements.  It also comes standard with Spower’s Boost rear cover plate which helps this high RPM engine work more stable from the top speeds to the lower range.  The new printing technology not only makes the cooling head colourful but also makes it blend in with your car.  The factory combo setup with Spower Japan 75mm Exhaust Manifold + EFRA 2089 pipe, B7HP will provide a lot of power  plus best fuel mileage for your offroad racing needs.

View Spec and mores images