Red RC » R Off Road

January 12, 2025

Phend takes SIC win on Xray nitro debut

Having taken a debut electric win with his new chassis sponsor Xray at last weekend’s JConcepts Clash of Champions, Dakotah Phend has now given the new partnership a debut nitro win with a Pro Nitro Buggy victory at the Southern Indoor Championship. In qualifying at the annual Alabama race, which this year attracted almost 400 entries, it was Kyosho’s Ryan Lutz who secured the overall TQ ahead of Phend after topping the times in the first 2 of the three qualifiers. While Phend took Q3, it was the Tekno of Ryan Maifield that completed the Top 3 ahead of Seth VanDalen. Coming out of retirement, Jared Tebo qualified fifth ahead of defending SIC Champion Brandon Rose who has joined Team Associated for the 2025 season. In the half hour final once Phend got out front early on he dominated the race setting the fastest lap on his way to a comfortable win over Lutz who in turn had a 20-second margin over Maifield. Unfortunately for Rose his race ended after just 14-minutes. In eBuggy, Phend took victory from the TQ with Sworks’ Mason Fuller finishing runner-up while Maifield again completed the podium. Maifield would get a win however taking Nitro Truggy ahead of Fuller and Lutz.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]

January 10, 2025

2025 IFMAR 1:10 Offroad Pre-Worlds – Announcement

With the countdown to the 2025 IFMAR 1:10 EP Offroad World Championships underway, host club Hills Off Road RC has published information regarding the Pre-World race which takes place at the Sydney track on April 3-6th with further testing opportunities either side of the race weekend. With the main event, the 20th running of 1:10 Offroad racing’s biggest prize, schedule for September 30th to October 6th, the Pre-Worlds event will give racers the opportunity to get familiar with the dirt and track surroundings at what is regarded as one of the premier offroad tracks in Australia. US tyre brand Raw Speed are the official controlled tyre for the event with their Super Mini Soft Compound with Grey Open Cell Insert tyre. Only the second time the country has hosted the World Championships for the category, Masami the double winner back in 1989, 2025 also marks the 40th anniversary of the Hills Offroad RC club which was founded the same year as IFMAR hosted the first ever 1:10 Offroad Worlds in 1985 in Del Mar, USA. The kangaroo in the official event logo looks like he is determined and focused on ensuring a home win for the Aussies!!

Source: Hills Off Road RC [Facebook]

January 8, 2025

Rose joins Team Associated

As was speculated for some time, Team Associated has announced that top American racer Brandon Rose has joined its 1:8 offroad team for 2025. After two seasons with Sworkz, the 2024 Southern Indoor Championship winner and World Championship Semi-Finalist, moves to the iconic US brand who announced his arrival with a video and subsequent social posted in which it said, ‘Team Associated is excited to announce that Brandon Rose has joined the team to bolster the 1:8 team. Brandon will be using Reedy Power with Factory Team accessories to outfit all his vehicles. Welcome to the team B-Rose!

Source: Associated [associatedelectrics.com]

January 8, 2025

Schumacher’s Kobbevik returns for MIBO International

A double podium finisher on his MIBO International debut last year, Daniel Kobbevik will return to the annual Czech race doubling the factory effort of defending Touring Car Champions Schumacher. Taking place from on February 07-09, the race sees both onroad and offroad race run side by side on two indoor carpet tracks built by Mibosport in Sports V Hotel in Hrotovice. Last year, Kobbevik finished runner up to Sworkz’s Joern Neumann in 2WD Buggy, the defending champion already confirmed for the 3rd edition, and in 4WD the Norwegian completed the podium behind the Xrays of winner Bartek Zalewski and second place Martin Bayer. Having confirmed in November they would be sending Michal Orlowski to MIBO International not only to try to defend his Touring Car title but also to complete in offroad, with the addition of Kobbevik the British manufacturer has a formidable line-up capable of securing a first offoad win. A two and a half day event, it gets underway on the Friday evening with practice to allow for travel Friday morning.

Source: MIBO [mibosport.com]

January 8, 2025

2025 Desert Classic – Announcement

2023 IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championship hosts Hobby Action have announced details for the 9th Annual Desert Classic which takes place at the Arizona indoor track from February 28th to March 2nd. The Desert Classic has established itself as an early season fixture on the international 1:10 Offroad calendar filling the void left after the iconic Cactus Classic lost its track location. Attracting 327 entries, the 2024 edition of the race saw Spencer Rivkin (4WD Buggy) and Davey Batta (2WD Buggy) take the big wins. Continued to be sponsored by Stickit1 Racing, the race schedule will consist of 4 rounds of qualifying with the best three to count with triple finals for all 2WD and 4WD classes and 10-minute Mains for Truck classes.

View Desert Classic poster here

January 6, 2025

Neumann moves to Team Cayote

8-time European Champion and the only European winner of the legendary offroad Reedy Race of Champions, Joern Neumann has been announced as the latest driver to join electronics newcomers Team Cayote. With American offroad stars Dakotah Phend and 2WD Buggy World Champions Tater Sontag carrying Team Cayote branding on their buggies at the JConcepts Clash of Champions race over the weekend, Neumann further bolsters the offroad team of the brand headed up by Oscar Jansen. Previously running Team Orca electronics in his Sworkz buggies, sharing the Team Cayote announcement on his social media, Neumann said, ‘Happy to announce that I will be using Team Cayote Electronics for ESCs and motors. Already used it with great success at last weekends KIM Masters race in Germany with a double 3rd place finish. Looking forward to the 2025 season. Let’s go.’

Source: Team Cayote [cayote.com]

January 6, 2025

Kobbevik goes Team EAM battery power

Team EAM has announced that IFMAR World Championship finalist Daniel Kobbevik will use their batteries to power his 2025 race campaign. Best known for his 1:10 Offroad exploits, the factory Schumacher driver will not only use the America brand’s batteries to power his Schumacher buggies but will also for some planned 1:10 and 1:12 onroad outings. Having been promoted to Hobbywing’s international race team for the new season, on the addition of Team EAM to his equipment package he said, ‘I am looking forward to have my cars EAM powered and being a part of the team. Thanks for the opportunity to use these great products!’

Source: Team EAM [teameamotorsports.com]

January 5, 2025

Phend & Rivkin winners at JConcepts Clash of Champions

Dakotah Phend and Spencer Rivkin took the big wins at this year’s JConcepts Clash of Champions, Phend marking the beginning of his new contract with Xray with a dominant win in 2WD Buggy. The third edition of the annual race hosted by Hoosier RC HobbyPlex in Indiana, having taken the TQ in both 2WD and 4WD, Phend delivered an impressive early win in 2WD. Winning the opening two A-Main encounters ahead of Schumacher’s Broc Champlin this would be his third consecutive Clash of Champions 2WD win and he was joined on the podium by Champlin another of Xray’s new 2025 recruits Brennan Schimmel. In 4WD, Phend opened with the win in A1 but second place qualifier Rivkin got the job done in A2 after a small error from the Top Qualifier which set the stage for a shoot out in A3. Leading the first half of the decider, a mistake in the berm would prove costly for Phend who eventually finished P4 while Rivkin won to take the overall victory for Team Associated. Both drivers would be joined on the podium by the Team Associated of Davy Batta.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]