Red RC » R On Road

May 22, 2023

Electric to run as ‘World Cup’ at IFMAR 1:8 GT Worlds

The organisers of the IFMAR 1:8 GT World Championship in Sydney, Australia, have announced they will have a 1:8 Electric GT class as a supporting ‘World Cup’ race during the event from October 8-14th. Having also run as a ‘World Cup’ race at the inaugural 1:8 GT Worlds in Homestead in 2020, the electric class will continue as a support race given the low numbers achieved last time. While expect slightly higher numbers at John Grant International Raceway than the 18 that was achieved three years ago in the US, IFMAR says this is not enough to warrant a true IFMAR World title. While the official Warm-up Race run by the hosts New South Wales Radio Control Racing Car Club was effected by rain, several drivers have tested on the Monday after that event to check tyre wear for the 1 hour main final and it was confirmed that the Q3 tire from PMT, which is the controlled tyre for this event, can make the 60 minutes without any problems. More news on the Sydney event will be available in the 2nd Stage report which should be available end of June.

Source: IFMAR [imfar.org]

May 22, 2023

Hamon lifts Mod Touring Car NSW State Title

Jeff Hamon lifted the Australian NSW State Titles in electric Touring Car over the weekend at the Newcastle On Road R/C Car Club. Better known for his nitro onroad exploits, the Serpent team driver took the Modified title with victory over the Xray of Top Qualifier Ari Bakla with multiple champion Simon Nicholson completing the podium for Yokomo. Racing on the tight track, Hamon, winner of the recent 1:8 GT Worlds Warm-up race, qualified third behind Nicholson with John Puse fourth. Opening with the win in A1 of the triple A-Mains A2 would see a DNF as Bakla took the win. All to play for in A3, Hamon got to the front early and despite Bakla having the fastest car on track, he kept him at bay to win and secure the title.

Image: Jeff Hamon [Facebook]

May 22, 2023

Oliver Mack joins Serpent

Serpent has announced that Oliver Mack will represent the brand in 1:8 Onroad racing. The signing of the popular German racer is a major signing for the brand who have suffered some key driver departures and have been very quite on the driver market. Interrupted by a stint with Infinity, Mack was a long time driver for Team Shepherd, who unfortunately will close their doors next month, and his move to Serpent is a positive boost for the pioneering 1:8 Onroad manufacturer with whom his racing career started out. Commenting on the news the 2015 European Champion said, ‘I am happy being back after such a long time, the brand where it all began, back to the roots. I am absolutely motivated to show good results and to give my best for Serpent. I am really looking forward to that journey together.’

Source: Serpent [serpent.com]

May 15, 2023

Branson wins British Touring Car National opener

Xray’s Kyle Branson got his BRCA National Electric Touring Car title defence off to the best possible start over the weekend taking victory at the opening round in Stafford. In qualifying it was new Yokomo signing Alex Thurston who took the first round from the Schumacher of Zak Smith. Branson responding to go quickest in Q2 again with Smith second fastest. All to play for in Q3, multiple British Champion Chris Grainger popped up to take the final round with his Schumacher from the Xray of Ben Cosgrove. With Branson in third, that was enough for him to take the pole position. Cosgrove’s second place was enough to give him the tie-break for third over fellow Xray runner, Harley Eldridge. In the finals, it was Branson, who came, saw and conquered, taking all three legs of the final for the overall win. Behind him it was Smith with two seconds and a third, and Harley Eldrige took the third podium spot with a brace of thirds.

Read 13.5 & 17.5 Class reports here

May 15, 2023

2023 1:12 World Championship Stage 1 Report

The organisers of the 2023 IFMAR 1:12 World Championships have just published the Stage 1 Report for the 21st running of the title which will be decided at Beachline Raceway in Cocoa, Florida, from December 4th to 9th. The largest indoor racing facility in the state, this will be the seventh time these World Championships are hosted in the US and mark only the second running of the title since it separated from being part of the same World Championship week as 1:10 Electric Touring Car after South Africa in 2018. The most significant information from the Stage 1 Report is the tyre information with Jaco tires the official controlled foam for the event with their Magenta front and Pink rear. These tyres will be available to competitors for practice from late June. Beachline Raceway, which recently hosted the ROAR Electric Carpet Off-Road Nationals, will run a Warm Up Race on November 24-26. With the last 1:12 Worlds held in 2020 in the UK just before Covid hit the World, with Marc Rheinard taking the title for a second time, the return of the championships is set to be extra interesting following the news that reigning back to back Touring Car World Champion Bruno Coelho will make his first attempt at the title. Red RC will travelling to Florida in December to cover the unfolding of the fourth and final World Championship of the 2023 season.

View Stage 1 Report here

May 9, 2023

Hächler & Fankhauser win Swiss Nationals Round 2

Round 2 of the Swiss Nitro Onroad Nationals took place at Aigle over the weekend with Silvio Hächler with the 1:8 win and Patrick Fankhauser making it 2 from 2 in 1:10. A lack of grip made for a challenging day of practice on the Friday as drivers tried to find a set-up for the conditions. In qualifying it would be Hächler who would take the TQ despite a small problem in Q2 after a mistake and the fourth & final round of qualifying being cancel due to rain. Unfortunately, it rained on Sunday morning and the track was wet. It was therefore decided to reduce the time of the finals from 45min to 30min and to finish the race before 3pm, as there was a threat of rain by then. The semi-finals took place mostly on a damp track, which then gradually dried out.

Continue reading here

May 8, 2023

GDC Indoor Race Club opening race – Report

Over the Labour Day long weekend, the GDC Onroad Opening Race was held at the brand new GDC Indoor Race Club facility in Foshan City, Guangdong Province, China. Foshan, a city known for its culture, tourism and food, plays the perfect host for events that can be enjoyed by both racers and their families. GDC itself is located in Foshan Hongyu Cultural and Creative Park, which is also home to numerous restaurants, leisure and entertainment spaces, creative exhibition halls and other outlets. Over a hundred drivers from around the country and Southeast Asia took part in this event. This was the largest RC car race in China since the pandemic began 3 years ago, with more big races hopefully to come in the near future. In the premier TC Modified class, Xray Factory Team duo Dominic Quek from Singapore and local hero Gary Huang led the way throughout qualifying and finals. Quek took the TQ and overall victory ahead of Huang who qualified and finished in second place. Alfred Lao from Guangzhou City rounded out the podium in third place. content

May 8, 2023

Clements wins West Coast Onroad Nationals

Brandon Clements took the win at the West Coast Onroad Nationals over the weekend, the event the first major race to be hosted by Finishline RC Raceway. The impressive facility in Bakersfield, CA, which is a joint venture between Track Time Hobbies and Finishline Signs, attracted almost 200 entries with the grids set over 4 rounds of qualifying, with 2 to count. In Modified Touring Car, it was Clements who set the pace taking the first three rounds to secure the overall TQ with 1Up Racing’s Randy Caster hitting the top of the time sheets in the final qualifier for second on the grid in the triple A-Main ahead of David Mayhew, Lex Tyler and Aaron Lewis. From the front Clements was untouchable winning A1 from Jacob Cruz before wrapping things up with victory in A2 over Lewis. Having opened with a P5 and suffered a DNF in A2, Caster would win A3 but overall it was Lewis and Cruz who joined Clements on the podium.

Image: 1up Racing [Facebook]