Red RC » R Off Road

January 14, 2024

Hefler takes SC Mod at RC Chili Bowl 10th edition

Running along side the famous 1:1 scale Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, it was JConcepts/Team GFRP driver Jordan Hefler who came away with the SC Modified win at the tenth edition of the RC Chili Bowl. Attracting just shy of 600 entries, the Scotty Ernst organised event is one of the biggest in the industry with its tented indoor pit area packed with manufacturers involved in the R/C oval racing scene. Concluding this year’s event it was again the final of SC Modified presented by Fusion Motorsports. Being the favourite and actually taking a win were two different things and as it would turn out, the three front runners late in the race left the rest of the field behind by two laps. The trio of Hefler, Zac Rose and Kevin McNatt were steam rolling through traffic fighting for a pass. With a couple of consecutive lead changes and the remaining laps running down, Hefler would have the lead at the right time to take the win. Rose would finish in the second spot, going one better than in 2023, just 1-second behind with McNatt completing the podium a further 6/10ths back.

Image: RC Chili Bowl [rcchilibowl.com]

January 13, 2024

EssexCarpetClash Round 4 – Report

Round 4 at EssexCarpetClash saw everyone return after Christmas ready for another round of the popular south based UK series. Another track was ready for a full days racing, that some found challenging to grips with, but would find their feet quickly once racing started. Lee Martin showed the pace of his Schumacher ride, topping the timing sheets in all the four qualifying runs. Team mate Ben Smith would line up second on the grid joint on points with Xray driver Harley Eldridge, only being beaten by a second on count-back timing. Charlie Ware, Kyle Moon and Ed Kerry all had good qualifying round scores, taking the next three grid places for the 11 car A final. Martin continued with how he set off in qualifying and would not look back, again taking all 3 leg wins and giving him the perfect race day! The fight would then be between Smith and Eldridge, who would sit where on the podium having both finished 2nd and 3rd in the first 2 finals. Smith managed to take the second step, with Eldridge rounding off the podium position.

Continue reading report here

January 11, 2024

Schumacher confirms Orlowski for MIBO International

Schumacher Racing has confirmed they will be sending their newly crowned 1:12 World Champion Michal Orlowski to the 2nd edition of MIBO International Race in Czech Republic. Taking place on February 16-18, it will be Orlowski’s first appearance at the event and it is going to be a busy debut for the Polish driver as he is set to contest both offroad and onroad at the event. One of the unique elements of MIBO International is the two carpet tracks the Mibosport team build side by side at the large indoor sports hall at the Sport V Hotel venue in Hrotovice allowing for offroad and onroad to run simultaneously at the same event. The vision of former international touring car racer and Mibo founder Michal Bok, the first edition of MIBO International saw Mugen’s Ronald Volker crowned the inaugural Touring Car Champion and Xray’s Bruno Coelho take double buggy honours.

Source: MIBO [mibosport.com]

January 10, 2024

Pavidis announced for Sparko Racing line-up

Sparko Racing has announced the addition of Ryan Pavidis to its race team line-up for 2024. The new 1:8 Offroad buggy manufacturer kicked off off the New Year with the announcement Ryan Cavalieri would lead their charge and now adding a second Ryan has a formidable team line-up in the important US market. After departing HB Racing towards the end of the 2023 season, Pavadis, son of former World Champion Mark, raced the F8 recently in two events securing podium finishes on both occasions including the U.S. Open Fuel Championships.

Source: Sparko Racing [Facebook]

January 10, 2024

Ronnefalk officially announced at FlySky

Although he has been using their Noble Pro radio for a number of months already, today FlySky has officially announcement former 1:8 Buggy World Champion David Ronnefalk as its newest team driver. The Swede is the latest in an impressive line-up of drivers who have joined forced with the ambitious Chinese manufacturer including offroad legend Ryan Maifield and onroad World Champions Marc Rheinard and Ronald Volker. Over the weekend, both Dakotah Phend, who announced he would no longer be sponsored by Spektrum, and newly crowned 2WD Buggy World Champion Tater Sontag used the Noble Pro at the ‘Clash of Champions’ race at the Hoosier RC Hobbyplex event in Indiana where Phend completed the buggy double. With most drivers running the radio prior to being announced as team drivers, we expect the FlySky line up to be further expanded in the coming weeks. Commenting on his latest sponsorship announcement, factory Xray driver Ronnefalk “The FlySky Noble Pro has really impressed on me. The feeling on track is just as good as it feels holding it in your hand. With the metal frame the weight is just right to me and overall it really oozes quality. I’ve been using the Noble Pro for a few months already and I’m happy to be a part of FlySky team for 2024 and beyond.”

Source: Flysky [flysky-cn.com]

January 9, 2024

Tekno announce Figueiredo for 2024

Tekno RC has announced that top Portuguese 1:8 Offroad driver João Figueiredo will race for them in 2024. The 5-time European Championship Finalist will drive for the American manufacturer after a decade of representing Kyosho internationally. Reacting to the announcement the 27-year-old said, “I’m super happy, proud and excited to announce that I’ll be part of the Tekno RC family from 2024 and beyond! Since first time we spoke the team energy has been amazing and the rides have been working amazing in every condition I tested! Can’t wait to start the season and meet everyone! A big thank you to Daniel Lewis and Ilias Arkoudaris for this opportunity and trust! 2024 will be a big year!”

Source: Tekno [teknorc.com]

January 9, 2024

Fuller brothers join Sworkz

Sworkz has announced the signing of American brothers Mason and Kaden Fuller. The young offroad pairing raced the 2023 season with HB Racing with Mason achieving a number of high profile race podium finishes including the Nitro Buggy TQ & 3rd place at the Alabama Manufacturers Shootout, 3rd place at the Silver State Indoor Championships in Las Vegas and a Truggy double win at Psycho Nitro Blast. On their move to Sworkz, Mason said, ‘Kaden and I are excited to be joining the SWORKz team. Thank you to Max, Brent, and Tim for believing in us and all of your support. Looking forward to a great 2024! First race up is SIC. See you guys in a couple of days!!’. Sworkz boss Max Sonnleitner added, ‘Great to have the Fuller Family in the SWORKz factory team. We are looking forward to have two of the raising talents with us. The whole family totally fits into our team, where working together, friendship and success are the main topics.’

Source: Sworkz [Facebook]

January 8, 2024

Phend wins 2nd edition of ‘Clash of Champions’

Having won the inaugural ‘Clash of Champions’ 12-months ago, it was a case of deja vu for TLR’s Dakotah Phend over the weekend as he again took the top honours in the modified Buggy classes winning both 2WD and 4WD at the Hoosier RC Hobbyplex event in Indiana. In qualifying it was Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin with the new B7 who secured the TQ ahead of Phend after taking two of the three rounds with Davey Batta completing the Top 3 ahead of Cole Tollard. Sporting a FlySky radio, as was World Champion team-mate Tater Sontag at the race, in 4WD Phend topped all three qualifiers to secure the TQ ahead of Schumacher’s Broc Champlin with Rivkin 3rd on the grid. While Phend would wrap up the 4WD win after taking the opening two encounters, in 2WD things went to A3. After a win in A1 ahead of Champlin as Rivkin dropped to third in the second half of the race, Phend would be only P8 in A2 after a bad first lap as Tollard took the win from Champlin with Rivkin again third. The former World Champion would lead A3 until he broke just inside the final minute handing Phend the win and overall victory over Tollard with Rivkin completing the podium. Bringing a close to the second running of the Clash of Champions was the big money Champions race. A single 8-minute 2WD Mod Buggy encounter involving drivers having to take one, faster, joker lap during the race it was Champlin who came out on top to take home the $2,000 first place prize.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]