Red RC

August 21, 2016

Kitazawa 3rd different driver to post TQ at 1:12 Worlds

Hideo Kitazawa became the third different driver to post a TQ run at the 1:12 World Championships in Beijing, China, the 2014 podium finisher topping Q3 ahead of the pace setters of the opening two qualifiers. The Morotech driver snatched the qualifier after a late mistake from Q1 winner Akio Sobue with Q2 topping Naoto Matsukura completing the Top 3 despite his car falling apart over the 8-minutes. With earlier mistakes from Matsukura and Sobue handing Hayato Ishioka the lead for a time until he too became a victim of the difficult track to eventually finish 4th. After run time issues in both opening qualifiers, Jilles Groskamp would be the only non Japanese driver in the Top 8, the Dutchman getting a sixth while the top European of the first two qualifiers Marc Rheinard retired after damaging his car. With two P2 runs to his credit, the reigning World Champion was less then complimentary of the driving standards of Matsukura who he felt should have opened for Sobue but instead caused ‘a mess’.

Continue reading this report here or view our complete event coverage here.

August 21, 2016

Framega YRX-12 2mm alloy chassis & lower pod plate

Italian company Framega have introduced a 2mm aluminium chassis and lower pod plate for the Yokomo YRX-12 1/12th scale pan car. Machined from high-quality 7075-T6 material the chassis sports strategically machined cut-outs to save both weight and offer optimised flex characteristics. A lot of attention was also put into reducing chassis scrubbing during hard cornering and so the side link attachment points received additional machining to achieve some extra clearance. Both the chassis and lower pod plate come black anodised, with silver chamfered edges for looks and they are available now.

View a detail image here

August 21, 2016

Matsukura gets it done in Q2

Having faded badly after a blistering start to Q1, Naoto Matsukura was able to go the full 8-minutes in the second qualifier at the 1:12 World Championships to TQ the round ahead of Marc Rheinard. The Roche driver would be the only one to run 39-laps of the tricky Chinese track with Rheinard losing out on the extra lap as he failed to complete the full distance as his car dumped and came to a halt as he tried to complete the 39th lap. Having taken the opening qualifier, Akio Sobue would retire with a broken diff just before the 6-minute mark with Keven Hebert making up for his Q1 retirement to complete the Top 3. Just 0.056 behind Morotech’s Hideo Kitazawa who would enjoy a P4 run with Juho Levanen again getting securing a fifth for the round.

Continue reading this report here or view our complete event coverage here.

August 21, 2016

Sobue takes opening qualifier in China

Akio Sobue has taken the opening round of qualifying at the 1:12 World Championships in China. The CRC driver topped the first of the six scheduled qualifiers after a blistering fast run from Naoto Matsukura came undone in the final two minutes as the former champion ran out of tyres. The top seed for qualifying, Matsukura quickly pulled clear of his rivals building up an advantage of over 6-seconds, but with a lap time that was 3/10th faster than anyone else his pace took its toll on the Roche drivers tyres leading to a the first of a number of huge crashes coming off the main straight. With the crashes leading him to finish almost a lap down on Sobue in P8, it was reigning champion Marc Rheinard who would be closest to Sobue’s time with JJ Wang, who is running in the second fastest heat, completing the Top 3.

Continue reading this report here or view our complete event coverage here.

August 21, 2016

Matsukura top seed for qualifying

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Picking up where he left off in free practice yesterday, Naoto Matsukura has topped controlled practice to put himself top seed for qualifying at the 1:12 World Championships in China. Chasing a fourth World title in the class, the Roche driver was considerably faster than his rivals over 3-consecutive laps, his time a 36.462 compared to the next best of 37.000 set by a much improved Keven Hebert. With Toto Ebukuro completing the Top 3 it wasn’t the best of mornings for reigning World Champion Marc Rheinard. Having had his time, a P5, for the first of the two controlled practices disallowed for his tyres not being marked, CP2 didn’t start out well as he had to pull off to have his rear tyres tightened. Rejoining he would eventually get three laps that would leave him 7th quickest one spot ahead of reigning European Champion Alexander Hagberg.

Continue reading this report here or view our complete event coverage here.

August 21, 2016

Come Drive With Us – The Texas ROAR Nats

With the 2016 IFMAR Worlds coming back to the USA for the first time since 2008, professional R/C Racers are trying to win as many events as they possibly can to send a message to the competition. Ty Tessmann, looking to repeat as IFMAR world champion, is again having a less than stellar season leading up to the ROAR Nationals. Last year, he dominated this event, and with him winning the ROAR Warm-up will he walk away from this race with a win? The impressive, covered, Thornhill Racing Circuit once again hosts the ROAR Nationals. Would we see another thrilling finish as we did in 2014 or would it once more be nothing more than a race for 2nd?

August 20, 2016

Matsukura tops opening day at 12th Worlds

Naoto Matsukura has topped the opening day’s action of the 1:12 World Championship in China where the biggest story is the lack of traction. Setting his fastest time in the fourth of the 8 rounds of free practice around the large technical indoor track in Beijing, the Japanese driver was fastest from Alexander Hagberg and Marc Rheinard with none of the top three able to improve over the second half of the day. The final practice would see slight improvement from Akio Sobue ad Keven Herbert, Sobue maintaining fourth and Hebert moving up to fifth but it was JJ Wang who would find the most time with a strong time in the penultimate practice that saw him complete the Top 6.

Continue reading this report here or view our complete event coverage here.

August 20, 2016

Pro-Spec introduce new brushless speed controller

Japanese company Pro-Spec have introduced their new brushless speed controller, developed in cooperation with ORCA. Currently still in prototype stages, also sporting the original ORCA case, the internals are redesigned to offer a smoother power band without sacrificing punch when needed. Also the brake software was renewed, again to smooth out the reactions on brake input but like the throttle characteristics the brake output can be sharpened when conditions call for it. The final ESC may come with an updated case design and we bring you more information on the project once they become available.

Source: Pro-Spec [pro-spec.jp]