Red RC

May 29, 2016

Atsushi Hara clinches 2016 FEMCA Buggy title

The final day of the 2016 FEMCA 1/8th Buggy Championship, held at the Southern Alley Track in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, started with a delay due to heavy rain but thanks to the track’s efficient water drainage the organisers were able to start the lower finals soon after the weather cleared up. In the semifinal A, the grid leader, Wataru Takashiro took an easy win while in the semifinal B, Shin Adachi finished first after Atsushi Hara ran into receiver pack issues. At the end Atsushi Hara finished in eights and managed to secure a lucky 15 spot for the A-main final. In the main, Atsushi soon stormed to the front and in lap 9 he was able to take the lead. From that moment on the race started to heat up with Atsushi Hara and Wataru Takashiro racing bumper to bumper, exchanging the lead, until Wataru Takashiro had to pit, rectifying a steering link issue which left Atsushi Hara in the lead that he would hold on to until the checkered flag to take the title from Shin Adachi in second and Paphon Chanyasak in third.

View the final result here

May 29, 2016

Volker leads RROC from Krapp going into final day

LRSat-VolkerOvernight

Completing a perfect day, winning all four of his races, Ronald Volker will go into the final day of the 19th running of the Reedy Race of Champions tomorrow with a 2-point lead over Christopher Krapp with four races separating the Yokomo driver from his third title at the iconic race. Unfortunately in contrast to his Tamiya team-mate Krapp who enjoyed three wins today, defending champion & leader after Day 1’s action Marc Rheinard would fall fowl of the draw. Starting three of the day’s encounters in the same race as Volker, the 5-time Champion would loose points to his rival each time, a win in Round 6 when he didn’t line-up on the same grid as Volker little consolation as he finds himself 3 points and 2 wins off his long standing arch rival. Starting the days closing race from pole, Volker made easy work of his opposition as Rheinard starting from P6 found himself spun out on the opening lap by Rick Hohwart ending any hopes of challenging for a much needed win. In Krapp’s race, once he got by France’s Loic Jasmin on the fifth lap, it was just a matter of putting in laps on what would be cooler and much faster track conditions. In the second race of the round, from the front row of the grid, 2015 podium finisher Meen Vejrak got the jump on pole starter Juho Levanen to cruise to a second win of the event. This left Round 7 race winner Levanen to fend off AE team-mate Ryan Cavalieri for second, the Offroad star doing well to come through from P8 on the grid for 3rd to end the day with all Top 3 finishes.

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

May 29, 2016

Volker stretches advantage at RROC with 5th win

Having assumed the lead at the Reedy Race of Champions this morning from overnight leader & defending champion Marc Rheinard, Ronald Volker is starting to stretch his advantage with the Yokomo driver making it three wins from three races today at Tamiya Raceway. With himself and Rheinard claiming a win a piece in the second race of the day maintaining the single point separation, Round 7 would see the duo draw to run in the same race. Starting from 3rd on the grid with Rheinard at the back, Volker would survive contact with his team-mate Loic Jasmin, and a call from the referee for a Stop & Go, to win. While a good race from Rheinard would see him snatch 2nd from Ryan Cavalieri on the final dash to the finish line, the result leaves Volker with a two point lead as they again start in the same race in similar grid positions for the 8th of 12, & final race of the day. Very much a battle of the Germans this year, the round would see fellow countryman Christopher Krapp add a third win ahead of Tamiya team-mate Akio Sobue to move him into a provisional overall podium placing. Kicking off the round, Race 1 would be the most exciting encounter as a trio of Team Associated drivers battled for their first win of the 19th running of the Reedy Race. In the end Juho Levanen would take the win after Rick Hohwart spun but that set up another great battle for second as the Reedy electronics frontman tried to get passed his team driver Keven Hebert.

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

May 28, 2016

Volker leads as Reedy Race at the mid point

With half of the 12 rounds of heads up racing complete at the Reedy Race of Champions, it is Ronald Volker who narrowly leads the way from defending champion Marc Rheinard. The sixth round of racing would see the early title contenders maintain equilibrium as both drivers recorded wins, the other race going to Round 4 winner Randy Caster. The only time both drivers don’t line up in the same races today, it was Rheinard who laid down the gauntlet after a disappointing start to Day 2 as he won the opening race of the round from fourth on the grid ahead of P8 starter Viljami Kutvonen and Naoto Matsukura. Starting his encounter from 3rd, Volker however would match his fellow German to win ahead of 3rd in the overall standings Akio Sobue to make it a neutral round in terms of the point divide between himself and Rheinard. Two pretty straight forward races the third race would provide all the action. While Caster would complete a tone to tone win from pole, behind him there was a great battle between Austria’s Thomas Pumpler, American Touring Car stalwart Rick Hohwart and for a time Juho Levanen. Pumpler would hold his nerve to finish second, himself and Hohwart high-fiving after their crowd pleasing tussle.

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

May 28, 2016

RROC Day 2 opens with wins for Krapp, Volker & Kutvonen

With California’s ‘June Gloom’ delaying the start of the second day’s action at the Reedy Race of Champions, when racing did get underway on the low traction conditions it was Christopher Krapp, Ronald Volker and Viljami Kutvonen who took the wins. With the 5th round again seeing Volker line up against defending champion Marc Rheinard, the main attention would be on Race 2. Starting side by side on the second row, Rheinard having the advantage of lining up on the inside, the prospects of a repeat of the great battles yesterday would be short lived. Coming out of the sweeper, Rheinard’s Tamiya would spin out dropping him to the back allowing Volker to bide his time in getting passed early leader Andrew Hardman. Hardman would hold on to finish second as an attempt by the recovering Rheinard to pass the Canadian saw him get spun out by the lapped VBC of Ryan Maker. Having established a lead Volker’s race wasn’t without drama, holding comfortable lead the Yokomo driver somehow survived a huge impact when he collected Keven Hebert’s Associated which suffered a shutdown on the main straight. In the opening race, Krapp registered his second win as he capitalised on his pole starting position to win easily ahead of Ryan Cavalieri. In the third race, RROC Rookie Viljami Kutvonen also made the most of a P1 grid position to win but couldn’t let up as Tamiya’s Akio Sobue chased in second. World Champion Naoto Matsukura would finish a distant third.

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

May 28, 2016

Destiny RX10S spring steel front spool cups

Destiny have introduced a set of spring steel front spool cups for the RX10S touring car. Designed to replace the standard composite parts the steel items are much stronger, they offer higher precision and make for improved power supply. With a hardened surface for wear and a second set of drive pin slots they are also very durable.

Source: Destiny [destinyracing.jp]

May 28, 2016

Atsushi Hara takes overall TQ at FEMCA championship

The 2016 FEMCA 1/8th Buggy Championship is currently being held at the Southern Alley Track in Johor Bahru, Malaysia with 74 drivers from around Asia and Australia in attendance. After the completion of the seven qualifying rounds Japan’s Atsushi Hara (Kyosho) is sitting on top with fellow country man Wataru Takashiro (Kyosh) coming in second, following some tight battles during the qualifiers. At the end a flameout of Wataru in Q7 lead to another TQ for Atsushi to grab the overall top qualifier position. The all-Kyosho top 3 is rounded out by South Korea’s Dani Choi while Tekno driver Kyle Francis (Australia) completed the top 4 result before the finals that are being held on Saturday.

View the qualifying results here

May 28, 2016

Rheinard leads RROC at the end of Day 1

Defending champion Marc Rheinard leads the Reedy Race of Champions at the end of the Day 1, the Tamiya driver taking an important win in the day’s closing race as he again went head to head with arch rival Ronald Volker. With Volker pulling off an epic pass on Rheinard in the previous round, the pair started their fourth race of the day side by side on the back row setting the stage for a showdown that wasn’t to disappoint. While Volker got the initial jump on his fellow German, he would have to check up to avoid hitting pole starter EJ Evans, allowing Rheinard to go second behind Barry Baker. A winner in Round 3, Baker would hold three of the best drivers in the business at bay for six laps but when Rheinard found a way through so too did Volker and World Champion Naoto Matsukura. With three & a half minutes complete Volker was all over the lead Tamiya, getting on the inside of Rheinard in the centre section before the kink Volker tried a pass. Side by side they would touch in the kink with Volker coming off the worst as his Yokomo rolled. With Rick Hohwart slipping through Volker would finish third as Rheinard won by 0.9 of a second. In the other encounters, starting from pole Meen Vejrak would register his first win taking Race 1 ahead of last place starter Christopher Krapp and Akio Sobue who finds himself third overall overnight. The same race would see Ryan Cavalieri’s impressive run come undone as had a coming together with AE team-mate Juho Levanen, the Offroad star not happy with the Finn saying afterwards, ‘You can’t do much when your ball jammed by your team-mate’. In a somewhat chaotic Race 2, Associated driver Randy Caster would benefit to take a comfortable win from the back of the grid.

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