Expanding its offroad team, Ielasi Tuned has announced that young Italian talent Riccardo Simionato will use their engines to power his 1:8 Offroad race program. The 19-year-old will debut as an Ielasi team driver at the penultimate round of the very competitive Italian National Championships before competing at EFRA European B Championship at the Ospyteam track in Gussago, Italy, in September.
Source: Ielasi Tuned [ielasituned.com]
At the 1989 IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championships in Australia, a certain Masami Hirosaka drove the then groundbreaking RC10 “Stealth” car to victory and now in its latest re-release series Team Associated are giving fans & collectors the chance to own one. The 1989 Team Associated Stealth Car prototype was a radical evolution of the RC10 platform, purpose-built for top-tier competition at the IFMAR World Championships. Designed in secrecy, it featured several innovative elements that set a new benchmark in 2WD offroad buggy performance. Most notably, it introduced the Stealth transmission—a compact, three-gear unit with an internal slipper clutch. Unlike the bulkier six-gear design of the original RC10, the Stealth transmission offered smoother, more efficient power transfer and a lower centre of gravity.
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The Czech Republic is getting a new 1:10 astroturf offroad track which is set to open this August. The new track is part of the existing Max Land / RC Divoké Jelení racing complex in Horní Jelení which already includes a full-size 1:8 clay track and regularly hosts major national events. The new astro turf addition brings modern electric offroad racing facilities to the heart of Eastern Bohemia. Designed to accommodate 1:10 buggies, stadium trucks, and short course trucks, the track features a high-traction astro surface, a technical yet flowing layout, and jump sections that allow for configuration changes, that will also be upgraded in the future events. Supporting infrastructure includes a new drivers’ stand, covered pit area, solid fence around the track and easy access for visitors from outside. The official opening is scheduled for August 8th, during the weekend of the Czech 1:8 Offroad National Championship.
David Ronnefalk is the new EFRA 1:8 Nitro Buggy European Champion, the Swede taking his fourth title in the category and bringing it back to Xray whose last title in the category also came in Portugal back in 2018. Racing at the upcoming eBuggy World Championship track of Barcelos Buggy Arena, it was defending back to back Champion Juan Carlos Canas who secured the TQ topping three of the 5 qualifiers. Chasing his first ever European Nitro title, reigning World Champion opened qualifying with a TQ run before ending up P2 ahead of Ronnefalk, who was fastest in Q4. Behind Mugen Seiki’s Berkan Kilic secured P4 with former 2-time Champion Elliot Boots completing the Top 5 for Sworkz. Winning the faster of the two Semi Finals it was Ongaro’s Team Associated which lined up on pole for the final ahead of Canas, winner of his Semi, and Robert Batlle, the Sworkz driver having a good Semi final to finish 2nd behind Ongaro having qualified 10th. Recovering from a bad start to his Semi, Ronnefalk would line up P5 behind Burak Kilic. In the final a mistake by Ongaro while under pressure from the fast starting Ronnefalk, handed the former World Champion a lead he wouldn’t give up. Towards the end Ongaro put in a charge setting the fastest lap but he was 3-seconds shy of the elusive first European title as Ronnefalk added a record fourth title, his last having also been at the Barcelos track in 2022. A mistake by Canas ended his hopes of three in a row, the Spaniard completing the podium 7-seconds up on fellow countryman Batlle.
Image: EFRA [Facebook]
The Stage 2 report for the 1:10 Offroad World Championships which take place in Sydney, Australia, later this year has been published by IFMAR. The report outlines a more comprehensive time schedule for the Hills Off Road RC track hosted event that takes place in the North West of Sydney, Australia, from the 29 September with 2WD Registration day and opening ceremony and runs until October 6th when the 4WD World Champion will be decided. October 7 & 8th are designated rain days with the Banquet Dinner also listed for the 8th October. Another notable update is the list of officials which now lists two Race Directors with American Tim Caporal joining Australian Clive Silva in the role. Greg Cribbin fills the role of Technical Director, Gerard Elias is head Time Keeper, while the Race Referees will be Dan Maher, IFMAR President Eric Anderson, and FEMCA President Leonard Kee. The 20th running of the World title race, RC Race Media will broadcast the official live stream around the world. View the Stage 2 report here.
Source: IFMAR [Facebook]
US Sparko team driver Tyler Jones will make his international race debut when he travels to Round 3 of the the Cayote backed Asian Buggy Championships in Brisbane, Australia, later this month. With wins under his belt in some of the biggest US races including Wicked Weekend, Silverstate, and Pyscho Nitro Blast, Jones raises the competitive level even further at what promises to be a spectacular weekend of racing as Scotty Ernst’s high profile 1:8 Offroad championship returns to the Pine Hills Dirt Racing track for another year. On the announcement Jones said, ‘I’m pumped to be heading to Australia for the 3rd round of the Asian Buggy Champs! It’ll be my first time out of the US, and I’m stoked to race at Pine Hills!’
Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]
With less than 3-weeks to go until the Cayote backed Asian Buggy Championships resumes following the Philippine Masters at the beginning of May, the championship organiser has announced that Mayako’s Pekko Iivonen will make the trip to Brisbane, Australia for Round 3. The Finnish driver made a big impression at Round 2 in Manila, taking a podium in eBuggy after a great battle with Davide Ongaro, and just missing out on a podium in Nitro Buggy after a flame out. Now in its third season, the latest Asian Buggy Championship encounter takes place at Pine Hills Dirt Racing track from July 16-20th with the trip marking 22-year-old Iivonen’s first visit to Australia. On the announcement the Mayako Youth Mentoring Program driver said, ‘I am really looking forward to travelling for the first time to Australia. Last race in Manila was awesome, and I really liked how everything worked really well. I really look forward to being back in the ABC series.’
Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]
Xray’s Dakotah Phend has pulled of a trio of ROAR National Championship titles ending a successful week of racing at the 2026 World Championship host track Thornhill Racing Circuit by taking the 1:8 Nitro Buggy title. Having won Nitro Truggy and eBuggy earlier in the week in Texas, getting to the big one Phend would secure the TQ ahead of Tekno pairing Seth VanDalen and Ryan Maifield, the defending 2024 double 1:8 offroad Champion. In the 1-hour final, the first 30-minutes saw Phend lead comfortably but then a flameout during a fuel stop promoted Maifield into the lead. On Phend’s return to the track, he chased down Maifield but mistakes prevented a pass, that was until the final 3-minutes. Maifield got the triple wrong and ended up on his roof allowing Phend back into a lead he would not relinquish. With Phend re-taking the title he last held in 2023, outgoing Champion Maifield took second 1.5-seconds back with the podium completed by VanDalen.
Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]
