September 22, 2023

Baruffolo and Tekno part ways

International 1:8 Offroad racer Marco Baruffolo has announced that he and chassis sponsor Tekno are to part ways with immediate effect.  The Italian joined the American manufacturer in December 2021 and during the almost 2-year partnership enjoyed some strong results including winning 1:8 Nitro Buggy at the blue ribbon Silver State race in the US and making the final at the 2022 World Championship in Spain.  On his Facebook page Baruffolo posted, ‘With immediately effect, Tekno and I decided to part away!  I am extremely grateful for this opportunity, we achieved some great results winning the SilverState and made the final at the Worlds!  Thanks to Daniel and the entire Tekno team for the opportunity and the time spent together where I learned a lot!  Can’t wait to show you my new adventure.’

Source: Marco Baruffalo [Facebook]

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September 22, 2023

T-Works S8 carbon parts

T-Works has released a number of carbon parts for the new Sparko S8 1:8 nitro buggy.  Machine from 1.5mm carbon fibre, the range of parts include Front Upper A-arm Stiffeners, Front A-arm Stiffeners and Rear A-arm Stiffeners as well as a Wing Mount Plate and a Rear Brace Plate,.

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September 21, 2023

Hamilton & Ocon enjoy 1:8 Nitro fun at Japanese GP

Last year at the Japanese Grand Prix we saw Lewis Hamilton at the controls of a Tamiya Lunchbox and Esteban Ocon having some fun with a Kyosho buggy thanks to RC Legend Yuichi Kanai and now the two F1 drivers have teamed up at Suzuka this year for a bit more 1:8 Nitro Buggy fun at the event.  The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team shared photos and a video on social media of the pair driving the two buggies up and down the pit lane with both drivers clearly enjoying the experience before they get down to the more serious business of this weekend’s F1 Grand Prix which starts tomorrow.  Clearly F1 drivers also need to be marshalled too with a photo of one of the cars upside down.  It also appears that Lewis shares something in common with our own 1:8 Buggy and now 1:10 4WD World Champion Davide Ongaro in using a stick radio!!

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September 21, 2023

RC Cars Köngen 2023 Halloween Race – Announcement

It’s that time again with RC Cars Köngen e.V. hosting its annual Halloween Race over the weekend of November 4/5th 2023.  With over 150 entries, the Halloween Race in Köngen has become one of the largest national electric offroad events in Germany.  In the past, drivers from all over Europe have come to Köngen to compete with drivers like Jörn Neumann,  Micha Widmaier, Burak Kilic and Moritz Lautenbach from Germany, Clement Boda from France, Senne Pauwels from Belgium and Rik Haemers from the Netherlands.  Racing will take place in the classes 2WD and 4WD Modified and Stock as well as Mod Truck according to the regulations of the DMC.  On the Friday of race weekend there will be practice at the venue.  If you want to be there, you have to be fast with the entries opening via myrcm.ch on 25.09.2023 at 20.00 o’clock.

Source: RC Cars Köngen e.V. [rc-cars-koengen.de]

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September 21, 2023

Kyosho Optima Mid ’87 WC Worlds Spec 60th Anniversary

As part of their ongoing 60th anniversary celebrations in 2023, Kyosho has announced another special limited edition Legendary series kit with the Optima Mid ’87 WC Worlds Spec 60th Anniversary Limited edition.  A replica of the 1987 Optima Mid prototype which the team drivers were using with special custom parts, the new limited production run is packaged in a special small size box with package handle. The kit features gun metallic finished aluminium cylinders on the oil shocks which are equipped with titanium coated shafts that increase wear resistance.  The main gear shaft, which transmits the power from the spur gear to the gearbox, is made of 7075 extra super duralumin with hard anodised finish. It is significantly lighter than the conventional steel, contributing to the improvement of throttle response.  Ball differentials on both front and rear provide smooth operation and maximum traction with slip action when excessive load is applied for improved driving stability. Front Universal swing shafts deliver excellent drive efficiency and minimise vibration during steering for improved control.

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September 20, 2023

JConcepts Megalithic 1.9″ Crawler Tyre

Coming off the heels of successful designs such as the Landmines, Scorpios, and Tusk, JConcepts presents the Megalithic crawler tyre.  Built to the popular 4.75” outside diameter competition dimension, the Megalithic is the most detailed JConcepts tyre ever produced. When JConcepts R&D sat down to conceptualise ideas and celebratory projects for its 20th anniversary, the team decided to produce an intricate crawling tyre.  A whole new layout of lug arrangement, terracing, and recessing provides a footing capable of distorting to just about any terrain.  The large “bat lug” centre section can pull in either direction and can be tested in vertical lug direction forward, or with the stepping forward.  Next to the centre, the “club lugs” with recessed areas define the outside of the tread.  The “sharks’ mouth” ties an arrangement of the centre structure together and the Megalithic pyramid drops right into the centre giving surface area at various angles.The sidewalls include heavy traction bar placement, removed sections to add pitch and flex grip characteristics. Several “pencil push” plots array the sidewalls with heavy carved and shaved sections in each rotation.  A “liquid rope” finalises the sidewall tread detail to separate where the tread ends, and the tire lettering begins. Recessed JConcepts logo with inner hatching takes position in multiple areas while the 20th Anniversary logo looks strong.

Source: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]

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September 18, 2023

‘RC Arena’ reopens for ’23/24 Winter season

Swiss indoor track ‘RC Arena’ is to reopen for the 2023/24 Winter season.  With both onroad and offroad drivers coming together to create the indoor track in Wädenswil last year, the 1300 metre squared is back to again and offers the perfect facility for racers to prepare for upcoming indoor season or just to stay sharp over the winter.  Having hosted the opening round of the Swiss 1:10 Offroad National Championships, the track will open on 30th September 2023.  Again the facility features a 600m2 offroad track using EOS carpet with the 720m2 onroad track drivers will also enjoy a new 720m2 ETS carpet surface.

View facility images here

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September 17, 2023

16-year-old Sontag crowned World Champion in Arizona

A new 2WD Offroad World Champion has been crowned in Arizona with 16-year-old Tate Sontag becoming the 14th different winner of the sport’s most prestigious Title with a flawless win in A2 ahead of outgoing Champion Spencer Rivkin.  Showing moments of promise in 4WD but just missing cut with P11 in qualifying, when the event switched to 2WD the Team Losi Racing driver found a form that put the American right in the mix with the World’s RC establishment.  Two TQ runs in qualifying en-route to becoming overall Top Qualifier was an indication of what was to come.  Winning A1, the nerves of the big occasion highlighted by some mistakes he would survive, that result just sent his confidence even higher.  Despite the pressure of Rivkin and newly crowned 4WD Champion Davide Ongaro taking turns at chasing him down, Tater drove a near perfect race to secure the World Title on his Championship debut.  A3 would decide who joined him on the podium at Hobby Action RC Raceway, second place qualifier Rivkin dominating from the front to lock in 2nd overall.  Holding off Schumacher team-mate Ryan Cavalieri for second in A3, Broc Champlin completed the all American podium line-up.

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