Matrix racing tires have announced that Raimondo Gilletti will join their already impressive team for the 2010 season. The Italian factory Team Magic/Novarossi driver will use Matrix tires in all of this year’s Italian National championship rounds as well as during the 1/10th 200mm World Championships that take place this summer in the USA. Raimondo’s 2010 campaign is also supported by Savox and Dynamic Fuel.
Source: Matrix Tires [matrixtires.it]
There are a couple of question marks when the first round of the Nitro West Masters is held on the Easter weekend at Oberhausen: Who has changed chassis? Who is racing which engine? Who is already well prepared after the long winter? How are the new balance of power in the 1/8 and 1/10 nitro on road classes? The season opener on the 3rd and 4th of April at the old-established race track of the MRC Alstaden Oberhausen in Western Germany will for sure shed light but many drivers will put their cards on the table probably not before the races for the Western German Championships. Nevertheless, the Easter weekend offers a good opportunity to zero in on qualifying for the Nationals.
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SMI Motorsport will offer its Orcan tires for the 1/10 scale nitro on road class with a new rim. In comparison to the old wheel the new rim differs not only visually by a so-called Dish design but more than that with an optimised performance. The closed Dish design offers better aerodynamics and together with the lightweight version, a noticeably better turn-in, apart from the weight advantage. The new rims have been tested by the experienced SMI/Orcan team led by European Champion Dirk Wischnewski. “The driveability at the same shore level has raised generally and specially in fast corners”, says Xray factory driver Wischnewski. SMI offers the new Orcan tyres which come in handy and waste reducing, re sealable bags, in ‘super soft’ and ‘soft’ for front wheels and ‘soft’ and ‘medium’ for rear wheels.
Source: SMI Motorsport [smi-motorsprt.de]
Capricorn RC have announced that front running Italian touring car racer Niki Duina has joined their team for 2010. The former Xray driver will race the company’s new LAB-C01 chassis which has been proving quite competitive in the hands of new team mate Chris Tosolini, and will compete in the Italian Nationals together with this year’s World Championship in Houston, Texas.
Source: Capricorn RC [capricornrc.com]
Following a deal with Shepherd to supply him with their own brand tires, MLC fuel and Novarossi engines, Tobias Hepp has also been confirmed with Serpent for 2010. The Serpent 966 is very much to Tobias’ liking and he expects to do very well in the Germans Nationals and this year’s European Championship in Italy. The co-operation with Michael Salven is working really well at races and together with the help of his dad/mechanic Rudiger Hepp it has enabled Tobais to continue to get faster. Tobias will also race a number of 1/10th races with the Serpent 733 in 2010.
Source: Serpent [serpent.com]
The first round of the Spanish electric touring car took place in the city of Santa Oliva in Barcelona. The modified class was won by Schumacher racer Marc Esbri, with Xray driver Gonzalo Garcia in 2nd and Luis Crisenti driving a Tamiya in 3rd. In the stock class Roberto Hernandez took the victory for Xray ahead of the Schumacher pairing of Miguel Moreno and Salvador Gergori in 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Click here to see the stock podium
Last Sunday the first round of the Portuguese Regional was held in the Circuito Automodelismo do Funchal. This year the qualifying rounds were extended from 5 to 7 minutes making the fight for the pole position very close. Team Magic driver Mario Oliveira took the pole position but the first seven drivers all managed to complete 21 laps. Mugen driver Luis Cortez, who had engine problems all weekend and opted to change to a Siro XXX for the final, started from 4th position and took the early lead of the race and managed to win the race with 87 laps. Kyosho driver Paulo Rodrigues lost six positions following a driver error, but drove a very good race managing to get the 2nd position of the podium on the final lap. The current regional champion Duarte Faria, who started from the second position on the grid, set a new track record but at the final stage of the race didn’t have any rear tires left and he ended up in 3rd.
Thanks to Paulo Rodrigues for the report.
Xray have released a set of 12 premium-quality ceramic balls made from extra-hard Si3N4 silicone nitride ceramic. Available in 2.4mm and 3.175mm they significantly improve differential lifespan while reducing friction and vibration. High-speed ceramic diff balls have very high durability, when properly lubricated, due to reduced slip and heat and with ceramic being approximately 60% lighter than steel, ceramic diff balls have a significantly lower rotating mass.
Source: Xray [teamxray.com]
