Red RC » R Off Road

April 17, 2025

Cavalieri set for Philippine Masters debut

Four-time IFMAR Offroad World Champion Ryan Cavalieri is set to make his first appearance at the famed Philippine Masters which takes place from April 30 -May 4th. The American is the fourth World Champion confirmed for the 13th running of the Manila based event joining David Ongaro, Atsushi Hara and Naoto Matsukura for what is the biggest edition of Asia’s most prominent annual offroad race. Joining Invisible Speed, the car set-up platform created in 2020 by Joseph Quagraine, for 2025 as the brand’s first Pro driver and running Mayako buggies on the announcement he is going to the Philippines for the very first time, the race the second round of the Cayote backed Asian Buggy Championships, Cavalieri said, “Really looking forward to my first trip to race the Philippines Masters. I have always followed the event and have tried several times to come but my race calendar was always busy around the same time with other events. I’m happy to finally make the trip this year.”

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

April 16, 2025

ABC Champion Wolhunter returns at Philippine Masters

Having clinched the 2024 Asian Buggy Championships title at the season finale in Indonesia last October after a consistent campaign, Sworkz’s Christian Wolhuter will get his title defence underway at the upcoming Philippine Masters. Having opted to miss the season opener in New Zealand last month, the Australian returns to Manila for Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race having finished fifth last year behind team-mate Joern Nuemann at the Circulo Verde Race Track. Both the Champion of Nitro and eBuggy in the Cayote backed championship, the 18-year-old will be looking to build on his breakthrough international season and looking to his first away race of 2025 said, “Feeling ready for the Philippine Masters 2025 event, with a lot of travel last year and a good start to this year, I have high hopes. With high competition, it is going to be a long, tough fight throughout qualifying and finals. Edward Sio has always put on a killer event through accommodation and, most importantly, the track. Good luck to everyone participating.”

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

April 14, 2025

Boots opens British title defend with Herts win

Reigning British 1:8 Nitro Buggy National Champion Elliott Boots got his title defence off to the perfect start, the Sworkz driver taking the win at the season opener hosted by Herts Nitro Model Club. The first of 5 rounds that make up the 2025 BRCA National Championship, Boots dominated proceeds with his Red Racing powered buggy setting a new lap record, securing the TQ and taking the win. In the 45-minute Main, Boots would finish with a 2-lap margin over the Xray of second place qualifier Jonny Skidmore with the WIRC of Lewis Jones a further 9-seconds back completing the podium. Round 2 of the championship takes place in Brookthorpe on May 17-18.

Image: Elliott Boots [Facebook]

April 14, 2025

Hara back for 2025 Philippine Masters

After making his first major international offroad final in many years & claiming a hugely popular podium at last year’s Philippine Masters, Atsushi Hara is returning to Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race. Hara would lead for almost half of the 1-hour main at the famed Circulo Verde Race Track in Manila before the former World Champion was passed by current World Champion Davide Ongaro. Eventually taking 3rd place in the nitro buggy final, the legend of the sport was truly rejuvenated by the whole experience of the weekend. With the 13th edition of the Philippine Masters once again the second round of Scotty Ernst’s Asian Buggy Championships, which this year is boosted by title sponsor from Cayote who are also one of Hara’s main sponsors, on his return to the race Hara said, “I am very happy to be going to Masters again this year. The Philippine Masters is my favorite 1/8 buggy race because of the great organization by the race director Scotty Ernst with his team, the great facilities, and the great people. I am also excited to be able to compete at a high level with the world’s best drivers like Ongaro and other top drivers from around the world.” The Philippine Masters takes place from April 30 -May 4th with Ongaro going for his 5th win of the race.

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

April 11, 2025

Matsukura confirmed for Philippine Masters debut

Infinity’s Naoto Matsukura has been confirmed to make his Philippine Masters debut later this month at the 13th running of Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race meeting. The second round of the Cayote sponsored Asian Buggy Championships, Matsukura got his first taste of the championship last year when he complete at the season finale in Indonesia where Infinity team-mate Kouki Kato took the win. Now the multiple World Champion will tackle the famed Circulo Verde Race Track in Manila which is the work of track designer and accomplished offroad racer Edward Sio. Commenting in his Philippine Masters debut Matsukura said, ‘I’m excited for the first time to join the Philippine Masters! It’s also my first time going to the Philippines. I’m looking forward to racing at such a great event, and having some good battles with the top drivers.’

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

April 10, 2025

Ongaro heads 2025 Philippine Masters entry

World Champion Davide Ongaro will once again head the entry at the Philippine Masters, which takes place later this month in Manila. The Team Associated star driver has become a regular of the event which has grown into Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race meeting. With 2025 marking the biggest edition yet of the Philippine Masters, it is the second stop of the four round Asian Buggy Championships which kicked off in New Zealand last month. With a new title sponsor in Cayote, Round 1 of the Scotty Ernst promoted championship saw Mayako Youth Mentoring Program driver Jayden Edmunds take the win and the Australian will be aiming to build on that performance at the Circulo Verde Race Track from April 30 -May 4th. A huge fan of the Philippine Masters, this the 13th running of the event, asked about the race reigning Champion Ongaro said, ‘I like to come to the PM Masters because the atmosphere is incredible, the joy of the people is something that I’ve never seen, the track is amazing and the effort that the guys put on for this race is something special.’ The Philippine Masters is one of Red RC’s favourite annual events to attend and report on as it combines both top level racing and a social atmosphere around the racing that lives up to the host country’s tagline ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’.

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

April 9, 2025

FEMCA rebrands to Asian Championships

The governing body that represents 15 nations in Asia and Australasia, FEMCA has announced a rebranding of its blue ribbon events. Previously known as the FEMCA Championships, they will now be hosted under the titles of Asian Championships with 1:12 and Touring Car the first races set to crown the ‘Asian Champions’ later this year in Foshan, China which will host the 2026 IFMAR World Championships for both categories. Under the leadership of Leonard Kee, the Far East Model Car Association (FEMCA) has been busy re-establishing its championship events following Covid. The 1:8 Offroad Championship has enjoyed great success on its return with Kyosho’s American based up & coming offroad star Phi-Long Nguyen claiming back to back titles in Vietnam last month. Part of the success of that event has been FEMCA’s move to award the host track the option to host the race for 2-years. This is in order to help the track recoup any investment made in presenting a track worthy of hosting this major international title race that includes Atsushi Hara and Kyle McBride as past champions. At the end of last year the profile of the FEMCA Touring Car Championship got a major boost when World Champion Bruno Coelho traveled to Gavin Kwok’s GDC Indoor track, where the Portuguese ace added the title to his CV ahead of former FEMCA Champion Naoto Matsukura. In making the announcement FEMCA stated, ‘FEMCA will launch the “Asia Championship” races in Asia starting this year with ISTC and 1/12 category in the city of Foshan China at the start of December. The Asia Championship will provide a platform for all racers and hobbyist in Asia Pacific to race against their peers and fellow enthusiasts. ‘ Listing the categories that will have Asian Championship status, they added, ‘The events are based in Asia and the entries will be open to all. More events and changes are abound as FEMCA makes tweaks to rules and formats to move forwards in this hobby and region.’

View Championship categories here

April 8, 2025

Nosram batteries for Baruffolo

Nosram has announced that top International 1:8 Offroad racer Marco Baruffolo is to use their batteries to power to eBuggies in 2025. The seven time Italian Champion, Silver State winner and IFMAR World Championship Finalist, will use the German brands batteries as part of his campaign with Kyosho, whom he joined at the end of the 2024 season. With IFMAR hosting the first ever 1:8 Electric Buggy World Championship this season, 2025 is a big year for eBuggy and on his new partnership Baruffolo said, ‘I’m really excited to join the Nosram team! This will give me a great boost during my season, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with Jürgen and his team. Thank you Nosram for this opportunity!’

Source: Nosram [Facebook]