December 6, 2022

Ollie Payne leaves Roche

A partnership that started out when he was one of the rising stars of 1:12, top international 1:12 racer Ollie Payne has announced he is leaving the World Champion manufacturer Roche.  The multiple British National Champion achieved a number of significant successes with Roche, the most recent of which included a double win at the Masters of Foam event in Belgium.  Announcing the news on his Facebook page, the IFMAR World Finalist said, “I would like to thank Max Ma and Roche for all the support I have had over the years which has enabled me to win and podium many events but now I feel now is a time for new opportunities and a new beginning. Thank you to all the people that have supported Roche in my time as a factory driver”.

Source: Ollie Payne [Facebook]


December 6, 2022

Mazzeo joins Capricorn

Two weeks after announcing his departure from Serpent, Alessio Mazzeo has revealed his switch to Capricorn.  The Italian follows Dominic Greiner and Merlin Depta in joining the Italian manufacturer from Serpent with all three set to represent Patrizio Rossi’s brand at the Miami Nitro Grand Prix this week in Florid of which Mazzeo is the defending Nitro GT champion.  Making the announcement on social media, on the Capricorn Facebook page the 200mm  World Championship podium finisher said, ‘My first real “change” after 18 years.  A collaboration that makes me proud, all made in Italy. It’s going to be hard to do better than Capricorn has done in years past, one more reason to thank the company and its staff for this ambitious choice’.  On his own social media Mazzeo added, “Thank you Patri and all the Capricorn family for this generous opportunity celebrating Italy, our passion and our love for doing things, I hope you are just as winning in this sport as it has been for others. Can’t wait to get back out in the game alongside some of the best drivers in the world. See you on track very soon!

Source: Alessio Mazzeo [Facebook]


December 4, 2022

Bayers wins GT8E at Miami Electric Grand Prix

Martin Bayer is the 2022 Miami Grand Prix GT8E Champion.  With the electric classes kicking off the annual week long event at Homestead RC Raceway in Florida, the Xray designer secured the TQ with the fastest time in the second of the four rounds of qualifying at the 2020 GT World Championship venue.   Vice Champion in both nitro and electric at the inaugural World Championship, Bayer was the only driver to manage 19-laps in qualifying securing pole for the triple A-Mains ahead of Serpent’s Jose Almonte and Capricorn’s Natanaele Sensei.  In the finals, Bayer would win all three encounters with the big battle being for second between Almonte and Sensei who would finish tied on points with the former listed as P2.  In 1:10 Modified Touring Car, it was also a European winner with Hotrace Tyres boss Nicola Marrone securing the TQ from Felix Law before going onto win all three A-Mains to win ahead of fellow Italian Filippo Domanin with Law completing the podium.  Drivers will now turn their attentions to the Miami Nitro Grand Prix which has attracted a very strong international entry.

Image: Xray [teamxray.com]


November 28, 2022

‘Rising Star Program’ awarded at USIC


First started in 2018 as an initiative at the Canadian National Championships, the ‘Rising Star Program’ was awarded for the first time to an American driver over the weekend when it was decided to make a surprise announcement at the legendary U.S. Indoor Champs in Cleveland.  Very passionate about the program, Ryan Combden of Team Zombie Canada, together with some other passionate RC sponsors, made the late decision to award the program to a driver during the USIC.  The panel watched unaware racers as they went about their racing, paying particular attention to how they interacted with others.  One driver to really stand out was Riley Drennen, his hard work and desire to learn really catching their attention.  Only in his first year of racing, the 20-year is working two jobs while still going to school and this dedication struck a cord with the panel.  As the latest recipient of the Rising Star Program, Riley was presented with a very impressive package from the program sponsors and USIC race promoter Scotty Ernst.  As he gets ready for the 2024 season, Riley received a new kit from Destiny, new power from Team Zombie Canada, new motor and tires from Motiv and Gravity RC,  a new esc from Tekin and a new body from Bitty Designs.

Source: Team Zombie Canada [Facebook]


November 28, 2022

Schumacher Winter Series Rnd 3 – Report

The third round of the Schumacher Indoor Winter Series presented by the Louth Radio Control Car Club took place on Sunday and with 45 entries it was another good turnout.  Four rounds of qualifying would pitch a six car field for the finals. After the first two rounds it was Schumacher pilot Alex Brocklebank who looked like he may walk away with it, q2 was close between himself and Xray driver Chris Lovey separated by 8 thousandths of a second. Chris would fight back and take TQ in round 3 and 4 and set the fastest time in the process. Callum Chapman and his Vulcan RC Xray t4 showed consistency and pace only being a few seconds back of the leading pair. Another Schumacher driver of Dan Burks would build during the day improving his round results to take 4th on the grid. Matt Cook and his Mugen would leave it until the finals qualifying rounds to solidify his place in the a final, ahead of the Awesomatix of Dan Leonard. So with the top six drivers sorted it was heads down for the single legged final.

Continue report here


November 27, 2022

Sam Isaacs does double at U.S. Indoor Champs

Sam Isaacs has done the double at the 42nd running of the U.S. Indoor Champs in Cleveland, the Awesomatix driver taking home the win in both Mod Touring Car and Mod 1:12.  In Touring Car the title was decided by a single A-Main.  Starting second on the grid, Isaacs went to the front on lap 2 as Top Qualifier Keven Hebert plummeted down the order.  Behind, Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski followed Isaacs home to claimed second with Kemp Anderson’s Awesomatix close on his bumper completing the podium.  Fourth would go to Alexander Hagberg who crossed line in front of his recovering Xray team-mate Hebert in P5.   1:12 would be decided by triple A-Mains.  Having secured the TQ, Isaacs took A1 from Donny Lia who came through from 5th on the grid.  A2 who see Lia go one better and win from Hagberg as Isaacs finished 4th behind Orlowski.  With one final 8-minute encounter to decide things, Isaacs led A3 when it counted most having relinquished the lead to Lia for 3 laps earlier in the race.  While Ollie Payne took second in A3, overall it was Lia second, Anderson third and Orlowski 4th.

Stock Image: U.S. Indoor Champs [Facebook]


November 27, 2022

Volker claims first win of ETS title defence

Reigning champion Ronald Volker has secured the first win of his ETS title defence as he took victory at the opening indoor race of the season in Germany today.  Having secured the overall TQ from Marc Rheinard, the Mugen driver would lead home his title rival in the opening A-Main encounter and win again in A2, this time from Lucas Urbain, to become the fifth different winner in as many rounds.  With Awesomatix’s Rheinard going on to win A3 to secure second overall, the duo now sit equal at the top of the points standings.  Round 4 winner Urbain completed the podium in Munden ahead of Apeldoorn winner Yannick Prumper and Aigen winner Christopher Krapp.  Overall it is Yokomo’s Krapp who holds third in the points with one round remaining in Daun in January, where last year Volker took the win and title.

Image: ETS [Facebook]


November 26, 2022

Hebert claims TQ at U.S. Indoor Champs

Keven Hebert is the Mod Touring Car Top Qualifier at the U.S. Indoor Champs in Cleveland, Ohio.  The 42nd running of this legendary indoor race, which has attracted over 350 entries, the Xray driver laid down the fastest time of the rocket round qualifying format in the third of the four rounds of qualifying.  The Top 3 times would in fact all come from Q3, with Awesomatix’s Sam Isaacs securing second on the grid with a time 6/10th off that of the Canadian.  Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski was a further 1/10th of a second off locking the European visitor into 3rd on the grid.  With 47 races making up a packed schedule each round, Kemp Anderson would top the final qualifier with his fastest run but he stays P4 on the grid ahead of the Xray of Alexander Hagberg with Chase Lemeiux completing the Top 6.  In Mod 1:12, it was Isaacs who took the TQ with the fastest time in Q4 ahead of Anderson.  Hagberg will start third followed by Ollie Payne, Donny Lia and Orlowski.

Image: Keven Hebert [Facebook]


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