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May 16, 2024

Brazilian Nitro Onroad Nationals Round 1 – Report

The first round of the 2024 Brazilian Nitro Onroad Nationals was held in Florianópolis, SC, Brazil, recently. Despite delays caused by heavy rains in the area which decreased practice times for all participants, the finals happened on Sunday under much desired sunny weather. With record attendance for such an event after an ongoing economic downturn and some long term effects of the pandemic on the closure of many tracks and shops, the event was a success, with 46 registered drivers including two from Argentina as well. The event was divided in four categories; 1:8 GT, 1:8 Onroad and 1:10 Touring Car, the latter divided in two grids of Sport and Racer. Sport designated for rookies while the Racer category was for seasoned drivers.

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May 15, 2024

Thurston makes it 2 from 2 in BRCA 1:8 Onroad C/ship

Alex Thurston continued his impressive 2024 season form making it 2 from 2 at the second round of the BRCA British 1:8 Onroad Nationals held at Adur over the weekend. Winner of the season opener at the Cotswolds track last month, Thurston took his Ielasi Tuned powered YMC Racing Mugen Seiki to the top of the times in all four qualifier and starting from the TQ went on to win the final by 2 and a half laps setting the fastest lap in the process. As at Round 1 of the 7 round Championship, reigning Champion Tim Wood was again on the podium but this time down in P3 behind team-mate & new Team Shepherd owner David Spashett who went from pitman at season opener to racer at Round 2 to claim a second place. Currently Thurston leads three National Championships – 1:8 Onroad, 1:10 200mm Nitro Touring Car and the 1:10 Electric Touring Car having secured his first ever National win in the class at the season opener a weekend earlier.

Image: Alex Thurston [Facebook]

May 14, 2024

Raiola crowned Italian 1:10 Nitro Touring Champion

Infinity’s Carmine Raiola was the crowned the 2024 AMSCI Italian National 1:10 Nitro Touring Champion over the weekend at the Roger Track 2.0 in Marigliano. Qualifying for the title race would see Raiola secure the TQ, after topping 3 of the four rounds, ahead of team-mate Dario Balestri. An impressive qualifying performance by the BMT of Ciro Mollo would secure him third on the grid for the 45-minute final. Continuing his form into final setting the fastest lap, Raiola would cruise to victory over the Xray of Mario Spiniello by almost 2-laps, Spiniello having a strong final having qualified P9. Unfortunately for Balestri and Mollo their races would end prematurely, the pair making contact and eventually retiring within 1-minute of each other as the race entered the final 5-minutes. In the end it was the Xray of Francesco Pierella which completed the podium. In the Sport Category, it was Ciro Borrelli who took the title also driving an IF15-2.

Image: Carmine Riola [Facebook]

May 13, 2024

2024 IFMAR 1:10 Nitro Touring World Championship – Stage 1 Report

The Stage 1 Report for the IFMAR 1:10 Nitro Touring World Championship which takes place later this year in Costa Rica has been published. The event is scheduled to take place at the Mini Autodromo La Cruces track from November 14-24 and will mark the 10th running of the championship. Expected to be supported strongly by drivers from across Central and South America, it appears the classes declining popularity and the duration of the race, 9 days of track time, mean international entries could be limited. Red RC reached out to a number of manufacturers regarding their attendance plans with two responding that they are still undecided on whether they will send drivers. One manufacturer confirmed that they will not be sending any official factory drivers from either its Japanese, European or American teams. Infinity are the reigning champions thanks to Tadahiko Sahashi win in Thailand in 2022. The team enjoyed a dominant performance in Bangkok filling 9 of the 10 spots, Capricorn the only other brand in the final at RC Addict. After such a result and also winning the title at the previous Worlds with Naoto Matuskura, the Japanese manufacturer has little to prove by attending with a large team. EFRA has reportedly received interest from around 10 drivers seeking to attend the race. Having covered the last 7 runnings of the 1:10 Nitro Touring World Championships, it is Red RC’s intentions to travel to Costa Rica to report on the race. View Stage 1 Report by clicking here.

Source: EFRA [Facebook]

May 7, 2024

Giaimo wins Italian GT Championship Round 2

Schepis Model driver Rosario Giaimo took the win at the second round of the AMSCI Italian 1:8 GT Nationals held at the 2024 EFRA 1:8 GT European Championships host Naxos World track in Sicily over the weekend. Having won the season opener in March at Mini Autodromo Stradivari, Capricorn’s Alessio Mazzeo carried that form in qualifying securing the TQ for the 45-minute final ahead of Serpent’s Gabriele Paloschi. After the Semi finals the Raptor of Loris Luise would line up third with Giaimo lining up P6 just behind Genius Racing’s defending Champion Alex D’angelo. In the final Mazzeo would encounter problems at the start allowing Paloschi to lead until he suffered a flame out. It was then the turn of D’Angelo to lead until the 27-minute mark when a mistake ended his race. At the end it was Giaimo who lead home the field with a 2-lap advantage over the recovering Mazzeo and Paloschi. In the Electric GT it was Serpent’s Natanaele Senesi who took the win from Filippo Beretta and Round 1 winner Mazzeo.

Image: Rosario Giaimo [Facebook]

May 7, 2024

Thurston claims first EP British Nationals win

Alex Thurston got his 2024 season off to the best possible start by securing his first ever BRCA Electric Touring Car National win at opening round held at Halifax over the weekend. In qualifying it was the Schumacher of former National Champion Elliott Harper who took the TQ ahead of Thurston’s YMC Racing Mugen MTC2-R with another former Champion Olly Jefferies in third. Successfully defend his title in 2023, defending Champion Kyle Branson would line up P4 with his Xray. With double mains to decide the first of the 5 round National Championship, A1 would see Harper take the win as Thurston and Jefferies had a good battle for second with the later unable to find a way through. A2 and Thurston was able to capitalise on an issue for Harper however Jefferies wasn’t able to get through cleanly giving Thurston a comfortable lead to the finish over multiple BRCA Champion Chris Grainger for a first EP National win to go with his 1:8 Onroad season opening win at Cotswolds last month. Branson would fill the second step on the podium which was completed by Harper. In 13.5 Touring Car, Ollie Payne took the TQ and win ahead of Zak Finlay and James Hart.

Image: Alex Thurston [Facebook]

May 6, 2024

Orlowski wins 1up Racing West Coast Invitational

The inaugural 1up Racing West Coast Invitational took place at 2024 IFMAR World Championship host track Finishline RC Raceway where Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski took the win. A nod to the famed Reedy Race Race of Champions, which last ran in 2019, the Mike Reedy Memorial Invitational Touring Car class attracted some strong international entries to the Bakersfield, California, track for 12 rounds of heads up racing. With a field of 16 invitational drivers, Orlowski and Xray’s Bruno Coelho would go right to the wire for the title. Sharing a total of 6 wins each and both ending up on 16 points, and all tie break avenues exhausted, 2nd places, 3rd place etc. the fastest 3 run times combined would give the on form Pole the title over the current World Campion. With most of the major manufacturers using the event to get track time ahead of the ISTC World Championships, that take place in early November, it would the Axon of Japanes driver Akio Sobue who completed the podium. Also with four win Awesomatix’ Lucas Urbain finished 4th ahead of team-mate and best of the host nation representative Sam Isaacs. Yokomo’s Nicholas Lee rounded out the Top 6. Making it a double celebration for Schumacher, Italian Mattia Collina took the traditional race format Open Touring Car win from David Mayhew and Byrce Butterfield while Xray’s Jan Ratheisky won 17.5.

Image: 1up Racing [1upracing.com]

May 1, 2024

The Michal Orlowski Column – Edition No.2

You all loved his first column so we are delighted that Michal Orlowski has somehow found time in his busy schedule to give us another great column as an insight into his world as Schumacher’s star factory driver. Once again we’ll let Michal take it away and tell you in his own style what has been going on over the last two months….. ‘It has been a while since my last update here. We have been hard at work with the team to finish off the winter season on a high. We attended numerous events between February and April, which I will tell you all about, emphasising the struggles and how we could overcome them together. After attending the Mibosport Cup in early February, it was time to switch back to buggy mode. For the last few years, the MK GP event has been one of the mostly anticipated off-road races of the winter season with hundreds of drivers participating, but more importantly thousands of people coming to watch us race RC cars. The event is held in the MK shopping centre in Milton Keynes, UK, home to the Redbull F1 team. The event is organised by the Silverstone Club, who hosts weekly club races and a winter series at a smaller venue. This gave us the chance to test on the unique carpet the MK GP crew decided to use since 2023.

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