Sweep Racing have released their second 1/10 buggy tire called the Square Armor. These new rear tires are developed for outdoor racing in Europe and come in four compounds, silver, blue, red and white. Team driver Reno Savoya helped develop the tires for better forward bite and traction on dusty surfaces. Available in late January.
Source: Sweep Racing [sweepracing.com]
World Champions KM Racing have announced that 2006 World Champion and multiple Japanese National Champion Keisuke Fukuda has joined their team. Fukuda will not only join as one of their international team drivers, but will help with the development of the H-K1 as well as the development of the KM 1/8 GP on road car project which is expected to be ready in time for the upcoming IFMAR world championships in Japan. He had this to say:
By the end of last year, I was with the Mugen team for quite a long period, and I really appreciated Mugen team for such great support. However, I want to challenge something new, therefore I decided to join the KM team from this new year 2013. KM Team is quite new and still growing up so I also want to grow up together with KM Team. In KM Team, I do my best not only as a Team Driver, but also I do my best to support R&D staff. In fact, I want to cooperate to produce their new 1/8 racing car from the beginning at KM Team by using my experience of 1/8 racing. As my new challenge, I will do my best to make good race result at new team, and also produce good machine together with KM Group. So, I hope that you will be good enough to continue assistance to me in KM Team.
Source: KM Racing [km-rc.com]
TeamSR have introduced this optional battery brace set for the Xray XB4 1/10th scale 4wd off-road buggy. The product is constructed out of high quality carbon fiber in 2mm thickness and is CNC machined to give you a straight and clean cut for a smooth edge. The carbon fiber provides a more rigid mounting position thus increasing durability over the existing factory plastic braces.
Source: TeamSR [teamsr.co]
Spec R have released this new carbon graphite bumper holder for their R1 chassis. Made from 2.5mm tick high quality carbon it is lightweight, stylish and offers a place to mount your personal transponder.
Source: Spec-R [spec-r.com]
Italian company IDM have announced a new agreement with Star-Motor Factory. For 2013, former World champion Daniele Ielasi chose Star-Motor to produce the new engines, which will be developed by the Italian driver himself. The completely new IDM engines line will include a new .12 Touring in Racing-Tuned and Factory Tuned versions, a new .21 Track, a GT motor and a complete range of Buggy engines, also available in Racing-Tuned and Factory Tuned. The Italian ace had this to say “I’m really excited and motivated for this new project and I’m sure that with this new cooperation with Star-Motor and all its staff we can do a great job!”
Source: IDM [idmtuned.com]
The fourth of eight races of the 2012/13 Mibosport Cup presented by Yokomo attracted over 130 drivers from 6 countries including some of Europe’s top drivers such as Zdenko Kunak, Daniel Sieber, Marek Cerny, Piotr Okonski and Michal Orlowski. The Mibosport Cup is organised by Michal Bok and the event takes place in the same venue as the ETS in January. The race was held for a variety of electric classes such as 2WD and 4WD buggy, Formula, Yokomo GT, Stock 17.5T and Modified TC. In the TC Modified class 30 drivers fought for the victory and the battle for TQ was on between Zdenko Kunák, Marek Cerny and Radek Flek. The TQ went to Zdenko Kunak in front of Radek Flek and in the race the big battle in the final was between Zdenko, Marek and Radek. The win went to Zdenko, with Radek Flek in 2nd and Marek Cerny third. A very good race in this category also for Dennis Fadtke who was fourth place overall.
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JConcepts have introduced two new tires for 1/8th offroad, the Stackers and Black Jackets. The Stackers is a culmination of successful DNA from the highly popular Hybrids and Crowbars tire tread patterns which reveals a heavy center lug design which is supported at the lower base with extra rib features and tiny fillets which provide a heavy forward gripping force. Directional slashes cut into the tread soften the lugs to absorb bumps and also increase the lug flexibility to accommodate loose conditions. The Black Jackets, constructed from very small square pins, provide additional grip on loose conditions with a light amount of dust and debris across the surface. The tread spacing near the outside rows are slightly open allowing maximum flexibility to adhere to smooth and slick surfaces providing a reasonable flex contact patch. The crisp center bar construction provides a wall-like pattern of tread which provides additional forward bite and also resists some high-expansion wear associated with typical small pin tires.
Thunder R/C hosted the Tennessee Indoor State Championship last weekend to wrap up the R/C year in Nashville, Tenn. The track is small by U.S. indoor standards, but the lay-out was challenging and interesting; a good test for the Championship. X-Factory drivers took home the hardware in Mod Buggy, Mod Truck, and Pro2 Short Course. X-Teamers Dan Reino and Paul Sinclair qualified 1-2 in buggy, and that’s how they ran the first few laps, pulling out a small lead on the field two minutes into the six minute race Reino got it sideways landing the triple in front of the drivers’ stand, and Sinclair shot through on the right side into the lead. Dan collected it up, but Paul was gone. In the last minute Reino put on a stirring charge, but Paul stayed cool to nail down the win in a 1-2 finish for X Factory X-6 Squareds were in the A main.
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