Red RC » R Off Road

February 2, 2025

Kilic wins 4WD at EOS

Mugen Seiki/LRP team driver Burak Kilic has taken the 4WD Buggy win at the EOS Race in Daun, German, the Turkish racer denying the former multiple race series’ reigning Champion Michal Orlowski from winning the now single stand alone race event. In qualifying it was the Schumacher of Orlowski who secured the overall TQ from the Xrays of David Ronnefalk and Bartosz Zalewski with Kilic lining up P4 on the grid. In the opening A-Main, Orlowski made the race look like just a formality while Kilic got through to finish second almost 5-seconds back. A2 however would see a dramatic start as Orlowski and Ronnefalk’s buggies ended up tangled together allowing Polish talent Zalewski to go to the front. Despite pressure from Orlowski in the closing stages, the 18-year-old stayed out front to win by 8/10ths with 2WD EOS Winner Marcus Kaerup, who qualified P8, finishing in third. A3 would again see first lap drama as Orlowski and Ronnefalk touched with Kilic coming out in front after further contact in the next corner. From there Kilic led from Zalewski, Orlowski and Ronnefalk before a mistake from Zalewski ended his chances of the title. Next it was the turn of Orlowski to pile the pressure on Kilic until he ran wide allowing Ronnefalk passed and despite the Swede best efforts over the last minute of the race Kilic held on for the A3 win and overall victory. Orlowski would finish runner-up with Zalewski completing the podium.

Image: Berkan Kilic [Facebook]

January 31, 2025

Kaerup wins 2WD at EOS

Team Associated’s Marcus Kaerup has opened his 2025 season with victory at the EOS race in Daun, Germany. Previously a multiple round series, Kaerup a previous Euro Offroad Series round winner, for 2025 the EOS is a one off event which opened with 2WD action on the temporary Racestars built indoor carpet track. In qualifying it was reiging Euro Offroad Series Champion Michal Orlowski, with 3 TQs from the 4 rounds, who was the Top Qualifier from Kaerup, who topped Q3, with his returning for 2025 AE team-mate Clement Boda completing the Top 3. In the triple finals, A1 saw a great battle between the Top 2 as Kaerup put the Schumacher driver under pressure until Orlowski clipped a board on landing which was enough for the 17-year-old Dane to get through for the win from team-mate Tommy Hall as the pole sitter dropped down the order. In A2 reigning European Champion Orlowski led from start to finish winning by 2.6-seconds from Kaerup meaning it would all come down to A3. Locked in another super close battle at the front, Kaerup would make contact with the leader which would result in the Pole’s buggy ending up on its roof. While Kaerup waited from Orlowski to retake his lead, this bunched back up the field before a mistake from Orlowski dropped him down order as Kaerup took the A3 win from Daniel Kobbevik to claim the overall 2WD win. Despite having to count his A1 P5, Orlowski would finish runner-up with Kobbevik completing the podium ahead of new 2025 Schumacher recruit Noha Ben Mohamed. Drivers will now turn their attention to 4WD for the next two days.

Image: Ruddog [Facebook]

January 30, 2025

Donnelly joins Team EAM

Australian Offroad Champion Lachlan Donnelly has joined Team EAM for the 2025 season as the US brand further expands its global team of drivers. A World Championship year for the 1:10 Offroad category, the 20-year-old long time Team Associated driver will use Team EAM batteries as part of his race program the highlight of which will see him compete for the sport’s biggest prize in his home city of Sydney when it hosts the IFMAR Worlds at the end of September into October. Winner of the Australian 4WD National title ahead of US visitor & 2 time World Champion Spencer Rivkin at the Hills Off Road RC track in October, on his new deal with Team EAM Donnelly said, “I am super excited and thankful for the opportunity to join EAM for the 2025 season and use their race batteries! I look forward to what’s to come with the Team and seeing the brand succeed globally and in Australia!”

Source: Team EAM [teameamotorsports.com]

January 29, 2025

Xray confirms Champions return for MIBO International

Xray has confirmed that two of its MIBO International Champions will return to the third annual running of the Czech indoor onroad/offroad race early next month. Inaugural Pro-Stock Champion Adam Izsay returns and the recent GP3F winner will not only look to retake the Pro-Stock title Xray has won at the previous two editions but he will also step up to compete in the Modified class against the likes of Schumacher’s reigning Champion Michal Orlowski and the Mugen Seiki of inaugural Champion Ronald Volker. In Offroad, defending 4WD Champion Bartek Zalewski, who really made a name for himself at last year’s MIBO International, heads the Slovakian manufacturer’s quest for a third consecutive 4WD title on the offroad track. Bruno Coelho was the winner at the first running of the event that is organised by former top international Czech touring car racer Michal Bok and his well known RC company Mibosport. A sell-out event, the 2025 MIBO International will be very much a family affair for Xray with company founder Juraj Hudy one of 5 of the Hudy family’s three generations who will be racing at the Sport V Hotel based event on February 7-9th.

Source: MIBO [mibosport.com]

January 27, 2025

Team EAM batteries for Kaerup

Having switched electronics sponsor for the 2025 season with the announcement last week he has joined Hobbywing, leading Offroad talent Marcus Kaerup will also have a new battery sponsor in Team EAM. The 17-year-old Dane joins fellow Scandinavian offroad racer Daniel Kobbevik in bolstering the US brands presence in the offroad scene, the Eric Anderson owned company better known for their onroad racing exploits. With 2025 a World Championship year for 1:10 Offroad, it will also see the inaugural running of the 1:8 Electric Buggy World Championships, with Kaerup, already a 1:10 and 1:8 Offroad World Finalist, expected to be a title contender at both for Team Associated.

Source: Team EAM [teameamotorsports.com]

January 26, 2025

Philippine Masters ’25 – Announcement

It has become a bucket list race in the 1:8 Offroad racing scene and the organisers have today announced that registration for the 2025 edition of Philippine Masters is open with just 200 entries up for grabs. Scheduled for April 30-May 4th, the 13th running of the Philippine Masters will see racing for 1:8 Nitro Buggy, 1:8 eBuggy and 1:8 Nitro Truggy (click here to register). A race that was started by local Philippine racers with no ambitions for it to become a major event on the international racing calendar, the Philippine Masters has grown into becoming Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race meeting. The success of the race, which takes place in the capital city of Manila, has lead to the continent getting its own high profile championship with Race Director Scotty Ernst creating the Asian Buggy Championships of which PM25 is the second stop of four races that make up the championship’s third season. The Philippine Masters is one of Red RC’s favourite annual events to attend and report on as it combines both top level racing and a social atmosphere around the racing that lives up to the host country’s tagline ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’.

Source: Asian Buggy Championships [Facebook]

January 24, 2025

Sparko adds US talent Wilson to team line-up

Surprising many with the news earlier this week of his departure from long time chassis sponsor Team Associated, young US Offroad talent Jonah Wilson has been announced as the latest driver addition at Sparko. Having already announced American Cole Odgen and French teenage offroad talent Noha Ben Mohamed will run the Taiwanese manufacturers 1:8 Offroad platforms in 2025, the 18-year-old further bolsters the brand which only arrived on the racing scene in mid 2023 with the release of the F8. The 2023 ROAR National Junior Champion, Wilson’s 2024 season included a number of high profile race eBuggy TQs and wins as well as a Nitro Buggy A-Main start at Silver State and Nitro Truggy A-Main at the ROAR Nationals. On his new chassis sponsor the Tennessee driver said, ‘I am very excited to be a part of the Sparko team! Helping to develop and promote the brand is something I look forward to. I hope to also bring value in helping others and of course get some solid results on track! I can’t wait to get to the races and work with everyone!’

Source: Sparko Racing [Facebook]

January 24, 2025

Hobbywing sign offroad star Kaerup

Hobbywing has announced that highly rated offroad star Marcus Kaerup has joined its International team. The 17-year-old Dane who drives for Team Associated makes the move from Reedy to Hobbywing electronics for a similar package to team-mate & reigning 4WD World Champion Davide Ongaro who will try to defend that title later this year in Australia. Winning his first European Championship title at just 14-years of age in 2022 in 4WD and then adding the 2WD title one year later, Kaerup made his World Championship debut in Arizona in 2023, putting both his 2WD and 4WD buggies in the A-Main on his first attempt on the World’s biggest stage. On the announced Kaerup said, ‘I’m super excited for this opportunity. I’m sure we’ll have success ahead of us. Thanks to Hobbywing for giving me this massive opportunity toward my RC career. I can’t wait to hit the track and represent the company and brand.’

Source: Hobbywing [hobbywing.com]