Red RC » R Off Road

January 2, 2024

Tessman calls time on career after 20-years of racing

2014 1:8 Buggy World Champion Ty Tessman has called time on an impressive career that puts him up there among the greats of offroad racing. The Canadian announced the decision to retire from the sport after 20-years of racing as he is set to become a father in 2024. Never an easy decision for any sports professional who has dedicate their live to achieving success, the decision by Xray to drop him at the end of 2023 after a 7-year partnership would certainly have played a factor in his departure from the sport. A driver who only represented two manufacturers during his extensive career, Tessman paid tribute to Hot Bodies for giving him the opportunity to turn professional in the sport with his father Gord and mother Leann a pivotal part of the ‘Team Tessman’ journey, the highlight of which was his World title win in Italy 10-years ago. Having witnessed and reported on many of Ty greatest wins over the years, Red RC would like to thank the Tessmans for the memories (late cold nights at the Dirt Nitro Challenge pitting in the Pro-Line tent particular stand outs!!) of some epic race battles and wish Ty all the best in his new family life. Who knows maybe the story will repeat itself in years to come.

Read Ty’s full announcement here

January 1, 2024

Phend officially no longer to race Spektrum radios

Coming as no huge surprise given he used a Sanwa radio at the 1:10 Buggy World Championships back in September, Dakotah Phend has officially announced that he is no longer a Spektrum driver. The 26-year has used Spektrum radios throughout his professional career as part of his Horizon Hobbies package which are also the owners of his chassis sponsor TLR. Announcing the end of long running sponsorship, Phend posted on Facebook, ‘With the end of 2023 approaching so does my time with Spektrum. We have been partnered up for 16 years through thick and thin. I appreciate everything that they have done for me and the support that they have given. Sometimes a change is needed and I felt like now was the right time to do it. Moving forward for 2024 I will be headed in a different direction for radios and servos.’

Source: Dakotah Phend [Facebook]

December 30, 2023

Burak Kilic departs Yokomo Offroad team

Burak Kilic has announced his departure from Team Yokomo factory offroad team. The German racer had been the Japanese manufacturer leading driver in international 1:10 Offroad competition in recent times bringing them a win in the EOS in 2022 and a podium at the EFRA European Championship this year. The manufacturer’s leading representative at this year’s World Championships in the United States achieving a Top 25 finish, Burak together with his brother Berkan joined Yokomo at the beginning of the 2022 season. Making the announcement on his Facebook page, Burak said, ‘Today I want to make an announcement that I will not re-sign my contract with Team Yokomo and will not run for the team in the new year. Massive thank to Mr.Taguchi und Christopher Krapp for everything you have done for me your hard work and passion. With out them I wouldn’t be there now where I m with the 1/10 cars! Big big thank you I wish you all the best for in the future! Here is a few results to with Yokomo! EOS win, Multiple EOS finals, podiums. European championship P3/4wd. And P5 2wd. EOS overall season 2022/23 P7 2wd/4wd and P2 truck. Worlds top25. National wins. Thank you and stay tuned.’

Source: Burak Kilic [Facebook]

December 27, 2023

Tebo and Mayako part ways

Having announced earlier this year that 2023 would be his final year as a professional driver, Jared Tebo and Mayako have announced they are to part ways after just one year. On signing with Mayako, the America racer was announced in a dual role as both an international team driver and Mayako USA Community Manager. Through his JTP RC business Tebo was also selling Mayako products. In a post on social media, Mayako said, ‘Mayako and Jared Tebo will part ways at the end of 2023. Mayako would like to thank Jared for the past year and wish him the best in the next stages of his career! His insight and interaction with the Community have really shown the knowledge built up over his excellent career! Good luck in the future Jared!’ On his own personal Facebook page Tebo wrote, ‘Holy smokes has 2023 been a year. I need to announce that my time working together with Mayako has come to an end. Definitely not the way I thought it would turn out, but we gave it a good try, and I’m proud of that. This year has been one of my toughest and most challenging years mentally, for a lot of different reasons. I’ll say it was a big transition year, with different surprises. I decided to retire from professional RC car racing, something I’ve done since I was 14 years old. That’s been my “identity” for over half my life. With that, I’ve had so many mixed emotions, good and bad, happy and sad. 2024 will look a lot different … new experiences, new challenges, new adventures await!

Source: Mayako & Jared Tebo [Facebook]

December 26, 2023

McBride back at Kyosho

With his father Scott giving a very subtle hint on Christmas eve as to the impending news with a photo posted on social media, Kyosho has today officially confirmed the return of Kyle McBride to its International 1:8 Offroad team. One of the young stars of the 1:8 Offroad Worlds in Pattaya, Thailand in 2010, which earned him the title of the ‘wonder from Down Under’, the Australian first joined the iconic Japanese manufacturer in 2011 on the back of that performance. Now he returns to bolster their international team which in recent years has not been as prolific. Since his appearance in the 2018 World Championship Final in Perth then driving his Team Associated to 9th, McBride has had a number of chassis sponsors but the return to Kyosho should see his back on the international stage as Australia’s top offroad driver. Commenting on the announcement McBride said, ‘Officially going back to my roots. Sincere thank you to Team Kyosho and Hobbies Australia for the opportunity to join the team and represent this professional brand again. I look forward to equipping these amazing Japanese vehicles and showing what I am capable of with them. Bring on 2024!!!’

Source: Kyosho Corporation [Facebook]

December 23, 2023

New date confirmed for IFMAR 1:8 eBuggy World Cup

After being forced to cancel the event just days before its planned date of last September due to a lack of entries, IFMAR has announced the new date of April 5-7, 2024, for the first ever World Cup for 1:8 Electric Buggy. Concerns were raised when the initial date was announced as it was just 1-week after the 1:10 Offroad World Championships in Arizona which was probably one of the biggest contributing factors to it getting only 15 confirmed entries but the new date should allow for a much stronger entry. With eBuggy a hugely important category for manufacturers while 1:8 nitro has enjoyed World Championship status since 1986, the World Cup will be the first step for the electric category to become a World Championship category in 2025. The World Cup will be hosted by the Club ACDB “OS BEIROES” at their 310m track in Guarda, Portugal whichk previously hosted the 2010 EFRA European 1:8 Nitro Buggy Championship when Reno Savoya took the third of his European titles. View the updated Stage 1 report here.

Source: IFMAR [Facebook]

December 23, 2023

2024 Philippine Masters registration opens

Having established itself as Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race, the organisers of the Philippine Masters have announced the opening of registration for the 12th edition of the high profile Manila based event. A sell out event in 2023, the race saw World Champion David Ongaro win the Buggy title for Team Associated while Sworkz’ Micha Widmaier came away with the Truggy victory. With the Philippines famed as a holiday destination, the event has a truly unique vibe living up to the nations tourism tagline ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’ with many of the large international driver entry combining the race with holidays at the country’s world famous white sand beaches. Along with Ongaro and Widmaier, Robert Battle, David Ronnefalk, Adam Drake, Ty Tessmann, Atsushi Hara and Kyle McBride are just some of the other international drivers to enjoy both the racing and hospitality in the capital city. Again a capacity entry is expected to be reached quickly as the Philippine Masters plays host to the second round of the Asia Buggy Championships which after kicking off in February in New Zealand will also visit Australia and Indonesia in 2024 and at the end of which there will be an overall Champion of the region crowned.

Source: Philippine Masters [philippinemastersrc.com]

December 22, 2023

Sontag departs Fantom Racing

Newly crowned 2WD Buggy World Champion Tater Sontag has announced his departure from electronics sponsor Fantom Racing. Racing with the US brand two years, the highlight of the partnership was the 16-year-old winning the 2023 IFMAR World Title at Hobby Action Raceway in Arizona using its Pro 2.0 ESC. Normally also running their motors and batteries, a lack of IFMAR approval of their products meant he had to use a Hobbywing motor and ProTek batteries. Announcing his departure the TLR driver said, ‘With the 2023 season coming to a close, unfortunately so does my time with Fantom Racing. I started with Fantom 2 years ago and we have had some awesome results and amazing times. Fantom helped me win races from a club race, all the way to clinching a World Championship. I could not be more thankful for what Troy, Craig, and everyone else at Fantom did for me the past 2 years. It’s been an awesome journey, but unfortunately everything good has to come to a close eventually. With that being said stay tuned for my announcement for my 2024 electronics!’

Source: Tater Sontag RC [Facebook]