Red RC » R Off Road

October 23, 2023

Kinwald Klassic double for Gonzales

1Up Racing/Team Associated driver Matthew Gonzales completed the double at the Kinwald Klassic at Hobby Action in Arizona over the weekend winning both 2WD and 4WD Buggy. The fourth annual running of the race that is held in honour of Offroad RC great Brian Kinwald and helps raise funds for the Crohn’s Foundation, qualifying at the recent World Championship host venue would see Gonzales reign. Securing the 2WD TQ in the final round of the three qualifiers ahead of Kyle Davis who also set his fastest time in Q3, in 4WD it was a similar story as he took the TQ ahead of Riley Wortman. In the finals, Gonzales continued his form winning A-Main encounters to win 2WD from Scott Spear while in 4WD 4WD Wortman and Davis completed the podium. After his sterling work with the track preparation and maintenance for the World Championships last month, Jake Thayer was back enjoying his racing taking the TQ and win in 17.5 2WD Buggy.

Image: 1up Racing [Facebook]

October 20, 2023

2024 Asian Buggy Championships calendar announced

Scotty Ernst has announced an expanded calendar for his Asian Buggy Championship with the 1:8 Offroad race series set to travel to New Zealand, the Philippines, Australia and Indonesia in 2024. Red RC travelled to the Philippine Masters earlier this year where we reportred on World Champion Davide Ongaro taking victory for the opening round of the inaugural Asian Buggy Championships. New Zealand kicks things off the second season when the Countries RC Car Club host Round 1 on February 8-11. An event that has become famed across the World for its outstanding hospitality and welcoming atmosphere, the Philippine Masters is the second stop on the calendar on April 18-21. Round 2 of the 2023 calendar, Australia also returns with Pine Hills Dirt Racing again the hosts in July. Extending the ABC’s reach, an overall point series be introduced for the new season, Indonesia will conclude the action with Westside Raceway hosting the final round in early September.

View 2024 Calendar here

October 17, 2023

Moritz Lautenbach joins Sworkz

Better known for standing in for his father Jurgen as LRP tech support at various races, but also an experienced racer, Moritz Lautenbach has teamed up with Sworkz to run their buggies in 1:10 offroad. Having raced for 7-years with Schumacher, the German driver’s electronics knowledge will be a bonus for SWORKz with Lautenbach driving the new S12-2EVO and the S14-4C this season as part of his own racing program. On the announcement Max Sonnleitner said: “We are very happy to welcome a familiar face to the SWORKz team. I am sure he will fit perfectly into our family and make his way!”

Source: Sworkz [Facebook]

October 13, 2023

Ronnefalk joins Xray

Xray has announced that the 1:8 Offroad World and multiple European Champion David Ronnefalk has joined their factory team. The Swede’s program with the Slovakian manufacturer will see him race not just 1:8 and 1:10 offroad but all 1:10 Touring car classes. Having departed Mayako after 2-years stint with the brand, commenting on his move to Xray Ronnevalk said, “I’m very excited and happy to announce the news of me joining XRAY. It’s no secret what this brand is capable of in terms of its development program in creating quality products achieving the best results. I’m really looking forward to be a part of this process and to work close with the team to achieve our common goals. I feel very confident starting the new chapter of my career together with XRAY, I’m sure we will be able to make great things happen together. Can’t wait to start to work and meet up with everyone again.”

Source: Xray [teamxray.com]

October 6, 2023

Hall brothers 1-2 at Essex Carpet Clash opener – Report

Last weekend saw the first round of Essex Carpet Clash Season 6 with all drivers greeted to the start of the winter season on a sizeable track that had some nice flowing corners with technical chicanes that made for a quick lap, when getting it correct. From the fore rounds of qualifying Team Associated’s Tommy Hall looked quick at the start and likely to take the 2WD pole position, however his brother Jamie managed to take the overall pole position with a quicker lap time, due to both being joint on point. Last season’s Champion Harley Eldridge was quick all day and would line up third with her Xray with Kyle Moon in fourth and Ellis Stafford lining up fifth. The two wheel drive A finals were exciting to watch and came down to the third leg where it was a battle between Tommy and Jamie who had both taken a leg win each. Tommy managed to pass his brother in the third leg and although Jamie tried his best, made a couple of mistakes resulting in the pole man finishing second on the podium. Harley Eldridge was consistent and finished third in each leg rounding off the podium position.

Continue reading here

October 5, 2023

EFRA seeks support on EU nitro fuel petition

EFRA, the federation for RC racing in Europe, is seeking the support of racers and the industry with a petition submitted to the European Parliament to amend the rule regarding nitro fuel for model car racing. The petition is titled “Petition No 0519/2023 by Markus Dirks (German) on amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1148 on the marketing and use of explosives precursors” and is opposed to the reduction from 25 % nitromethane content to 12% in the fuel used by model sport pilots and model sport car drivers. The petitioner claims that this would lead to thermal problems in engines and prevent European or World Championships from being held in Germany and calls for exemptions and for paragraph 10 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1148 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on the marketing and use of explosives precursors to be adapted.

View & sign petition here

October 4, 2023

Joe Pillars World Championship debut replica TLR

While Red RC’s first encounter with Joe Pillars was in 2010 when he was Team Manager for Kyosho and mechanic for the Japanese company’s star driver Jared Tebo, he was also a very capable driver. To mark it being 20-years since he made his World Championship debut he has just completed a personal project of building a replica of his TLR 1:10 2WD Buggy which he put into the A-Main. Sharing photos of the buggy on social media, Joe outlines the story behind the build, ‘2023 marked 20-years since I attended my first IFMAR World Championships at MINNREG in Largo, Florida. At the time I was 21 yrs old and working for Team Orion/Peak Racing building motors for the team and was also sponsored by Team Losi. I went onto qualify 7th and finished 8th overall, being my best result in R/C as a driver. A few months ago I had the idea to build a replica car like what I ran and today it’s finally finished! A big thank you goes out to Larry Doe for most of the help sourcing parts! Thanks to Kris Norlock for helping with the LRP Q2 ESC! Thanks to David Goss for the red Matt Francis ball cups that were impossible to find! I only had 1 Team Orion V2 Motor left after all these years, no better place to have it! Cavalieri Edition.’

View more images here

October 3, 2023

Australia to host 2025 1:10 Offroad World C/ships

Newly crowned 1:10 Buggy World Champions Davide Ongaro and Tater Sontag will be travelling ‘Down Under’ to defend their titles in 2025 with the FEMCA Bloc having awarded the hosting of the 20th running of the championships to Australia. Currently making final preparations for next week’s 1:8 GT World Championship in Sydney, the awarding of the 1:10 Offroad Worlds to the RCRA (Remote Controlled Racing Australia) means three years of back to back World Championship action for the nation who will also host the 1:5 Onroad Worlds next year. Currently three tracks, one situated in Queensland and two in New South Wales, have expressed interest with RCRA in hosting the championships with the national body giving them until the end of this month (October) to respond with their capabilities against a set criteria. An official announcement of the host track is expected at the end of November. Australia has previously hosted the 1:10 Offroad Worlds when in 1989 a certain Masami Hirosaka did the double. Only the third running of the IFMAR World Championships for its second oldest category, while the St Ives track is still going today almost 35-years on, it is not one of the potential hosts for 2025.

Image: RCRA [Facebook]