Red RC » R Off Road

September 8, 2023

Ronnefalk & Mayako part ways

While en route for our coverage of the IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championships in Arizona, former 1:8 Offroad World Champion David Ronnefalk and chassis manufacturer Mayako has announced they are to part ways. Ronnefalk made a surprise departure from long time chassis sponsor HB Racing and joined the new brand 2-years ago. Formed from the JQ brand, the new partnership delivered a European Championship and 2nd place at the World Championship in the hands of the Swede in 2022 however this year they haven’t been able to build on the initial success. Issuing a joint statement Mayako said, ‘The 2023 season is coming to an end, and Mayako Performance International would like to thank David Ronnefalk for his contribution to the successful launch of the brand over the last 2 years. This included a European Championship, RCGP Championship, 2nd place at the IFMAR World Championships, DNC eBuggy Win, and numerous other wins and podiums. We would like to wish David all the best for the future, and look forward to many tough battles on the track.’

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September 7, 2023

‘I’ve learned a lot since then’ – Phend

In 2019 Dakotah Phend would achieve his best World Championship result when he finished runner-up to Bruno Coelho in 1:10 4WD at the Hudy Arena in Slovakia. Four years on, asked what is different about the Dakotah of today as we get set for the return of the 1:10 Offroad World Championship at the end of this week, the American’s reply is, ‘I’ve learned a lot since then’. Making his World Championship debut way back in 2008 in 1:8 Nitro, his debut in 1:10 Electric came in 2011 when the now 26-year-old put his cars in both A-Mains in Finland. With an impressive National Championship trophy collection in what is undoubtably the super power of nations when it comes to offroad racing, Phend’s sheer outright speed has always been spectacular to watch. Now the TLR driver believes he is much better at managing that speed and calculating risk versus reward.

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September 6, 2023

‘Definitely the strongest team we have ever had’, says Orlowski

Michal Orlowski goes into the IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championship at the end of this week confident his Schumacher team is fielding what is ‘definitely the strongest team we have ever had’ for a Worlds. 12 years on from making his World Championship debut in Vaasa, Finland, the Polish driver is expected to be a leading contender in the European challenge to deny the US drivers victory on their very own doorstep. Only racing 2WD at the 2011 WC because he couldn’t get hold of Tamiya’s 511 4WD kit at the time, the recently turned 22-year old heads up a strong Schumacher team going to Hobby Action RC Raceway in Arizona. With the vastly experienced Ryan Cavalieri & Lee Martin, a very on form Broc Champlin, and Daniel Kobbevik as team-mates, he is also coming off the back of his own very successful run of results, in both off and onroad. Winner of last weekend’s most recent Euro Touring Series encounter at Marc Rheinard’s home circuit Arena33, he travels to the US as the European 4WD Offroad Champion having regained the title back in July 8-years on from first holding it.

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September 4, 2023

Canas leads Sworks 1-2 at European Championship

Juan Carlos Canas has finally achieved a major championship title with the rapid Spaniard leading an Sworkz 1-2 at the EFRA 1:8 Offroad European Championship in Redovan, Spain. In qualifying, Canas was Top Qualifier topping 3 of the 5 rounds at the 2022 World Championship venue. Reigning World Champion Davide Ongaro was P2 with the fastest time in Q2 with Bruno Coelho P3 having set the quickest time in the opening qualifier. With Saturday originally scheduled as Finals day, the threat of heavy rain prompted a change of schedule to get the event completed by Friday night. In the Semi Finals Canas took the first 20-minute encounter from Bryan Baldo while a retirement exited Coelho from proceedings. In the other Semi, Ongaro took the win from Burak Kilic and Elliot Boots, but a slower race time it was Canas on pole for the final with defending champion David Ronnefalk lining up 6th. Racing into the night and finishing under the flood lights Canas dominated the 45-minutes adding the fastest lap to his tally on the way to victory by half a lap from his 2-time European Champion team-mate Elliot Boots. Ongaro’s Team Associated would complete the podium 4-second ahead of Mugen’s Burak Kilic with a similar gap back to Infinity’s Riccardo Berton in fifth. Ronnefalk’s year long reign as Champion would end in a retirement with 5-minutes remaining.

Image: Sworkz [Facebook]

August 29, 2023

MOD Live Media Worlds broadcast team announcement

With less than 2-weeks to go until the IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championship gets underway at Hobby Action RC Raceway in Chandler, Arizona, our friends over at MOD Live Media has announced the voices of their live broadcast from the event. As the official live broadcast partner of these World Championships, MOD Live Media founder Matt Olson has brought together Richard Lake, Zachary Rogers and Wayne Ashmore who bring a wide array of knowledge with their combined 90+ years in the hobby. Olson is confident each of these announcers will bring a certain flare, style, and uniqueness that will add some fun as well as insight to the broadcast. While MOD’s video cameras will stream all the track action live, Red RC will be in Arizona too having teamed up with Ruddog Racing to bring our readers in-dept reports and images to tell the stories of how the 4WD and 2WD titles are decided.

View commentary team profiles here

August 28, 2023

Tommy Hall does double at Scotty Ernst UK Showdown

The Scotty Ernst UK Showdown saw Tommy Hall do the buggy double at the inaugural running of the 1:10 Offroad event. The famed American race announcer brought his Showdown to the UK’s legendary Robin Hood Raceway where the astro turf track played to its advantage with any rain not stopping play at the Schumacher Racing supported event. Capitalising on the British Bank Holiday weekend, the 3-day event saw Sunday’s main action decide the 2WD Champion with the 4WD and Stadium Truck battles fought on Monday. In 2WD Buggy, it was Team Associated’s Tommy Hall who took the TQ before the former European Champion went on to win the final ahead of the Schumacher pairing of Ben Smith and Lee Martin. In 4WD, it was the second of the Hall brother’s Jamie who would TQ ahead of Martin with Tommy P3 after four rounds. In the triple finals however it was Tommy, the newly crowned British National Champion, who took the first two A-Mains to completed the perfect weekend with Jamie securing P2 with the win in A3 as Martin again completed the podium in third. In Stadium Truck the finals produced three different winners with 2WD Buggy runner-up Smith taking the overall victory from Martin for a Schumacher 1-2 ahead of Jamie and Tommy Hall.

Image: Schumacher [racing-cars.com]

August 28, 2023

Hönigl joins Elceram RC

Former offroad and 1:12 onroad European Champion Hupo Hönigl has been announced as a new team driver for electronics newcomer Elceram. The Czech start-up’s new NITRIDE Electronic Speed Controller received plenty of interest when details were released alongside the announcement back in February that another former European Champion Martin Bayer would use their products and assist with development. Also Max Götzl, on the signing of Xray driver Hönigl, Elceram said, ‘We are happy to welcome the new ELCERAM Racing Team member – great Austrian driver Hupo Hönigl. We appreciate our partnership very much and we are looking forward to a useful and interesting cooperation with this experienced driver. Stay connected for another exciting information coming soon!

Source: Elceram [Facebook]

August 23, 2023

Kobbevik doubles at R4 Norwegian Nationals

Schumacher’s Daniel Kobbevik claimed a double win at the fourth round of the Norwegian 1:10 Offroad Nationals which took place in Bergen last weekend. Moved to the West Coast venue after issues with originally scheduled venue, Saturday’s 2WD action presented driver with weather from all four seasons. Despite the challenges, Kobbevik would take the TQ ahead of fellow Schumacher driver Halvor Gran and the Team Associated of Adrian Sognestad. Continuing that form into the triple finals he would take the win with the podium order being as they line-up on the grid. Sunday’s 4wD would be a repeat performance from Kobbevik as he took all four qualifying rounds with his LRP powered Schumacher CAT L1R. Starting from pole ahead of Sognestad, he would complete the perfect weekend with victory in A1 & A2 and leaving his rivals to battle it out for the other two podium placings in A3, a battle Gran would win for another Schumacher 1-2. Peter Stein completed the podium.

Image: Magne Kobbevik