Red RC » R Off Road

February 17, 2024

Widmaier & Bayer take opening MIBO qualifiers

Sworks RC’s Micha Widmaier and Xray’s Martin Bayer have taken the opening round of offroad qualifying at MIBO International. In 2WD Widmaier took the TQ ahead of Bayer by less than 2/10ths while Bayer got the better of Schumacher’s Daniel Kobbevik to TQ the first 4WD encounter by 7/10th of a second. Having opened Day 2 of the event by topping seeding in both 2WD and 4WD, mistakes on both of his opening qualifying runs would see Bartosz Zalewski end up third fastest in both categories.

Continue reading report here

February 16, 2024

Volker tops MIBO practice while Xray leads Offroad

The second edition of MIBO International got underway at 17:00 this evening in the Czech Republic with Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker setting the pace on the onroad track as Xray led the charge on the offroad track. Packing in 5 rounds of practice before drivers retired to the Sports V Hotel’s bar and restaurant to socialise & discuss a plan of attack for the rest of the event, defending Champion Volker set the fastest 3-consecutive laps ahead of Schumacher pairing Michal Orlowski and Pekko Iivonen. On the track layout, which is getting a very favourable reaction from drivers, it was the Xray of Patrick Gollner that was fourth fastest ahead of Jan Ratheisky and the factory Yokomo of Christopher Krapp. Over on the offroad half of the hall, in 2WD Buggy it was the star of last year’s inaugural event Bartosz Zalewski who set the pace from his car’s design Martin Bayer followed by a gaggle of MIBO International race debutants that included Schumacher’s Daniel Kobbevik, Sworkz’ Jörn Neumann, Team Associated’s Joona Haatanen and Sworkz’s Micha Widmaier. Former European Champion Bayer was fastest in 4WD followed by veteran Hupo Honigl completing the Top 3 ahead of Haatanen and Zalewski.

Continue reading report here

February 15, 2024

Track prep underway for 1:8 Buggy Worlds in Brazil

It might not be until September but work has already begun in Brazil on preparing the track for this year’s IFMAR 1:8 Offroad World Championship. Hosts São Paulo Automodeling Association has completely cleared the existing Casa Raceway track in the city of São Paulo and have started work on creating a new track that will be used to decide the 19th running of the most important race in the sport. Scheduled for September 08-14, it is sometimes overlooked the amount of advanced work that goes into putting on a World Championship race. This is the first time 1:8 Offroad has returned to South America since Argentina in 2012. Robert Batlle was the winner on that occassion but it was a controversial event over shadowed by poor organisation and customs issues so it is good to see the 2024 hosts already at work. The championship’s only back to back Champion, Team Associated’s Davide Ongaro will chase a hat trick in São Paulo and Red RC are already excited about attending the event and reporting on how his quest unfolds.

View start of new start work here

February 13, 2024

MIBO International ’24 – Offroad track reveal

Ahead of this weekend’s second edition of the MIBO International Race, the organisers of the Czech Republic event has revealed the offroad track layout on which this year’s competitive driver line-up with battle it out for honours. Unveiling 2-weeks ago the onroad track it will be built next to, the offroad layout is the creation of event organiser Michal Bok, with the carpet track featuring 10-jumps. Taking place in the Sports V Hotel in Hrotovice and starting Friday evening, the stage for two & half day event is set for some great battles in 2WD and 4WD Buggy between Schumacher pairing Michal Orolwski & Daniel Kobbevik, Sworkz duo Joern Neumann & Micha Widmaier, Team Associated’s Joona Haatanen and Xray’s star of the 2023 MIBO International Bartek Zalewski.

See overhead view of track layout here

February 13, 2024

European 1:8 Electric Buggy C/Ship – Stage 1 Report

Fresh from hosting its annual European 1:8 Nitro Buggy season opening Montpellier Grand Prix over the weekend, Circuit du MBM’s Stage 1 report for the 2024 1:8 Electric Buggy European Championship has been published by EFRA. The 8th running of the title race for the category, the famous 300m French track will host the championship on June 07-09. In 2023, Michal Orlowski became the 6th different winner of the title when he took victory at the Rhein-Main Circuit in Germany ahead of Top Qualifier Bruno Coelho and Burak Kilic. To-date David Ronnefalk is the only driver to win the time twice after successfully defending his title in 2017. Reigning European 1:8 Nitro Buggy Champion Juan Carlo Canas won the title in 2022 taking over the reign from Nitro World Champion Davide Ongaro. With information about the track location, local accommodation and travel information you can view the full stage report here.

View Championship winners here

February 12, 2024

Zalewski heads Xray challenge for MIBO International

Defending MIBO International Offroad Champions Xray has announced its team for the second edition of the upcoming Czech Republic based event. At the inaugural running of the event Bruno Coelho won both 2WD and 4WD buggy ahead of young Xray talent Bartek Zalewski who kept the multiple World Champion honest. Securing the 2WD TQ last year, now Zalewski will head the Slovakian’s offroad efforts. Enjoying a podium double at the recent EOS Daun, the on-form Zalewski will resume his battles with Schumacher’s Michal Orlowki and Team Associated’s Joona Haatanen with Sworkz’ Joern Neumann joining the mix at the Sports V Hotel in Hrotovice. The Polish teenager will be joined by Xray’s Max Gotzl and lead offroad chassis designer Martin Bayer. An event that sees a double track build allowing offroad and onroad to race side by side, in the onroad competition Xray will be represented by Martin Hudy, Jan Ratheisky, David Ehbrar and newly crowned Snowbirds FWD Champion Stefan Schulz.

Source: MIBO [mibosport.com]

February 12, 2024

INS14 kicks off with double win for Rivkin

The 14th season of the popular JConcepts Indoor National Series kicked off at Trackside Hobbies over the weekend where Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin took the buggy double. The first of 5 stops on the 2024 calendar, the JConcepts Winter Dirt Indoor Nationals attracted over 330 entries to the Wisconsin track once owned by legendary race announcer Scotty Ernst. In 2WD qualifying, Rivkin topped two of the three rounds to secure the overall TQ from the Xray of Chase Lemieux who took Q3 with Schumacher’s Broc Champlin 3rd ahead of team-mate Ryan Cavalieri. 4WD would also see Rivkin take pole this time from Xray’s Tom Rinderknecht and TLR’s Cole Tollard with Davey Batta who topped Q1 ending up 4th. In the 2WD finals, Rivkin took A1 but had a rough A2 finishing P8 as Cavalieri came through for the win ahead of Lemieux. A clean A3 would see Rivkin lead home the field half a second up on Lemieux with Cav third and that was how they would line up on the overall podium. In 4WD, Rivkin was able to secure an early win with victory in the opening two Mains and with a win in A3 Tollard secured 2nd with Rinderknecht 3rd after winning the tie break with Aydin Horne. Round 2 of INS14 switches to carpet with RC One Racing in Michigan hosting the JConcepts Spring Carpet Indoor Nationals on March 22-24.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]

February 11, 2024

Berton wins Montpellier GP

Infinity’s Riccardo Berton has won the Montepellier GP, the Italian winning the 18th running of the French classic ahead of reigning European Champion Juan Carlos Canas and reigning World Champion Davide Ongaro. In qualifying it was the Sworkz of Canas that secured the TQ topping two of the 4 rounds after rain forced the cancellation of Q5. Fastest in Q3, Berton took 2nd followed by the Xray of David Ronnefalk who mastered the Circuit du MBM in Q4. Aiming his third Montepellier GP win in a row, Ongaro’s Team Associated ended up 4th. Winning his Semi B Final, the top 3 setting faster times than the winning time Canas in the Semi A, it was 2016 winner Berton who lined up on pole position for the 1-hour 14 buggy final ahead of Ongaro, Jonny Skidmore with Canas P4. In an exciting final Canas would be the long time race leader but with his OGO tyres equipped pre-production IFB8, Berton went to the first in the last third of the race to secure the win by just over 1-second from his Spanish rival. After a rough start that left him at the back of the pack, Ongaro set the fastest lap of the race to recover and complete the podium at the European 1:8 Offroad season opener. Making it four different manufacturers in the Top 4, Mugen’s Burak Kilic finished fourth ahead of Elliott Boots and Theo Lemaire.

Image: Circuit du MBM [Facebook]