September 5, 2023

Berselli takes Italian ACI Sport Touring Car title

Team Marka/Awesomatix driver Gabriele Berselli is the Modified Touring Car Champion of 2023 edition of the Italian Electric Touring Car Championships of ACI Sport, the Italian motorsport and R/C Car Racing Federation.  Taking place at the recently resurfaced ‘RMT Torino’ track near Turin, drivers, by virtue of the new structure of the sporting activity in force from 2023, had to gain access to the race through the qualifying phases of the Italian Cup in the three areas of the peninsula (North – Center – South) held in the Spring and Summer months.  Favourable weather conditions and excellent organisation by the host association allowed the race to proceed, from free practice to the finals, without any issues, leaving room for exciting battles on the track.  In Modified Berselli took the win ahead of the Xray of World Championship finalist Alessio Menicucci with Team Marka/Awesomatix driver Daniele Pacini completing the podium.  In Stock, local hero Andrea Simari driving an Xray took the title followed by teammate Orlando Fenili and the Awesomatix of Jacopo Antonelli.   In FWD, Riccardo Laletta was crowned champion with his Awesomatix ahead of Jacopo Antonelli and Andrea Tonini.  Finally, in GT class, Team Marka’s Daniele Pacini successful defended his 2022 Italian Championship title after a very close fight with the Xrat of Matteo Simari. Andrea Tonini completed the Top 3.

Source: ACI Sport [acisport.it]


September 4, 2023

Kurzbuch joins Ielasi Tuned

Ielasi Tuned has announced that former 1:8 World Champion Simon Kurzbuch is to use its engines to power his 1:8 Onroad programme with Mugen.  The deal will see the Swiss star join forces with former 1:10 World Champion turned engine tuner Daniele Ielasi for a formidable force with 2023 set to culminate with the World Championships in November.  Commenting on the latest driver to use his engines, Toni Gruber having won the 1:10 European title with them in June, Ielasi said, ‘Guys what can I say…..Thank You Simon! Thank you for trusting (in) my work!  Sometimes in our world unexpected “market windows” open up and when it comes to champions of Simon’s level they must be closed immediately, and this is what happened with Simon a few days ago.  We wish Simon the best of luck for his next races with us and especially for the next world championship in Japan he will use our new GP9R23 Spec2 engine.  Reacting to the announcement Kurzbuch added, ‘Here we go!  It is with immense pleasure and excitement that I announce my partnership with Ielasi Tuned.  I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Daniele Ielasi and Sabrina Ielasi for placing their trust in me and for welcoming me into their esteemed team.  This collaboration holds even greater significance as it reunites me with my long-time friend Daniele Ielasi where I have great memories of our partnership back to the year 2015 when I became the world champion in Brazil – a defining moment in my racing career. I’m looking forward to an exciting and successful future together, with the first big race soon at the ENS in Leno.’

Source: Ielasi Tuned [ielasituned.com]


September 4, 2023

MonacoRC Race Of Champions – 2023 Announcement

Monaco RC has announced that the third edition of their Race Of Champions will be held in Italy, in Lucca, at the A.S.D. Minicar Lucca track on September 30/October 1st, 2023.  The circuit is located just a short walk from the famous walls that surround the historic centre of Lucca.  The recently renovated track and the new fine-grain asphalt ensure optimal grip.  Various layouts are available, and for the MonacoRC Race Of Champions, the most technical one has been chosen.  The race will take place over two days and will feature Touring Car Mod, Touring Car Stock 13.5 EFRA, Touring Car Stock N22, and FWD categories with the Formula category also being considered.  There will be 4 qualifying rounds by round and 3 finals – on Saturday, after two qualifiers, there will be a Sprint Race with a separate award ceremony followed by dinner on the track and our impressive raffle.

Continue reading and view track layout here


September 4, 2023

Gruber adds German 1:10 Nitro National title

Toni Gruber added the German 1:10 Nitro Onroad title to his 2023 over the weekend, the Capricorn driver making it the perfect season with two titles from the two outings he has had in the class this year having already won the European Championship in June.   Racing at the MiniCarClub Rötz track, Gruber secured the TQ ahead of Melvin Diekmann with the fastest 4-minute run in qualifying which was 3.3-second faster than his team-mates best effort.  In the 45-minute final, Gruber continued that form setting the fastest lap en route to a 9-second victory over Diekmann with Michael Heinrich completing the podium.

Image: Toni Gruber [Facebook]


September 4, 2023

Orlowski dominates ETS Andernach

Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski put in a dominant performance to take the win at the third round of the Euro Touring Series in Andernach, Germany.  Winner of the season opener in the Netherlands but absent from Round 2 in Austria due to offroad commitments at the 1:10 European Championships, the Polish driver returned to onroad and picked up where he left off.  In qualifying he totally dominated topping all 4 rounds at Arena33 to secure the TQ ahead of the Mugen of Ronald Volker and Awesomatix of Round 2 winner Marc Rheinard.  In the finals Orlowski’s form continued and in A2 he secured his third ETS career win.  Winning A3, Volker would secure second overall with Rheinard completing the podium ahead of Eric Dankel.  In Pro stock it was also a win for the Top Qualifier with Lukas Ellerbrock taking victory over Olivier Bultynck and Round 2 winner Adam Iszay.

Image: Michal Orlowski [Facebook]


August 30, 2023

Lee, Nicolson, Moore & Saligupta for FEMCA C/ship

After an absence from the calendar due to Covid, the return of the FEMCA 1:10 Electric Touring Car Championship in 2023 has already attracted a number of Asia’s leading drivers with Nicolas Lee, Simon Nicolson, Andy Moore and Chavit Saligupta confirmed as early entries for the November 23-26th event.  With Europe having the EFRA European Championships and North America having the ROAR Nationals, the FEMCA Championships are Asia’s biggest prize with Huge RC in Bangkok, Thailand, the host track of the ISTC competition this year.  The unique indoor asphalt track is run by former ISTC World Champion Surikarn Chaidajsuriya and is a previous World Championship host when it was the venue for the 2014 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship.  With both the Modified and 13.5T restricted to a maximum of 30 drivers each, Yokomo will be counting on World Championship Finalist Lee and multiple Australian Champion Nicolson for success in Mod while former World Champion Moore and 2023 TITC finalist Saligupta lead the challenge from Infinity.  Already drivers from Australia, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand have registered for the four day championship which will be run on a Sweep Racing ‘FEMCA 2023’ spec tyre.

Source: Huge RC Circuit [Facebook]


August 28, 2023

Apolaro wins Great Lakes Challenge

One of the United States most iconic Onroad nitro races,  the Great Lakes Challenge saw DJ Apolaro take the 1:10 Sedan win at the 2023 running of the event held at the TSRCAR track in Lebanon Ohio over the weekend.  The Wallace Motorsports driver Apolaro would secure the TQ from Jamie Corrado after setting the fastest time in the 3rd of the 5 rounds of qualifying.  In the 40-minute A-Main,  Apolaro would have a flame out in the first couple of minutes of the race and had to fight his way back from 6th place.  With just two minutes remaining he would find a way by Diatta Collymore for the win.  Collymore led for most of the race being able to capitalise on DJ’s flame out, but finished in 2nd place.   Jerry Guerra Having qualified 5th Jerry Guerra was able to come from as far back as 9th position to take 3rd place to make it an all Infinity IF15 podium.  In the 1:8 Open class  Michael Palazzola took the win from Top Qualifier John Dickson with Mike McBride rounding out the Top 3 after 45-minutes of racing.


August 23, 2023

12-year-old Thilo Baldes win German Nitro Championship

Thilo Baldes is the new German National Onroad Champion in the 1:8 Nitro Class 2.  With his Reds Racing powered Shepherd Velox V8.2, the 12-year-old talent from Adenau near the famous Nürburgring won the 45-minute final race at the German Nationals in Kirchhain in central Germany with a concentrated and faultless performance.  In the heat battle at temperatures around 35 degrees, Baldes relegated Julian Krajuszek (Mugen), who is the same age, to second place on the 230-metre racetrack and thus also secured the title of German Junior Champion in Class 2.  Third place on the podium in the performance class 2 went to Sebastian Steck (Capricorn).

Continue reading here