Red RC » R Off Road

September 8, 2024

‘I feel that I am in the right place again’ – Ronnefalk

In the same year that his official status got upgraded from ‘Kid’ to ‘Teenager’, a then 13-year-old from Sweden would showcase driving skills that marked him as having a talent that was going to take him places. Attending the European Championship that year, his speed on track was enough for US Offroad star Richard Saxton to state to Red RC during our coverage from that Austrian event that EFRA was about to get its first ever B and A Champion. While he didn’t make the Main on that occasion, that hotly tipped talent would go on to become a European Champion not once but three times as well as taking home the greatest prize our sport offers – World Champion. That year was 2009 and that talent was David Ronnefalk and now 15-years on from making that memorable first impression, he goes into the 19th running of the IFMAR 1:8 Offroad World Championship confident he is in the hunt to add a second World title to the one he claimed in Las Vegas in 2016. Just before David made the trip Redovan, Spain, where today (Sunday) drivers hit the track for the first of two days of free practice, we chatted to him to get his take on the race that only comes around every 2-years and that last time round he came rather close to winning.

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September 4, 2024

Revolution Design B7 Hard Coated Idler Shaft

New from Revolution Design is this Hard Coated Idler Shaft for the Team Associated RC10B7 1:10 2WD Buggy. Compared to the standard idler gear shaft, this premium upgrade is hard-coated and hollowed out, making it not only lighter but also more durable. These features lead to improved performance and longevity of your vehicle, especially under demanding racing conditions. With this set of three idler shafts, you can change all idler gear shafts of your B7 gearbox.

Source: RDRP [revolution-rc.com]

September 4, 2024

RC Redovan reveals 1:8 Offroad Worlds Track

The track that will determined the 2024 IFMAR 1:8 Offroad World Champion has just been revealed in a video that shows off the latest track build by the team at RC Redovan. Setting a new benchmark as hosts of the World Championship two years ago, RC Redovan was again thrusted with hosting the event after a late cancellation by Brazil on staging the 19th running of the sport’s biggest prize. Taking on the task of having to rebuild the track for the return of the Worlds to Spain, despite the short lead in time the Baldo family have executed it stating, ‘It gives us enormous pleasure and pride to present the new design of our track, host of the next World Championship. Months of hard work in record time now bear fruits “We are going to give you the best world championship in history.” And we firmly believe we have done everything to achieve that! Welcome to RC Redován, welcome to the World Championship 2024.’ Having supported our coverage of the 2023 1:10 Offroad World Championships in Arizona, we are delighted to be teaming up with Ruddog for the trip to Redovan to attended our sixth 1:8 Offroad World Championship. Our coverage will kick off with news from seeding practice on Tuesday, 10th September. Click here to view track reveal video.

View more track images here

September 2, 2024

Sontag claims ROAR 1:8 eBuggy title

Team Losi Racing’s Tater Sontag is the new ROAR 1:8 eBuggy National Champion, the 1:10 2WD World Champion claiming the title at G’s RC Raceway in Pennsylvania over the weekend. In qualifying it was the Team Associated of Spencer Rivkin who secured the overall TQ topping 3 of the 5 rounds of qualifying. Fastest in Q1, Sontag would line up second with the Xray of Chase Lemieux completing the Top 3 with a TQ run in Q3. In the triple finals, A1 would see Sontag make a pass on Rivkin on the opening lap before the Top Qualifier went out of the race after an early off that left a rear wheel hanging off his buggy. Winning by over 5-seconds from Lemieux, in A2 Sontag would again took the early lead which he held for the 7-minutes to wrap up the title, last year won by the absent Ryan Maifield. With Horne winning A3, the Team Associated driver would finish runner-up with Tekno’s Spencer Heckert completing the podium. In Electric Truck (eTruggy), it was Sontag who took the TQ from Rivkin. A1 saw Sontag convert but Rivkin would win A2 and 3 to take the title. The pair where joined on the podium by the Associated of Lee Setser.

Image: Team Trinity [Facebook]

August 29, 2024

5th Annual Kinwald Klassic – Announcement

Hobby Action RC Raceway in Chandler, Arizona, has announced details of the 5th annual Kinwald Klassic which takes place on October 11-13th, 2024. One of the 2023 IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championship host venue’s two big annual events, the other being the Desert Classic, the Kinwald Klassic is held in honour of Offroad RC great Brian Kinwald. With the multiple World Champion passing away in 2019 after life-long health issues, part of the entry fees is donated to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Southwest Chapter. The race will cater for several 1:10 2WD & 4WD Buggy classes, Short Course, Stadium Truck, as well as vintage 2WD categories for buggies that were racing at the height of Kinwald’s career.

View full race flyer here

August 27, 2024

Canas signs with FlySky

With the 1:8 Buggy World Championship just around the corner, FlySky has announced another impressive driver signing with one of the title favourites Juan Carlos Canas the latest to switch to the Chinese manufacturer. The Spaniard will now officially represent the brand and use the Noble NB4 Pro+ transmitter to control his factory Sworkz buggies. Joining drivers such as David Ronnefalk, Ryan Maifield, team-mate Joern Neumann, and touring car ace Marc Rheinard as a FlySky sponsored driver, the back to back European 1:8 Buggy Champion said, “Im happy to go fly sky team, their products have a awesome quality, I tried the noble pro+ some weeks and the feelings on the track are pretty good. Thanks to Flysky team for the opportunity!”

Source: Flysky [flysky-cn.com]

August 26, 2024

Lutz big winner at LCRC Mugen Challenge

Ryan Lutz was the big winner at this year’s annual Mugen Challenge in Pennsylvania, the Kyosho driver taking three victories at the LCRC Raceway hosted event. In 1:8 Nitro Buggy it was the Tekno of former Mugen Challenge winner Ryan Maifield who secured the TQ ahead of Lutz. Over the half hour final the pair switched the lead a number of times with Lutz eventually coming out on top by 14-seconds with Xray’s Chase Lemieux coming through from P11 on the grid to complete the podium. In Nitro Truggy Lutz took the TQ ahead of Sworkz’ Joe Bornhorst before going to take the win by a lap from the Teknos of Jared Wiggins and Maifield. An event that attracted 477 entries, Lutz triple victory weekend also included the TQ & victory in eTruggy. The only defeat of the weekend for Lutz came in eBuggy. Having secured the TQ ahead of Maifield, it was third place qualifier Wiggins who got by for the win finishing 1.1-seconds ahead of Lutz at the end of the 10-minute encounter. Bornhorst claimed the final podium place 3-seconds up on Maifield.

Image: Ryan Lutz [Facebook]

August 21, 2024

1:8 Buggy World Championship preview by Scott Guyatt

While attending this year’s Philippine Masters we had the pleasure of meeting Scott Guyatt who has been working as part of the media team behind Scotty Ernst’s Asian Buggy Championship this year. Talking all things RC and sharing old RC stories with this Aussie over dinner each night while in Manila, talk of him creating some content for Red RC was floated. Having worked with Scott on content from the ABC and now with the greatest spectacle in RC, the IFMAR 1:8 Offroad World Championship, just around the corner, when Scott put together a preview of event for his own Action R/C podcast we thought what a great opportunity and way to introduce his writings to Red RC readers. Sharing his thoughts is the ideal way to start building up this great race as we get ready to build up to our own coverage from Spain which is presented by Ruddog. So take it away Scott – What will almost certainly be the most-watched race of 2024, the IFMAR IC Buggy World Champs, is just a few weeks away. You have to believe we’re excited about this one, and can’t help but cast an eye over the field to preview the event. We’ll do it by producing our own Tier List for the event (yeah, we know Tier Lists are a bit 2018, but we’re so old-fashioned that we’re still all about the long-form story here, so let’s go with a Tier List as well). We’ve picked the drivers we think most likely to run up front, those aiming for a semi- or quarter-final, and a few wild cards with enough talent to up-end the predictions completely. Disclaimer: We used the most recent entry list we could find – so forgive us if some we’ve named don’t make it to Redován come September.

Continue reading Scott’s preview here