Red RC » R Off Road

November 28, 2023

Tessmann dropped by Xray

Former 1:8 Buggy World Champion Ty Tessmann has announced he has been dropped by Xray and their US distributor RC America. The Canadian driver will depart after a 7-year stint with the Slovakian manufacturer whom he joined after a lengthy stint with Hot Bodies. Posting confirmation of the much rumoured news, fuelled by the recent signing of his former HB team-mate David Ronnefalk, on his social media, Tessmann said, ‘There have been a lot of rumors about my future with Xray. For the last 7 years I have raced for and been committed to Xray and RC America, my Dad and I helped develop the Xray offroad cars, and grow the Xray brand in North America, and we have had a lot of successes over the last 7 years with their cars’. Listing his achievements with the brand which included the TQ & 2nd at the 2018 1:8 World Championships in Australia, he continued, ‘That being said I will not be continuing with Xray for 2024 and beyond, this was not my choice, but Xray and RC America have decided to not renew my contract. I would like to thank Xray and RC America for the opportunity and support over the past 7 years. Stay tuned for an announcement on what 2024 holds for me.’

Source: Ty Tessmann [Facebook]

November 27, 2023

Jacinto & Dela Cruz crowned Philippine 1:10 Offroad National Champions

In a major boost for the offroad racing scene in the Philippines, after a long absence the country hosted National Championships for 1:10 Offroad with the event attracting a record entry for a Nationals. With over 100 entries for the 2-day event at the Circulo Verde track in Manila City, home to Asia’s biggest annual offroad event the Philippine Masters, in qualifying it was Sworkz driver Dino Jacinto who took the 4WD TQ with the 2WD honours going to Jomil Dela Cruz at the end of the three rounds of qualifying. In the triple finals, Jacinto would win the opening two encounters to secure the title early ahead of Dela Cruz and Tyler Cheung. In 2WD, Dela Cruz would also convert the TQ into the title albeit needing the win in A3 to do so. He was joined on the podium by Rains Viola and A2 winner Gerome Ling. The event also marked a major improvement for the track with its new oiled surface a game changer. More and more racers/hobbyist are enjoying the track with it now having good grip anytime of the day and most of all, it’s rubber friendly. The existing layout and surface will be used for 2024 edition of the Philippine Masters which takes place on April 18-21.

Image: Edward Sio [Facebook]

November 26, 2023

Coelho takes 4WD win at EOS

Bruno Coelho has taken the 4WD Buggy win at the EOS season opener in Hann Münden, Germany. The Xray driver led a 1-2 for the Slovakian manufacturer ahead of new team-mate David Ronnefalk with Saturday’s 2WD winner Michal Orlowski completing the podium for Schumacher. In qualifying it was Ronnefalk who topped the first of the four qualifiers. Having TQ’d 2WD, Orlowski went fastest in Q2 before Ronnefalk hit the top again Q3. With Coelho taking the final round it was overall TQ for Ronnefalk ahead of his team-mate with Orlowski lining up P3 ahead of the Team Associated of newly crowned World Champion Davide Ongaro. In the first of the finals it was Coelho who eventually took the win. The former World Champion went to the front after a roll over from Ronnefalk approaching the half way mark but was overtaken again by the Swede when he had a mistake of his own a few laps later. With Ronnefalk out front and looking like he had the win, another mistake in the dying moments was enough to allow Coelho through to take it. A2 would see Ronnefalk again lead out the field but again a mistake allowed his team-mate through to the front only this time the Portuguese ace kept things clean to the finish for the overall win. Winning A3, Ronnefalk would finish second with Ongaro completing the podium line-up.

Image: EOS [eos.racing]

November 26, 2023

Kato crowned double Japanese 1:10 Offroad Champion

Team Associated driver Kouki Kato is the new double JMRCA 1:10 Offroad Japanese National Champion. 17-year-old Kato went into the event at the indoor RC Park Gojo as the reigning 4WD Champion taking the TQ for his title defence ahead of 2WD Champion Yui Kaino. Team Yokomo driver Kaino would also start his title defence from pole position but in the opening A-Main encounter it was Kato fro P2 who took the win. Able to convert the TQ to the win in A2 as Kato finished third, the 2WD title went to A3 for a thrilling finish that saw Kato snatch the win and title on the last lap by just 0.005 of a second. Mugen’s Yusuke Sugiura would complete the podium. In 4WD, Kato carried his qualifying form through to the A-Main winning the opening two encounter to retain his National title. Winning A3, Kaino would finished runner-up with the overall Top 3 completed by the Xray of Nana Kaiho.

Image: Kouki Kato [Facebook]

November 25, 2023

Kaino & Kato TQ at Japanese 1:10 Offroad National

This weekend sees the JMRCA Japanese National Championships for 1:10 Offroad taking place at the indoor RC Park Gojo track in the Nara Prefecture in central Japan. Opening with 2WD Qualifying, it is Team Yokomo’s defending Champion Yui Kaino who is the Top Qualifier ahead of the Team Associated of reigning 4WD Champion Kouki Kato. Kaino secured pole for the 2WD finals with TQ runs in 2 of the 3 qualifiers after Kato TQ’d the opening round. With almost 60 entries for 2WD, behind the two champions it is Yusuke Sugiura with the new Mugen MSB1 who will start 3rd followed by the buggy’s designer Shin Adachi. The same track at which the 2022 National titles where decided, in 4WD Kato, star of the recent 1:8 Onroad World Championships in Japan, topped all three qualifiers with Kato set to start second followed by Kai Kikuchi and the Xray of Nana Kaiho.

Image: JMRCA [jmrca.jp]

November 25, 2023

Orlowski opens EOS title defence with 2WD win

Schumacher Racing’s Michal Orlowski has opened the defence of his EOS titles with 2WD victory at the season opener in Germany today. Fresh from being crowned champion of the JConcepts Florida Carpet Championships last weekend in the US, the Polish ace led a one-two for the British manufacturer in Hann with Daniel Kobbevik securing second on the podium that was completed by Xray’s Bruno Coelho. Qualifying for the opening round of the reduced 2 round 2023/24 EOS season saw new Xray signing David Ronnefalk take the opening qualifier. Q2 and Q3 however went to Orlowski giving him the overall TQ. Taking the fourth & final round Kobbevik would start P2 ahead of fellow Scandinavian Ronnefalk with Coelho 4th and Schumacher’s Lee Martin lining up 5th. In the finals, Orlowski won the opening A-Main from Ronnefalk and sealed the overall win with victory in A2 ahead of Coelho. In A3 it was Kobbevik who took the win having being passed early on by Coelho for an overall 1-2 for the new Cougar LD3 ahead of Coelho’s new XB2 ’24.

Image: EOS [eos.racing]

November 20, 2023

Montpellier Grand Prix 2024 – Announcement

One of Europe’s most iconic 1:8 Offroad races and one which since it was first held in 2006 has established itself as the race to open the annual nitro buggy racing season in Europe, Montpellier Grand Prix has announced details of the 2024 event. The 18th running of the French Classic will see the race run over 4-days and the dropping of the Warm-up race. Set to take place from February 8-11th, the changes come as host club Mini Bolide Montpellierain try to ensure all competing drivers enjoy the same amount of track time with the addition of Thursday dedicated to timed practice rounds. Having introduced eBuggy last year the even will again crown an electric champion in 2024. In Nitro, World Champion Davide Ongaro will go for three in a row. Registration opens December 2nd.

Source: Circuit du MBM [Facebook]

November 19, 2023

Florida Carpet C/ship wins for Orlowski & Coelho

The JConcepts Florida Carpet Championship at Beachline Raceway in Orlando saw wins for Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski and Xray’s Bruno Coelho with Orlowski the back to back overall Champion of the event. Attracting a strong international overseas entry, in 2WD Buggy it was Orlowski who dominated qualifying topping all four rounds to secure the overall TQ. Behind him, Coelho would end qualifying in second with a pair of P2 runs followed by Orlowski’s Schumacher team-mate Broc Champlin. TLR’s Dakotah Phend, Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin and Sworks’ Joern Neumann completed the Top 6. In the finals, Orlowski continued his form with A1 & 2 wins to retain his 2022 title. With the win in A3, Coelho would finish second with Champlin completing the 2WD podium. In 4WD, former World Champion Coelho would secure the TQ ahead of Champlin after taking 3 of the rounds with Champlin posting a TQ run in Q2. Orlowski rounded out the Top 3 ahead of Phend and new Xray signing David Ronnefalk. Again the overall win would be decided in A2 as Coelho made it 2 from 2 ahead of Orlowski, the Polish driver securing the overall runner-up spot with victory in A3 promoting Champlin to the final 4WD podium step ahead of Ronnefalk.

Image: JConcepts [Facebook]