Track Focus – Naxos World

Track Name – Naxos World
Owner – Rosario Venuto
Country – Italy
Location – Giardini-Naxos, Sicily
Direction – Anti-Clockwise
Surface – Hard dirt with tile sections

The largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily plays host to the 15th running of the IFMAR 1:8th Offroad World Championship with the small 10,000 population town of Giardini-Naxos home to the Naxos World track, a facility that covers 25,000 square metres. A track that consumed an inordinate amount of bandwidth with endless speculation about its surface, three days into the extended event both the surface and the track layout is generally getting a thumbs up all round from drivers. Covering an area of 25,000 square metres the track, which is overlooked by the active Mount Etna volcano, has only been in existence since 2012 but after hosting the opening round of this year’s Italian National Championships back in March has been closed for much of this year as track owner Rosario Venuto together with event organiser Salvatore Schepis and their team completely rebuilt the track for the World Championship, the event unlike previous Worlds not having a Warm-up race. An indication to how big of a rebuild the track has undergone, the press room is what used to be the old tracks pit area.

A very hard packed track surface has been finished with specially mixed dirt that is dirt from the site which has been cleared of stones and finely sieved before water and 5% resin is added. In turn this has then been laid similar to that of concrete. Shown the process by Mr. Salvatore he said the reason was that should it rain during the event, as it did overnight before the opening day, using the natural dirt the track would be washed away. Having experimented with a higher percentage of resin this left the surface too brittle causing it to scatter and break up.

Defending World Champion Robert Batlle said while tyre wear was ‘super high’ he said the surface has been very consistent making it much easier to work on car set-up. In terms of the layout the Mugen driver said it was typical Euro style and for him it was ‘super good’ to drive. In terms of challenges he said the double before the straight was one of the keys to a good lap. US National Champion and runner-up to Batlle 2-years ago in Argentina, Ty Tessmann said while the layout was different to what he would be used he was adapting well to what he described as was a ‘pretty fun layout’. In addition to the double before the straight he said the chicane on the back of the track was another tricky area. In terms of the surface the HB driver said it was ‘very consistent’ and provided a ‘ton of grip’.

In addition to the Worlds track the large well spaced out facility also has a 1/18 Dirt track which is part of Mr. Schepis’ ongoing efforts to introduce young people to the sport. Owner of well known Italian model shop Schepis Model which is based 50km away in Messina city, in the pits is the shop’s rather impressive 40ft trailer which they bringing around to schools to introduce kids to r/c and for the opening ceremony one of the schools that it has visited will be involved in the official proceedings. Plans are already in place to add an asphalt onroad track to the facility so as to cater for the interests of all racers.

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