Chassis – Tekno NB48 2.1
Engine – O.S. Speed 2101
Fuel – Energy
Tires – Jetko J-One
Radio/Servos – Futaba 10PX/Futaba CBS700
Body – JConcepts S15
Remarks – Describing his NB48 2.1 as pretty much standard out of the box, Jackson said the only thing different is his use of a T-Works screw set on the buggy.
Having established itself as Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race, the Philippine Masters takes place this weekend in Manila with the 12th edition of the famed race also counting as the second round of the ambitious 4-round Asian Buggy Championships. Almost 200 entries from 16 countries will battle in out in the capital for top honours in Nitro & Electric Buggy and Nitro Truggy with Team Associated’s 2023 winner Davide Ongaro leading the entry. The back to back 1:8 Offroad World Champion returns to the Philippine Masters for a fourth time but with his schedule means he’ll arrive just in time for the final seeding round and will have a little bit of catching up to do on his rivals. After a superb opening round to the Asian Buggy Championships at Counties RC in New Zealand, the best of Asia and Australasia, are joined by drivers from around the world including American Ryan Lutz, the Kyosho driver having taken the win at the season opener in February. This will be Lutz’s first time to attend the Philippine Masters with Sworkz’ Jorn Neumann, Sparko’s Ryan Pavadis and Team Associated’s Alex Bernadzik also rookies of the Circulo Verde track. Legend of the sport and former winner of the race Atsushi Hara makes a hugely popular return as does 2023 podium finisher Christian Wolhuter with both drivers running Sworkz buggies. Others expected to feature over the weekend include Tekno’s Jackson Beale, together with the finds of ABC Round 1, Kiwi duo Logan Toia and Jayden Jamieson.
Rightly famed for its incredible layout, the Circulo Verde track is the battleground for the Philippine Masters and once again Edward Sio and the team from Dogbone RC have produced a superb race track, with a clean, high traction surface. Drivers will face extended rhythm sections, off-camber corners, high-banked sections, and jumps that demand perfect timing and lines. High grip, together with low tyre wear on the oil-treated surface place Circulo Verde among the very best racetracks in the world. The pit area features everything a racer needs, from a three-story high driver’s stand, to cleaning facilities, work benches and on-site Dogbone RC hobby store.
Asian Buggy Championships promoter Scotty Ernst, who has played a key role in the established of the Philippine Masters becoming the major international race its is today, said, “I can’t wait to see the Philippine Masters unfold – it’s an absolute highlight of the racing schedule. I’m looking forward to spending the next week with our friends from the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, across Asia and beyond. We’re going to have a lot of fun.”
Red RC are excited to attending our 3rd Philippine Masters and reporting on how the weekend unfolds.
A former winner of the Philippine Masters, legend of the sport Atsushi Hara will make his return to the famed Manila based 1:8 Offroad event next week (April 18-21). The offroad and onroad World Champion, last contested the race in 2019 and will return to the Circulo Verde track at the controls of an Sworkz Buggy, a decade on from when he raced for manufacturer full time during the 2014 season. Joining the international entry that includes reigning World & Philippine Masters Champion Davide Ongaro, multiple Worlds finalist Kyle McBride, Asian Buggy Championship points leader & PM debutant Ryan Lutz, and another PM debutant Joern Neumann, on his return to the Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race former FEMCA Champion Hara said, “I am so excited to be back at Philippine Masters, because Philippine Masters is one of the best organizers in the world. This time, Sworkz and Cayote have helped me to enter the race! I am also looking forward to seeing my many friends and fans in the Philippines! See everybody at the track!”
Having originally looked set to miss this year’s Philippine Masters due to Warm-up Race commitments for the IFMAR 1:8 Buggy World Championships, the cancellation of Brazil hosting the Worlds means reigning back to back World Champion Davide Ongaro will return to Asia’s biggest annual 1:8 Offroad race for a fourth time. A winner of the event event prior to Covid, the Team Associated star successfully returned to the famous 3D layout Circulo Verde track located in the heart of Manila last year as the Philippine Masters made its return to the international stage after the forced 2 year break. Taking the TQ ahead of the Mayako of former World Champion Robert Batlle and the win ahead of Sworkz’ Micha Widmaier 12 months ago, this year the Italian’s competition for the April 18-21 event is set to come from an entry list that includes Kyosho pairing Ryan Lutz & Kyle McBride and Sworkz’ Joern Neumann. The 12th running of the Philippine Masters, the race is also the second round of the ambitious four round Asian Buggy Championships which is currently lead by American Lutz who won the opening round in New Zealand in February.
A driver who showcased his talents at inaugural MIBO International last year finishing runner-up in both buggy classes, Bartek Zalewski elevated himself up a step on podium this year heading an Xray 1-2 in 4WD. Starting out the weekend in Horotovice by topping seeding in both 2WD and 4WD, it was to be the later that proved his better hunting ground. Fresh from his EOS podium finished in Germany, the 17-year old would secure the overall TQ in the final round of qualifying denying his XB4’s designer Martin Bayer the top spot in his native country. Carrying his morning Q5 form into A1, winning by 3.6-seconds from Schumacher’s Daniel Kobbevik, he was looking to seal the deal in A2 as he gapped the field but a brush with the tracks rubber dividers popped a steering link, as it had done in one of Saturday’s qualifiers, and the dream of packing up early for the trip back to Poland was over. With Bayer taking the win from Kobbevik and new 2WD Champion Joern Neumann, A3 was now a pressure situation for Zalewski but despite the best efforts of Bayer he would remain claim and hold his senior off until the multiple European Champion crashed out as the race reached 2-minutes. Managing his lead he would take a comfortable win over Team Associated’s Joona Haatanen to become a popular Champion of this year’s MIBO International. Bayer made it a 1-2 for Xray, the event a truly family racing affair for the Hudy family with three generations competing. Kobbevik would complete a podium double at the Sport V Hotel adding 3rd in 4WD to his earlier 2nd in 2WD.
Happy to get the win and continue his strong start to 2024, Zalewski said, ‘A1 was perfect. The car felt pretty nice so for a first run I was looking forward to the second one. I had a few seconds gap on Martin (Bayer) but then lost my steering link like before. We changed the plastics each round so I don’t know what happened. Martin is really fast so there was now big pressure for A3 but after he broke I could breath again and just focus on driving a safe clean run.’ Just missing out on the podium in 2WD last year’s Top Qualifier in the class added, ‘In 2WD I was close to the podium. From 6th on the grid a podium is difficult but even with a 2nd and a 3rd I didn’t get it which is crazy.’
Summing up his efforts in A3, Bayer said, ‘I tried to challenge Bartek for it but hit the board and that was it done’. Opening the triple finals with a P3 and inheriting the win in A2, while disappoint his A3 battle didn’t got the distance he was complimentary of Zalewski performance saying, ‘He was driving very well so well done on getting the win’.
Making his MIBO International debut, Kobbevik was pleased with his third place but felt there was more for the taking. Tying on points with Bayer as he did in 2WD but losing out on the tiebreaker on this occasion, he said, ‘4WD was good and I’m happy with third but it could have been better’. The tall Norwegian vouched to, ‘go home and work harder’ for the next time.
View our event image gallery here.
