August 4, 2025

SCS M2 ST03 Performance 1:5 Body

1:5 specialist performance parts and tool producer SCS M2’s new ST03 Performance Body is now available in its full range of options.  Available both pre-cut and uncut, and in 1.0mm and 1.5mm thickness Lexan, the new Porsche inspired body took a debut win at the EFRA European 1:5 Touring Car Championships in Luxembourg over the weekend.  For decades, the Alfa Romeo body has reigned supreme in 1:5 scale model car racing but with a number of drivers switching to the ST03 Performance Body during the Euros, in the end 7 of 10 the Main finalist ran the German design & made body.  Designed for 505mm (+/-10mm) wheelbase drivers praised its agility, drivability, and performance.

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August 4, 2025

Another double for Champlin at INS15 Late Summer Race

Hobbytown Hobbyplex in Omaha, Nebraska, played host to the JConcepts Late-Summer Dirt Indoor Nationals over the weekend where once again it was Schumacher’s Broc Champlin who again did the double.  The 15th season of the JConcepts Indoor National Series, Champlin was the big winner at the previous encounter, the Mid-Summer Carpet Indoor Nationals held at Island Speedway in Iowa, and carried that form across to the dirt for the penultimate INS15 encounter.  Securing the TQ for both 2WD and 4WD Modified Buggy ahead of Team Associated’s Aydin Horne, with whom he shared buggy wins at the season opening Winter Dirt Indoor Nationals at Trackside Hobbies in Wisconsin back in February, Champlin managed to wrap up both overall wins in A2.  In 2WD Horne would win A3 ahead of 3rd place qualifier Davey Batta, a result that would see the Team Associated pairing completed the overall podium.  In 4WD, the No.5 Xray of Brennan Schimmel took the win ahead of Horne to knock team-mate & 3rd place qualifier Chase Lemieux off the podium behind Champlin and Horne.  The 2025 INS concludes with the Indoor Nationals Finals on October 17-19 at Hoosier RC Hobbyplex in New Albany, Indiana.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]


August 4, 2025

Team Titan 30mm Fan Cover

Team Titan introduces their latest fan cover, the 30mm cover intended for a smaller 30x30mm fan.  The fan cover is designed to help amplify airflow and fully direct cooling air towards the motor, effectively reducing motor temperature.  The compact design and low centre of gravity 30mm fan with cover make it easier for professional drivers to optimise the weight distribute.

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August 4, 2025

PIP-Aero ‘ThreeThirty’ BTCC Touring Car 1:5 Body

After more than a year of working on its first 1:5 Body shell with input from large scale racer Rick Van der Bol, German body shell producer PIP-Aero has released their BTCC Touring Car body named the ‘ThreeThirty’.  It was specially developed for the demanding model racing category and perfectly captures the aggressive aesthetics and aerodynamic shape of the BTCC touring cars.  Produced from robust yet lightweight Lexan in 1.0mm and 1.5mm options, it not only looks impressive but also offers the stability needed for close races on the track.  Designed for all common 1:5 scale chassis with a wheelbase of 500 to 520 mm, the body comes with a separate Front Piece, this is also available in 1,0mm and 1,5mm.  There will be pre-cut body available for each actual car brand and PIP-Aero already working on a number of optional parts for the ‘ThreeThirty’.

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August 2, 2025

Keller wins rain affected 1:5 TC European Championship

Germany’s Carsten Keller is the new EFRA 1:5 TC European Champion, the SCS M2 driver taking the win at Mini Circuit “Ville de Luxembourg” from 7th on the grid after rain arrived with just over 8 minutes left to run in the final.  Having secured the TQ, reigning World Champion Markus Feldmann led away the 30-minute final closely followed by the Genius of 3-time Champion Bernard-Alain Arnaldi with defending Champion Emanuele D’amico from P5 on the grid moving up to third as the Top 3 quickly gaped the field.  At half way distance the order remained unchanged with Keller running in P6.  With drivers struggling for traction as the rain arrived with just over 8-minutes to go on 7-minutes there was a rush to pit lane for wets as the rain increased.  With heavens opening up it would be Norway’s Marius Hetland who led until his car soon came to stop on the front straight.  This promoted Keller, whose team made a super quickly & important call to pit first for wets, to the lead ahead of D’amico and Feldmann but the two chasers both hit problems allowing Keller to take his GRP shod Mecatech to victory by a winning margin of almost 14-seconds from Feldmann with Arnaldi completing the podium after a late crash with D’amico in the chaos of the rain.

Image: SCS M2 Engineering [Facebook]


August 2, 2025

Ronnefalk crowned European 4WD Buggy Champion

David Ronnefalk is the new EFRA European 1:10 4WD Buggy Champion, the Xray driver taking the title for a third time after an exciting finals at the Hudy Arena in Slovakia.  Starting from fourth on the grid, the back to back 2018/2019 Champion claimed his first electric European title since moving to Xray with victory over Schumacher’s Michal Orlowski and Xray’s 18-year-old young charger Bartek Zalewski.  Fresh from winning the 2WD European title earlier in the week, it was Xray’s Martin Bayer who would again secured the overall TQ honours ahead of Orlowski, Zalewski, Ronnefalk and Team Associated’s Joona Haatanen.  In A1, an early mistake from Bayer handed Orlowski the lead which he held to the end despite pressure from Zalewski who in turn was under pressure from Ronnefalk.  A2 would see Bayer lead tone to tone shadowed by Orlowski until the 2023 Champion made a mistake with just 50-seconds on the clock allowing Ronnefalk through for second.  All coming down to A3, it was the third encounter that provided the real excitement.  After one & a half minutes of the drivers running in order, Orlowski executed a pass on Bayer, the Czech driver trying to come back at him until he rolled his Xray at the end of the straight at mid distance ending his chance of a European title double.  This gave Orlowski a commanding lead as Zalewski came under pressure from Haatanen and Ronnefalk.  With a minute to go Zalewski however was all over the prototype of Orlowski but a double pass from Haatanen and Ronnefalk suddenly dropped him to fourth.  Then on the penultimate lap a mistake from Orlowski turned the race on its head.  Haatanen briefly led before Ronnefalk forced a pass with further contact from Zalewski dropping him to third.  Out front Ronnefalk lead the final lap to come home the winner from Zalewski with Daniel Kobbevik third from Haatanen, the win giving the Swede the overall title to go along with the 1:8 Nitro Buggy European title he won last month in Portugal.  Orlowski with a 1 & 3 took second while a pair of seconds gave Zalewski the final step on the podium ahead of Bayer and Haatanen.

Image: Schumacher [Facebook]


August 1, 2025

Ielasi Tuned O.S. .21 Top needle

One of the features of its recently released and ENS race winning ‘Pista’ .21 Onroad engine, Ielasi Tuned is now offering their in house produced top needle and needle-holder as an option part for all .21 O.S. engine users.  After extensive testing with his team drivers, Daniele Ielasi came up with the idea to create his own top needle which makes the setting the engine tune much easier and more precise.  Reduced sensitivity also allows a novice a wider margin of error without the risk of ruining their engine.  Available now, the new Ielasi Tuned top needle is compatible with all .21 O.S. carburetors.

Source: Ielasi Tuned [ielasituned.com]


August 1, 2025

Xbility One 1:28 Chassis Kit

With 1:28 onroad a category that is currently in the spotlight with a number of new chassis releases including the arrival of Team Associated into the category, new start up Xbility has been in contact about their ‘One’ kit.  Designed by reigning 1:28 World Champion Jose Pequito from Portugal, the Xbility One was officially released last month (June) with the first kit batch selling out in just a week.  With a second batch now in production, Xbility say the ‘One’ is ‘designed to challenge industry standards, this platform focuses on performance through innovation.’   The car debuted a completely new front-end system, featuring steering knuckles never before seen in this scale the benefits of which are multiple roll-center and camber-gain configurations.  It also gets an adjustable battery positioning for precise balance tuning and a fully redesigned ball differential that eliminates the common issues found in the class.  The rear bench system allows several leverage setups, giving racers the ability to tailor the car’s behaviour to any track condition.  Across the platform, subtle but meaningful engineering choices provide real performance advantages.

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