September 16, 2011

Record ‘Showdown’ for Short Course in Dallas

Track

It is fair to say that as a sport rc racing has not been great at finding ways to open itself up to new audiences but over in the US one class that is changing all that is Short Course.  As a full size motorsport this form of off road truck racing enjoys huge popularity and TV exposure in America and in a trend started by Traxxas the r/c industry has been able to create a partnership with full size teams that has benefited both the team’s big brand sponsors and more importantly hobby shops across the States who now have a product that the general public can instantly recognise.

Traxxas

With the creation of the Slash, Traxxas opened the door for fans of the full size trucks to emulate their favourite drivers with a radio controlled scaled replica that was durable and fun to drive and came ready to run at a price that was affordable to the masses.  Now title sponsors of the full size TORC Short Course Championship, Traxxas have created a hugely successful marketing program with a massive presence at each event which exposes the rc sport to a potentially huge new audience.  Two of the pioneers of rc offroad racing, Team Associated and Losi have also realised the benefits of being linked with the success of 1:1 scale Short Course racing and have developed their own marketing programs with various teams.

While the manufacturers are enjoying strong sales of Short Course trucks, the big winner is the club racing scene.  With the majority of Hobby Shops in the US housing their own tracks, attracting new blood into the sport is vital to their survival and many shop owners have hailed Short Course as one of the greatest things to ever hit the industry.

Scotty Ernst

Looking to raise the profile of the class, well known international race promoter Scotty Ernst this year created the ‘Short Course Showdown Nationwide Tour’ and having heard plenty of hype about the racing Red RC have traveled to Dallas, Texas, for the fourth and final date.  Arriving at Mikes Hobby Shop we were immediately blown away by the huge facility. A legend of the sport, Team Associated’s Brian Kinwald summed up just how impressive the place is by saying ‘I could live here’. Making his first visit to the track Losi’s Dustin Evans said the place just blew every other venue in the country away.

Dustin Evans

Having previously stopped off in Maryland, Wisconsin and California, with Mike Truhe, Steven Hartson, Evans and Kinwald among the winners, the tour has gone from strength to strength with this weekend on target to have over 200 entries booked in. In the premiere 4WD Modified class the large entry is set to make this the biggest Short Course race ever run.  In addition to the top category there are also classes for Traxxas Slash, 2WD Novice, 2WD Stock and 2WD Modified.  Having today to learn the superb track which shop owner Mike Darnell prepared especially for the Short Course Showdown’s visit, the event gets fully underway tomorrow with the first of three rounds of qualifying.

Supported by Horizon Hobby, Losi and Spektrum, we will bring full coverage of the weekends proceedings starting in the morning with a full round up of the action from the opening qualifier.

View our event image gallery here.

July 24, 2011

Neumann & Tebo join Cavalieri on World Championship podium

Top 3 finishers

Joern Neumann and Jared Tebo complete the podium at the 2011 IFMAR 4WD Electric Buggy World Championships joining three time 4WD World Champion Ryan Cavalieri, who successful pulled of the Worlds double in the second of the A-main.  With Cavalieri sitting out the third main it was left to four drivers to battle it out for the final two podium places with Neumann pulling off a last lap last corner pass on Top Qualifier Ryan Maifield to win.  Added to his 3rd place finish in Leg 2, the win secured the runners-up spot for the Team Durango driver who tied on points with Kyosho’s Jared Tebo, the American who was only fifth for the leg, having to settle for the final step on the podium.

Joern Neumann

After the tough luck he suffered in A1 when his motor failed while he held a 5-second lead, Neumann said he was delighted to finnish runner-up as his target coming to Finland was to make the A-Main. Never expecting to be such a strong contender for the title he paid tribute to his Durango team and team-mates who he said all worked well together.  Asked if he would have done anything different in the finals the 20-year-old joked he ‘maybe should have change motor before the first A-Main’.

Jared Tebo

Third on the podium in 2WD, 2007 Champion Tebo said he felt he had a better chance at the 4WD title but in the end it ‘just wasn’t really’ his week.   Pleased to come away from the bi-annual event with two podium places he said the event marked a big move forward for his team with who he feels he has built up a strong communication between him and Japan.

His second time being Top Qualifier in 4WD, Maifield had little to show for his qualifying efforts as he ended up fourth overall.  Looking like he might end the event with a win and put the disappointment of the opening two mains behind him, he had that and a place on the podium snatched from under him by Neumann just at the line.  Suffering a steering servo fault in the practice final and from a loose slipper in A1 Maifield said the day didn’t go his way and while very disappointed said ‘that’s racing’.  One of the biggest stars of the offroad scene, the Team Associated driver must now wait two years to have another go at claiming his first ever World title. With the 2013 Worlds set to be staged in his home country, the American will be more determined than ever to get the job done.

Making his first Worlds final former European Champion Hupo Honigl had a great third leg finishing 3rd which was good enough to place the Team Durango driver 5th overall ahead of Neil Cragg. In with a chance of making the podium Cragg failed to finish the final encounter dropping him to sixth overall, the same result the British ace achieved in 2WD.

Cars of Cavalieri

For Cavalieri becoming double World Champion will bring many rewards one of which was an opportunity to test 1:1 scale motorbike engined buggy at the adjacent kart racing track.  Under the watchful eye of Ford World Rally team driver Mikko Hirvonen and his co-driver Jarmo Lehtinen, who were patrons of the Electric Buggy World Championships, he acquitted himself well once he got the hang of getting started.  Cavalieri’s first full size motorsport encounter lead to a que of drivers willing to pay for a go with Tebo the first in line.  1:8 Buggy World Champion Cody King was the first to find the limits spinning off backwards into the tyres but no damage was done. Getting the biggest cheer as he got strapped in for his run Naoto Matsukara was the only one to acknowledge the onlookers before pulling up after just two laps saying ‘enough, enough’.  To top of what have been a truly world class organised event Hirvonen, having got some last minute tips from Cody King, showed his skills behind the wheel much to the appreciation of the large gathering of r/c racers.

Ryan Cavalieri

Red RC would like thank everyone of the 100 volunteers in the Vaasa club who helped put on an event that sets a new standard for our sport.  Sadly one of the main people responsible for bringing the 2011 Worlds to Finland informed us that they don’t intend applying for future IFMAR events feeling the sports governing body did little to support their efforts.

We hope you enjoyed our coverage and would like to thank our sponsors Team Durango, LRP, Speedpassion and Team C for making it possible.

Leg 3 Results
4wd Overall

Full results can be found here.

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