Red RC » R On Road

June 2, 2024

Senesi crowned 1:8 GT European Champion

Natanaele Senesi is the new EFRA 1:8 GT European Champion claiming the title for the very first time at the Naxos World track in Sicily, Italy. Lining up P5 for the 45-minute title decider, the World Championship finalist took his Senesi Motorsport S21 GT car to victory by a 10-second margin from the Xray of Top Qualifier Edoardo Repetti with Serpent’s Andrea Catanzani completing the nitro podium. Only the third running of the European Championships for the category, there was plenty of drama at the start of the final. Set to start P3 on the grid for the 45-minute encounter, Capricorn’s Alessio Mazzeo called a technical timeout in the warm-up which put him to the back of the grid. On the race start Repetti suffered a flame out. Taking the lead of the race after a few laps, during his first fuel stop Senesi would flame out handing Catanzani the lead. Chased down by a recovering Senesi, with three minutes to go Catanzani would lose 2nd gear allowing Senesi back to the front where he would stay to the finish to end Bernard-Alain Arnaldi reign over the category. Arnaldi would give up his back to back title finishing P6. In the 1:8 GTE title race, Top Qualifier & Schepis Model team driver Rosario Giaimo was able to complete the job and wrapped up the championship with wins in A1 & 2 of the triple finals with Senesi and 2023 Champion Mazzeo completing the Top 3.

Image: Natanaele Senesi [Facebook]

May 31, 2024

Repetti is 1:8 GT European C/Ship Top Qualifier

Italy’s Edoardo Repetti is the Top Qualifier at the 2024 EFRA 1:8 GT European Championships which are underway at the Naxos World track in Sicily, Italy. The former European Large Scale Champion took his Ielasi Tuned powered Xray to the TQ honours with TQ runs in Q3 & 4 together with a P2 in the fifth & final round. Also registering two TQ runs and a second, but losing out on the tie-breaker, Schepis Model driver Rosario Giaimo, winner of the recent Italian National Champion round at the same track, qualified 2nd having taken the Electric GT overall TQ earlier in the day. Former 1:10 Nitro Touring Car Champion Alessio Mazzeo completed the Top 3 for Capricorn. Top Qualifier at last year’s European Championship in Croatia, Serpent’s Andrea Catanzani ended qualifying P4. Only the third running of a European Championship for the category, defending back to back Champion Bernard-Alain Arnaldi took his Genius Racing chassis to 6th as the fastest non Italian driver.

Image: Xray [Facebook]

May 30, 2024

2024 Speed King Tour Rd2 – Report

After a successful opening round of the Speed King Tour 2024 at the Super RC Omiya indoor tarmac track, the popular and competitive electric touring car series sponsored by Rakusai Model moved outdoors for Round 2 at TM Circuit Wakayama in Wakayama prefecture. Now in its 11th year, this race series travels to circuits across Japan to compete for the series championship through six rounds. For the first time in the event’s history, the number of entries reached 100, Atsushi Hara among the line-up, and many racers came to the track a day early. Considering the weather forecast that the next day would be rainy, the organisers decided to hold one round of qualifying for the top category TC0 (Modified) class on Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, it rained on the day of the event, and the decision was made to cancel the race. The TC0 class standings were determined based on the previous day’s qualifying results. The winner was Tamiya driver Ryoma Yoshida, a local junior high school driver, with Takara Sano also driving a Tamiya in second with the Infinity of Ryosuke Yamamoto completing the podium. The next round, Round 3, will be held on 14th of July at the new Next Rush Circuit in Chiba prefecture.

Source: Speed King Tour [speedkingtour.com]

May 30, 2024

Multiple US TC Champion Johnson joins Power HD

Servo manufacturer Power HD has announced the signing of American multi-times National Touring Car Champion Dave Johnson to their factory team. The ROAR National Champion, 4 time Snowbirds Nationals Champion, 6 time US Indoor Champs Champion, 8+ time Canadian Onroad Nationals Champion and countless local race winner will be using Power HD high end servo S15 in his touring cars and pan car servo M8H in 1:12. On the announcement Johnson said, ‘These servos are simply amazing, the precision they display is unmatched. Crazy speed and holding power for the toughest tracks. I’m excited to represent this incredible company. Thanks goes out to lex Tyler and Tina Lee for this awesome partnership.’

Source: PowerHD [chd.hk]

May 27, 2024

Shimo crowned Japanese 1:8 Onroad Champion

Infinity’s Takaaki Shimo is the new JMRCA Japanese 1:8 Onroad National Champion. Racing at the 2023 World Championship host venue Infinity International Speedway, Shimo regained the title he last held in 2016 with a 2.5-second victory over Top Qualifier Naoto Matsukura. In qualifying the Infinity of Matsukura topped three of the four rounds to secure the TQ and lock himself into pole position for the 45-minute final. A TQ run in Q2 would secure reigning 1:10 Nitro Onroad World Champion Tadahiko Sahashi second overall, a result that also locked him directly into the Main. With Shimo P3 after qualifying and the Mugen Seiki of defending Champion & 2019 World Champion Shouki Takahata 6th, they would both have to race their way into the Main from the 20-minute Semi Finals. Shimo won his Semi while the other went to Takahata. In the Main, Matsukura lead for 2/3rd of the race as he and Shimo gapped the field but getting by Matsukura, Shimo maintained that lead to the end to secure the title. Three laps back Tadahiko Sahashi would completed the podium ahead of Takahata.

Image: Infinity [Facebook]

May 21, 2024

Hamon is 2024 NSW State Champion

Jeff Hamon is the 2024 NSW State Champion, the factory Serpent driver defending his title with the perfect trio of the TQ, Fastest Lap and Win. Racing at the 2023 IFMAR 1:8 GT World Championship host track in Moorebank near Sydney, this year’s State titles attracted a huge field of entrants making for a great atmosphere. Unfortunately some delays meant qualifying had to be cut short and run under some questionable conditions. Running four rounds, Hamon’s Serpent X20 ‘24 would secure the TQ on tie break from the Infinity of Brayden Stanley, also with two TQ runs, with Yokomo’s Simon Nicholson qualifying P3. A mistake from Hamon in A1 would see Stanley with the win while a number of unfortunate incidents in A2 would see Hamon pull off and save tyres for A3 which he duly lead tone to tone for the overall win. Winner of A2, the Awesomatix of Jeffrey Mackie finished second with Stanley completing the podium ahead of Nicholson.

Image: Jeff Hamon [Facebook]

May 20, 2024

Iris team sweeps Austrian FWD Nationals Round 1

The opening round of the Austrian Nationals was held at the MRC Wr. Neustadt track over the weekend where the Iris Team enjoyed a clean sweep in FWD Touring Car category. Matheo Buchhalt took the TQ with his Iris ONE.05 FWD after setting the fastest qualifier in each of the four rounds. He was followed by Philipp Stadler, who lined up second on the grid. In the finals, Matheo won the first two finals to secure the overall win, marking his first-ever victory at a Nationals event. Philipp Stadler finished in P2, and Loris Buchhalt, another Iris driver, took P3. Markus Buchhalt finished fourth, making it an all-Iris top 4 result.

Source: IRIS [iris-racing.com]

May 20, 2024

BRCA 2WD Onroad Nationals Round 2 Mendip – Report

The first round of the 2024 BRCA British 2WD Onroad Championship kicked off at the Mendip circuit near Weston-super-Mare on what would be their last visit to the circuit as it is being redeveloped. This year the BRCA Championship is back to four rounds of qualifying, best two to count, with two finals for all.  In F1 qualifying it was the Glen Westwood who took the first two rounds of qualifying with his Schumacher which was enough to take pole position. Behind him it was Luke Lee and his Xray edging out brother Michael’s Schumacher by virtue of having the faster time for the tie-break with both having a first and second. Next up was James Greener’s Xray with a second and a third from Rob Chaldecott who had three thirds. The finals saw Luke Lee taking both legs for the overall win, from Westwood with a pair of second places while Michael Lee completed the podium.

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