September 4, 2024

2024 12-hour Italian Endurance Championship – Report

Minicar Fontanellato racetrack, located in the province of Parma, hosted the 2024 Italian Endurance Championship, a 12-hour endurance race featuring teams qualified through the Italian Cups in Northern and Central Italy held last spring.  The competition, sanctioned by the Italian motorsport and RC Car Racing Federation ACI Sport, which started at 9:00 PM on Saturday, August 31, and ended at 9:00 AM on Sunday, September 1, provided excitement and spectacle for the enthusiasts present. The cars allowed by the federal regulations in Endurance competitions are based on traditional four-wheel-drive Touring chassis, components, and mechanics.  The propulsion is electric and restricted, both in the ESC and motor component, in order to guarantee a balance of performance among all competitors.  Bodyshells, regulated by a specific homologation list, are strikingly realistic and referable to the LMH segment of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

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September 3, 2024

Slater crowned 1:8 Stockcars World Champion

The 1:8 Stockcar World Championship took place at the Adur Model Car Club oval track in the South of England over weekend with English Champion Ricky Slater crowned the new World Champion.  Starting out against almost 60 drivers drawn into 10 qualifying heats, three rounds of qualifying, Quarter & Semi finals whittled that down to just 6-drivers for the Main Final.  The 5-minute World title decider would see Slater take his Nova Engine powered LMH Chassis to the win ahead of 2023 Champion Maikel Rutten from the Netherlands.  They were joined on the podium by Ben Harding.  Jack Nessling was crowned the Junior World Champion.

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September 2, 2024

Next generate of Groskamp takes first National win

It is always great to see the next generation of racers coming through the ranks with Valentino Groskamp, son of former ISTC World Champion Jilles, taking his first National Championship race win over the weekend.   Round 5 of the NOMAC 1:10 Nitro Dutch National Championship took place at the Modelbouw Club De Sluis track in the famous cheese producing city of Gouda, where the 13-year-old took his Infinity to victory in the 30-minute.  Towering above Valentio on the podium, Tim Bosmann would finish 2nd half a lap down with third going to Tim Bosmann.

Image: Infinity [Facebook]


August 30, 2024

1:12 World Champ Mächler confirmed for MonTech NYGP

Reigning IFMAR 1:12 Spec World Champion Max Mächler is the first international entry to be confirmed for this year’s MonTech New York Grand Prix.  A former winner at the event, the German will return to New York for the sixth edition of the high profile US indoor race which takes place at 360v2 RC in New Rochelle from October 10-13th.  Winning his World title last December in Florida, the Awesomatix team manager’s main focus for his NYGP return will be on the 1:12 13.5T SuperStock class.  A Touring Car class winner at the 2019 NYGP, the former European Pro Stock Touring Car Champion is also expected to compete for top honours in the 13.5T SuperStock Touring Car Category.  Drivers will battle it out over a total of 12 classes with Touring Car divided into Modified, 17.5T SuperStock, 21.5 Stock, and 25.5 LMH (LeMans Hypercar) while 1:12 offers Modified GTP, SuperStock GTP, Stock GTP, and  GT12R.  Additionally there are classes for USGT, PRO10, USVTA, and FWD.

Source: Fordham 360 Hobbies & Raceway [Facebook]


August 28, 2024

Sahashi to defend Nitro Touring Car World title

While the cancellation of Costa Rica staging the IFMAR 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship this year was a blow for the racing community in the FAMAR Bloc, the switch to the Huge RC Circuit in Thailand has given a major boost to the 10th running of categories biggest race with reigning Champion Tadahiko Sahashi confirmed to defend his title.  With a number of manufacturers confirming at the time they would not be sending team drivers to Costa Rica, the Worlds was set to be void of many of its top drivers including those of reigning back to back Champions Infinity.  Following the announcement in July that the Worlds was to return to the FEMCA Bloc, the previous hosts, the switch to the second of Bangkok’s international circuits has resulted in a ‘Who’s who’ of onroad racing entry list topped by Sahashi.  Infinity’s reigning 1:8 World Champion Dario Balestri is also confirmed meaning the potential for crowning the first ever reigning 1:8 & 1:10 Champion.  Sahashi gained the elusive ‘Double Champion’ status with victory at RC Addict in 2022 to go with his 2013 1:8 WC title.  In doing so he became only the second ever driver to win both IFMAR titles, Adrien Bertin’s feat finally being matched 18-years after the Frenchman became the first to achieved it in 2004.  While entries are still open for the November 15th to 23rd event, there are already 7 IFMAR World Champions confirmed with it widely expected Huge RC Circuit owner & former Electric Touring Car World Champion Surikarn Chaidajsuriya will bring that number to 8.  Other factory entries include Capricorn, with current 1:8 GT World Champion Toni Gruber, 2012 World Champion Meen Vejrak & 2016 Worlds Runner-Up Alessio Mazzeo, while Serpent are sending Jeff Hamon and Bryce Butterfield.  Red RC will travelling to Huge RC for the final stop on our 2024 World Championships coverage schedule.

Source: IFMAR [ifmar.org]


August 25, 2024

Isaacs confirmed to defend MonTech NYGP titles

Having stamped his authority on the 2023 MonTech New York Grand Prix, double Champion Sam Isaacs has been confirmed as heading the entry at the sixth running of the event at 360v2 RC in New Rochelle, New York, this October 10-13th.  The Awesomatix driver, and this year’s ROAR Modified Touring Car Onroad Carpet National Champion, was the big winner of the NYGP last year claiming the TQ in both Mod Touring Car and Mod 1:12 en-route to his double victory.  The result puts the American driver on the high profile US race’s role of honour along with former World Champions Marc Rheinard (2022 NYGP Champion) and Ronald Volker (2019 NYGP Champion).  This year’s event will see drivers compete for victory over 12 classes on the 105ft x 48ft Carpet track.  In Touring Car drivers will battle it out in Modified, 17.5T SuperStock, 21.5 Stock, and 25.5 LMH (LeMans Hypercar).  In 1:12 there is Modified GTP, SuperStock GTP, Stock GTP, and  GT12R.  Additionally there are classes for USGT, PRO10, USVTA, and FWD.

Source: Fordham 360 Hobbies & Raceway [Facebook]


August 25, 2024

Rheinard European Champion once again after 13-years

13-years on from last holding the title, Awesomatix’s Marc Rheinard is the Monaco RC EFRA 1:10 European Touring Car Champion.  Giving Awesomatix and new electric sponsor Cayote their first European title in the Modified category, Rheinard took the title at the Racing Club Roeselare track in Belgium for the third time having qualified second behind Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski.  With Orlowski having a tough day at the office, it was Rheinard who took the first win of the day’s triple finals.  A rain effected A2 would see defending Champion Bruno Coelho win from Orlowski as Rheinard finished P5 meaning it was all to play for in A3.  However it was Rheinard who came out on top to win getting by Orlowski after a small mistake from the pole.  The title see Rheinard matching his tally of Touring Car World Championship wins and is a major boost for the German ahead of the World Championship in the USA later this year.  Overall Coelho took second with Xray team-mate Alexander Hagberg completing the podium ahead Orlowski.  In Pro stock defending Champion & Top Qualifier made it a double celebration for Awesomatix securing the title with wins in the opening two A-Main encounters.  The German was joined on the podium by Schumacher’s Ollie Payne and local racer Niels Degryze.   In the FWD Class, Danish Team Yokomo driver Frederik Hovgaard took the title from P4 on the grid ahead of the Xray of Top Qualifier Adam Iszay and Stefan Schulz.

Image: DMC [Facebook]


August 24, 2024

Orlowski is European Championship Top Qualifier

Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski is the Top Qualifier at the Monaco RC EFRA 1:10 European Touring Car Championships which are taking place Belgium this weekend.  With mixed weather conditions challenging drivers at the Racing Club Roeselare track, Orlowski secured the overall TQ with the fastest times in 2 of the 4 counting qualifiers.  Chasing his first European Championship title in the category, the 1:12 World Champion will line up ahead of Marc Rheinard, the Awesomatix driver setting the fastest time for Q3.  Defending Champion Bruno Coelho, the Xray driver chasing a 4th consecutive title, will line-up 3rd for the finals having set the fastest time in the fifth & final qualifier.  Xray’s Alexander Hagberg, Awesomatix’s Lucas Urbain and the Yokomo of Christopher Krapp complete the Top 6 on the grid.  In Pro Stock, it was defending Champion Simon Lauter who claimed the TQ ahead of team-mate & 2022 Champion Olivier Bultynck.  Schumacher’s Ollie Payne, who was the top seed after practice, ended qualifying P3.

Image: Schumacher [Facebook]