Red RC » R Off Road

February 10, 2024

Lutz TQ at Asian Buggy Championships opener

Kyosho’s Ryan Lutz is the Top Qualifier at the opening round of the Asian Buggy Championships in New Zealand. The first international 1:8 Offroad event to be held in the country, the American secured the overall TQ in nitro buggy in dominant fashion his Alpha engined MP10 topping all four rounds of qualifying at the Counties RC in Auckland. The first of the four rounds on the extended 2024 ABC calendar, with stops in the Philippines, Australia and Indonesia making up the rest of the ambitious championship, Lutz’s main challenge was to come from Aussie pairing Caleb Noble and Kyle McBride. Driving his Tekno, Noble posted three P2 runs two of which were just a second off the TQ pace. Returning to his first international since the World Championship in Spain in 2022, McBride took his Kyosho to a P2 run in the final qualifier. Heading the local charge was Jayden Jamieson, the New Zealander taking his Xray fourth at the end of qualifying ahead of fellow Kiwi Logan Toia. In eBuggy it was also Lutz who secured the TQ while in Nitro Truggy it was Jamieson top came out on top.

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

February 8, 2024

Associated confirm Haatanen for MIBO International

Team Associated has confirmed they will be represented at the upcoming MIBO International Race in the Czech Republic with the news that Joona Haatanen will make his debut at the second edition of the event. The Finnish driver is the first team driver from the iconic offroad manufacturer to attend MIBO International and is the latest addition to what is turning into a very competitive field for the offroad side of the unique double track build. A long time Team Associated supported driver, Haatanen had been absent from racing due to serving Finland’s mandatory military service but came back in impressive style with a strong showing at the recent EOS rounds. Running from February 16-18, the event will see Haatanen fly the Associated flag against official team entries from Schumacher, Sworkz and Xray. Having covered last year’s inaugural MIBO International, Red RC is looking forward to covering what is set to be much more intense offroad battle for top honours in Hrotovice.

Source: MIBO [mibosport.com]

February 7, 2024

Schumacher bolster MIBO entry with Kobbevik & livonen

Schumacher Racing has bolstered its entry for the upcoming MIBO International Race in the Czech Republic with the news Daniel Kobbevik and Pekko Iivonen will join Michal Orlowski at the second edition of the event on February 16-18th. Having the British manufacturer previously confirming Orlowski would be taking on the event’s unique double track build, racing for both the onroad and offroad titles, he will be joined by Kobbevik in offroad and Iivonen in Touring Car. A multiple Norwegian National Champion and former European Championship Top Qualifier, Kobbevik will be in the mix for Schumacher against strong opposition led by Sworkz’ Joern Neumann. The 2023 Finnish Modified Touring Car National Champion, Iivonen has had a strong start to the 2024 season making the A-Main at the recent ETS Daun and he will be hoping to build on that as he goes up against the likes of Orlowski, Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker and Yokomo’s Christophet Krapp at the Sports V Hotel venue in Hrotovice.

Source: MIBO [mibosport.com]

February 5, 2024

Drake & Anderson join Hobbywing

Continuing its 2024 driver announcements, Hobbywing has confirmed top American racers offroad legend Adam Drake and 1:12 star Kemp Anderson have joined its official team line-up. A major figure not just on the offroad track but on the racing scene in general, Drake will be a huge asset to the electronics manufacturer and with Mugen Seiki now involved in the 1:10 offroad market with the release of their MSB1 1:10 2WD Buggy, his deal with Hobbywing should be mutually beneficial. Kemp, a leader driver on the US onroad scene, shot to international fame in December when he became the Top Qualifier at the IFMAR 1:12 World Championships in Florida using a Hobbywing ESC and motor and now for 2024 officially becomes a team driver as he continues his racing programme with Awesomatix.

Source: Hobbywing [hobbywing.com]

February 4, 2024

Wins for Kaerup & Orlowski at EOS Daun

Reigning European 1:10 Offroad Champions Marcus Kaerup and Michal Orlowski were the winners at EOS Daun, Team Associated’s Kaerup securing the TQ & win in 4WD after 2WD honours went to Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski. As the defending Champion, having won the three round 2022/23 series, Orlowski completed a clean sweep of reduced 2 round 2023/24 series by backing up his Hann. Munden win in November with another dominant TQ & win performance in 2WD. While Orlowski maintained status up front, the weekend would see fellow countryman Bartosz Zalewski showcase his impressive talents as he qualified second ahead of the returning Joona Haatanen. With Orlowski sowing up the overall win in A2, Haatanen would take his Team Associated to the win in A3 to secure second ahead Zalewski’s Xray with Kaerup finishing just off the podium in fourth having started P6. As the event moved onto 4WD, Kaerup opened qualifying with a TQ run following that up with another in Q3 making the Dane the Top Qualifier. Orlowski topped Q2 to start second ahead of Zalewski who was fastest in the fourth & final qualifier. With Kaerup taking A1, and A2 going to Orlowski, it all came down to the third encounter but with the former laying down the fastest lap to keep Orlowski a bay he took the overall win. The podium in Daun was completed by Zalewski with Haatanen fourth ahead of fellow Scandinavian’s Elias Johansson and Alexander Landen while World Champion Davide Ongaro ended up P7.

Image: EOS [eos.racing]

February 2, 2024

Nova Engines power for McBride

Nova Engines has announced that it is to power the campaign of top Australian 1:8 Offroad racer Kyle McBride. A multiple World Championship finalist, over Christmas it was confirmed the McBride was returning to Kyosho’s International 1:8 Offroad team with today’s news that he will use the Italian made engines in his MP10 completing his all new 2024 race package. Having also secured the support of Hotrace Tyres, the 27-year-old will debut his new combo at next weekend’s opening round of the four round Asian Buggy Championships which kicks off at the Counties RC Car Club in New Zealand.

Source: Nova Engines [nova-engines.com]

February 2, 2024

Hobbywing announce Champlin & Kobbevik

Hobbywing has announced the addition of offroad racers Broc Champlin and Daniel Kobbevik to its team line-up for the 2024 season. American Champlin enjoyed a very impressive 2023 season the highlight of which was a podium finish at the 1:10 2WD Buggy World Championships in Arizona. Also joining Hobbywing having raced for LRP last season, Norwegian Kobbevik is a 14-time National Champion and is a regular podium finisher at top European races as team-mate to Schumacher Racing’s Michal Orlowski who he will now run the same electronic as. Commenting on the announcement Champlin said, ‘Im excited to have joined and I’m looking forward to working with the whole Hobbywing team! It’s been proven that they have top notch equipment and the best of the best products. Let’s do this.’

Source: Hobbywing [hobbywing.com]

January 29, 2024

Maifield & Rivkin win at TNR Fuels Amain Challenge 2024

Ryan Maifield and Spencer Rivkin took the big wins at the annual TNR Fuels A-Main Challenge which took place over the weekend at The Dirt at Perris track in SoCal. In qualifying it was the Tekno fleet of Maifield that led the way as he secured a TQ triple with pole position in Nitro Buggy, eBuggy and Nitro Truggy. As last year’s Truggy Champion Maifield would kick off finals day with victory in the 30-minute A-Main after a great battle with Tekno team-mate Spencer Heckert. Behind Rivkin completed the podium. In eBuggy Maifield won both A-Main encounters for overall win No.2 of the weekend, the first leg ahead of Frankie Contreras and the second ahead of Rivkin but a P4 and P5 was enough for Cole Odgen to finished runner up with Contreras claiming 3rd overall. Attracting over 400 entries, in the concluding races of the event it was to be 2023 winner Rivkin who again took the Nitro Buggy victiry after getting passed Maifield who had lead the first half of the 45-minute encounter. Qualifying P2, Kyosho’s Ryan Lutz would complete the podium ahead of Sparko Racing’s Ryan Cavalieri.

Image: AMain Hobbies [Facebook]