October 6, 2024

Balestri wins ENS Leno, Kurzbuch takes title

Dario Balestri has won the Euro Nitro Series Season Finale in Leno but it is Simon Kurzbuch who comes away from Italy with the 2024 title.  The fourth & final round of the championship would see World & newly crowned European Champion Balestri take his Infinity to the overall TQ as he topped two of the 4 qualifiers.  Fastest in the opening qualifier, it was the Mugen Seiki of ENS Ettlingen Round 1 winner Kurzbuch who secured P2 ahead of Infinity’s Thomas Lorenzi and Serpent’s Andrea Catanzani.  With the original timetable effected by rain, the Main final would be reduced to a 30-minute encounter with Balestri setting the fastest lap en route to becoming the fourth different winner of the season, 2023 Champion Toni Gruber the Round 3 winner and  Lars Hoppe the victor at Round 2.  10-seconds behind Balestri, Lorenzi would come home in second in a repeat result of the Italian Nationals held at the same track earlier this year.  Finishing just ahead of fellow Swiss racer Kurzbuch, ARC’s Silvio Hachler completed the podium but P4 was enough for Kuzbuch to take the title by 1-point ahead of Infinity’s Teemu Leino, the Finn’s championship tally made up of three podium finishes in the first three races.  In 1:10, having secured the TQ it would be a sudden & cruel finish to British National Champion Alex Thurston’s first ENS outing of 2024.  Leading the race from Champion elect Melvin Diekmann, just after half way point as he came up on traffic a car spun in front of him and with nowhere to go the impact broke Thurston’s car putting an immediate end to his race.  Shortly after title contender Jilles Groskamp would also go out of the race, leaving Diekmann’s Capricorn to take it ahead of Milan Holthuis for his third win of the season to successfully defend his title.

Image: ENS [Facebook]


October 6, 2024

Donnelly crowned Australian 4WD Offroad Champion

Lachan Donnelly is the 2024 Australian 4WD Offroad National Champion, the long time Team Associated driver reversing yesterday’s 2WD result to beat his 2-time World Champion team-mate Spencer Rivkin to crown at Hills Off Road RC track.  Sunday’s 4WD title action at the Campbelltown Hobbies 2024 RCRA EP Offroad Australian Championships saw the 20-year-old from Sydney secure the 4WD TQ as he topped the opening 2 rounds of qualifying.   Fresh from his 2WD title on Saturday, the US star using the event as practice for the IFMAR Electric Offroad World Championships the Sydney track will host in 12-months time, Rivkin went fastest in Q3 to secure the No.2 spot on the grid.  Rounding out quali by topping the fourth & final round multiple National Champion Ari Bakla’s Xray would line up 3rd on grid ahead of another US visitor Chase Lemiuex.  In the finals Donnelly would put in two faultless drives to secure the title that will go down as one of the National Championships more special years.  Winning A1 ahead of Lemiuex and A2 ahead of Bakla, everything was to play for as to who would stand either side of the new Champion, it an emotional and very popular win.  A great battle between Bakla and Rivkin would ensue, the former looking like he had done enough to get the job done but in the dying moments of the last lap Rivkin executed the pass to secure the win and another Team Associated podium 1-2, Bakla ending up on the third step.  In 4WD Stock, Michael Stone pulled off the double adding to his 2WD title with victory over Justin O Connell and Andrew Selvaggi.

Image: Team Associated Australia [Facebook]


October 5, 2024

KO Propo X Hara ‘Device’ Radio set

Having announced it would collaborate with RC racing legend Atsushi Hara back in June, Japanese radio manufacturer Ko Propo has unveiled the limited edition ‘Device’ transmitter & receiver that it will display at the Tokyo Hobby Show.  The ‘Device’ logo design, which was very popular in the past, is reproduced with a matte clear coat giving it a texture that blends in with the pearl black.  Based on Hara’s signature purple colour the key feature of the radio is the Dish Design Aluminium steering wheel.  The anodised wheel is precision machined to recreate the original design with special laser engraving create a unique and special feeling.  The exposed screws on the transmitter body have been changed to purple anodised aluminium, creating a unified design all the way to the back.  Adding to the detail, the plated power key and BT1 key are a special purple colour, which acts as an accent colour to effectively unify the entire keyboard.  The grip plate of the ‘Device’ 2024 is also specially made.  It has a cool crushed carbon texture that gives it a custom feel.  A special film with a pattern that gives it a sense of depth is transferred onto it and then clear coated.  This set comes standard with a battery stand that can hold a battery.  A silkscreen print recreates the characteristics of the device at that time.  In addition, a unique number is engraved on the brass plate for each unit.  A serial number plate is attached to increase the value of the limited edition product with KO Propo highlighting that  specific serial numbers cannot be ordered.  To finish off the Hara ‘Device’, the upper case of the included receiver KR-420XT is also plated in the Hara purple, giving it a stronger presence when mounted on the car.

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October 5, 2024

Rivkin wins Australian 2WD Offroad Nationals

Not a headline you’d usually expect to read but US offroad star Spencer Rivkin is the new Australian 2WD Offroad National Champion.  Together with promising US racer Chase Lemiuex, the duo have travelled to Sydney to the Hills Off Road RC track which will host next year’s IFMAR Electric Offroad World Championships.  While an official Warm-up Race will take place in April, the timing of the Campbelltown Hobbies 2024 RCRA EP Offroad Australian Championships gives racers the opportunity to experience the same weather conditions as is expected for the Worlds which run from September 29 – October 6, 2025.  With Saturday’s action dedicated to deciding the 2WD Champion, after 4 rounds of qualifying it was Rivkin’s Team Associated that took the overall TQ after topping two rounds while Aussie’s top racers Ari Bakla and Lachlan Donnelly posted a TQ run each to line P2 & 3 respectively.  In the triple finals Rivkin, who will chase his third 2WD World title next year Down Under, cruised to wins in A1 and 2 to added a new title to his CV.  A win in A3 from Donnelly would make it an Associated 1-2 while 2nd in A3 gave Lemiuex the final step on the podium.  In the 2WD Stock title race, Xray’s Michael Stone, the man responsible for last year’s 1:8  GT World Championship in Sydney, dominated to take the win.

Image: Hills Off Road RC [Facebook]

 


October 4, 2024

AX Arena to open as Switzerland’s biggest indoor track

New Swiss RC accessories producer Axxelerate RC has announced that in addition to it products that the soon-to-opened AX Arena in Cham, Switzerland, will be at the heart of the brand.  As the largest indoor RC racing facility in the country, the arena will offer both on-road and off-road tracks, catering to all levels of racing enthusiasts.  Behind Axxelerate RC is a dedicated team that not only aims to provide a world-class racing experience but also delivers top-tier RC racing products.  Currently gearing up for the grand opening on October 18th, the track is already set to host the Swiss Indoor Championship this December.  We will bring you more details and images of the new track once it is near completion.

Source: Axxelerate [axxeleraterc.com]


October 4, 2024

RC-Project 1:8 Brushless Motor Mount

Italy’s RC-Project has released a new fan mount designed for 1:8 brushless motors with diameters ranging from 39 to 41.5mm.  Also compatible with 30mm and 40mm fans, it is made from a single piece of Ergal 7075 T6 offering high structural rigidity and lightweight properties and ensuring resistance to vibrations and stability during operation.  The surface treatment enhances corrosion and wear resistance.  The asymmetric design optimises airflow directed towards the motor, promoting more effective heat dissipation compared to competing solutions, this configuration allows for superior thermal management, reducing the risk of overheating and improving the motor’s operational efficiency and longevity.  An ideal choice for high performance even under demanding conditions.

Source: RC-Project [rc-project.it]


October 4, 2024

JConcepts S15 bodies for Cougar LD3 | Cat L1R

Debuting at the 2023 1:10 Offroad World Championships in Arizona, JConcepts S15 body has been released for both 1:10 Offroad offerings from British manufacturer Schumacher, the 2WD Cougar LD3 and the 4WD Cat L1R.  Available in both standard and a lightweight option, the body ships with window mask, decal sheet and two of the latest Carpet | Turf | Dirt wings for a quick transition from preparation to racing.  The S15 follows the chassis shape like a glove and the tidy arrangement is free of unwanted gaps.  The centre line roof fin helps the body stand up to rigorous demands of crashes and off-track excursions and while on the track, provides straight line tracking ability.  The top of the side pod rolls into the rear end section helping with the force placed just in front of the rear tires.  Just behind the cab, there is a trim-able section dedicated to rear escape of hot air and inner shell build up.

View side profiles here


October 4, 2024

JC Racing retro ‘Dice’ Connector Grips

UK based JC Racing Products has released these 1980’s inspired, Dice Connector Grips.  An engineering company who specialise in tool making, and injection moulded products primarily for vintage RC vehicles, JC Racing are best known for their wheels but provide a multitude of products across all brands.  Their uniquely original Dice Connector Grips are a funky way to customise your vintage and modern race cars.  They don’t help with cooling, they don’t decrease resistance, they don’t stop you reversing the polarity but they do look amazing.  Stand out from the crowd and be the first to don these snazzy upgrades which are available in both 4mm and 5mm.

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