January 28, 2010

Swauger & Ishitani win big at Novarossi Challenge Rd1

Swauger & Ishitani win big at Novarossi Challenge Rd1

This past weekend race 1 of the Novarossi Challenge Series was held at Crystal Park Raceway in southern California. The big winners were Mike Swauger in the Expert 1/8th class, Darin Ishitani in the Expert Sedan class and Ryan Alfonso in the Sprtsman 1/8th class. It was the first large event that the newly EFRA & ROAR approved Protoform R5-N sedan body was used in competition. Mike Swauger handily TQ’ed using the R5-N and when qualifying was over there were 8 A-main drivers using the body as well. Mike Swauger succumbed to motor problems and was not able to start the A-Main. Mugen teammate Darin Ishitani got he big “Win”.

Continue reading the report here.


January 28, 2010

Elliot Harper confirmed at World Champion TRF team

Elliot Harper confirmed at TRF dream team

Tamiya Racing Factory have officially announced that 16 year old British racer Elliott Harper has joined their team for the 2010 season. The World and European Championship finalist will compete in the UK Nationals, the European Championships in Finland and France and the Worlds in Germany, along with many other races with the new Tamiya TRF416X. Having already competed at some regional races in the UK with his new Tamiya, Elliot will make his international debut this weekend at ETS round 3 in Hrotovice, Czech Republic. Elliott had the following to say about his new deal:

I am really looking forward to the 2010 season and running the Tamiya TRF416X. Racing with Tamiya is an exciting opportunity and I feel very fortunate to be part of this established team.  I am looking forward to working closely with some of the best known racers in the World and working together to gain some great results for Tamiya. This is a fantastic learning and developing opportunity for me.  I have already run the package for some races now and its very, very good!  I am really looking forward to the coming races and especially the ETS race this weekend. It will be great fun. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Xray, Juraj, Mario, Martin and the rest of the team for the last two seasons as they have provided me with lots of support and encouragement.

Source: Tamiya [tamiya.com]


January 28, 2010

Dennis Fadtke dominates Polish Nats Rd3

Dennis Fadtke dominates Polish Nats Rd3

The 3rd round of the Polish Touring car Nationals took place last weekend in Tarnow and attracted more than 100 drivers, despite the -24 degree temperatures outside. Inside it was a more acceptable 18 degrees and qualifying would go the way of Dennis Fadtke in both the modified and stock classes. In the mod finals, Fadtke would go on to win ahead of Morris Indovino in 2nd and Paweł Żelazo 3rd, and would do the double by taking the stock win in front of Blazej Orlowski and Maciek Brzozowski.

Click here to see the stock podium


January 28, 2010

World Champions go head to head as ETS makes first visit to Czech Republic

World Champions go head to head ETS as makes first visit to Czech Republic

The third round of the 2009/2010 Euro Touring Series travels for the first time to the Czech Republic this weekend where almost 200 drivers from around the world will descend on the town of Hrotovice in the south of the country. While current electric Touring Car World Champion Marc Rheinard is no stranger to competing in the Xenon Racing backed series, this weekend the German will go head to head with the nitro Touring Car World title holder Daniele Ielasi.

Continue reading this announcement


January 27, 2010

Serpent 733 oneway/spool & 966 Steel brake disk

Serpent 733 oneway/spool & 966 Steel brake disk

Serpent have released two new parts for the Serpent 733 and Serpent 966. The first, an aluminium front one-way axle with high quality one-way bearings that has been precision machined out of a single piece of aluminium with integrated pulley-flange. It can also be locked, when needed, by using 2 steel pins that slide through holes in the steel adaptors and are kept in place by 2 o-rings. Simple and effective, the set includes axle with one-ways, 2 steel adapters, 2 pins and 2 O-rings. The set uses the same pulley as that on the front differential but isn’t included. Secondly Serpent have released a lightweight steel brake disk for both the 733 and 966. Weighing only 11 grams it offers very smooth and even breaking, also under changing weather conditions & temperatures and through long finals.

Click here for more images of the products


January 27, 2010

CSO V-One RRR Lightweight 2-speed shaft

CSO V-One RRR Lightweight 2-speed shaft

Even more gearbox shafts from CSO, who have produced another lightweight 2-speed shaft, this time for the Kyosho V-One RRR Evo2 WC. A direct replacement for the stock part, it has been made from steel which has been hollowed out for extra weight savings without sacrificing the durability of the part.

Source: CSO [cso.com.hk]


January 27, 2010

Xray T3 – History Repeating

Xray T3 - History Repeating

It’s a good tradition at Slovakian manufacturer Xray to present a new touring car towards the end of the year and 2009 made no exception to this rule. We reviewed the T2 ‘009 back in March and, as you might expect, for some time now the 2010 car is up for grabs. The T2 ‘010 is … err, stop, there is no ‘010 as Xray decided to introduce the next evolution of their race and award winning T-cars platform: the T3! As you would expect with Xray the new car is more of an evolution than a revolution although some wished to see a totally new layout with the now common heavier-than-brushed-set-ups brushless motors and speed controls and lightweight LiPo battery packs. Instead of a totally new car Xray introduced an only slightly adapted T2 that copes with the new equipment and does not deny its roots. In fact on first glance one could easily overlook the many changes that went into the new Xray T3!

Read the full review here


January 26, 2010

Bickerstaff claims Irish Touring Car Series Rd1

Bickerstaff claims Irish Touring Car Series Rd1

The opening round of the 2010 Irish Touring Car Series took place in Bangor, Northern Ireland, over the weekend where it was defending Champion Alan Bickerstaff who claimed the win. Attracting a healthy entry, the event saw Bickerstaff put his Novak powered Associated TC5 on pole after a determined TQ run in the final qualifier. The opening Leg of the A-Main saw the Team Associated British Championship team driver lead early on followed by the Tamiya’s of Mark Gilliland and Keith Dempsey but 2 minutes in Bickerstaff came undone as he tried to pass a back marker. This handed Gilliland the race lead but with a minute left on the clock he ‘binned it’ allowing Bickerstaff back through to take the win with Dempsey completing the Top 3. In the second leg Bickerstaff had a straight run through to victory as Gilliland and Dempsey fought over second. Having held second for the early part of the race Dempsey could not hold off Gilliland who eventually found a way passed but it was too late for him to mount a challenge for the win meaning the podium was a reflection of the Top 3 starting order. Having started from the back of the grid John Matthews enjoyed one of his best ever performances to finish fourth overall.

Continue reading the report here