‘I’ve learned a lot since then’ – Phend

In 2019 Dakotah Phend would achieve his best World Championship result when he finished runner-up to Bruno Coelho in 1:10 4WD at the Hudy Arena in Slovakia.  Four years on, asked what is different about the Dakotah of today as we get set for the return of the 1:10 Offroad World Championship at the end of this week, the American’s reply is, ‘I’ve learned a lot since then’.  Making his World Championship debut way back in 2008 in 1:8 Nitro, his debut in 1:10 Electric came in 2011 when the now 26-year-old put his cars in both A-Mains in Finland.  With an impressive National Championship trophy collection in what is undoubtably the super power of nations when it comes to offroad racing, Phend’s sheer outright speed has always been spectacular to watch.  Now the TLR driver believes he is much better at managing that speed and calculating risk versus reward.

Maintaining his multiple year reign as 2WD ROAR National Champion just 3 weeks ago when he successfully defended the title ahead of reigning World Champion Spencer Rivkin, going into the Worlds at Hobby Action RC Raceway Phend says, ‘I don’t know what to expect, the tyres are different and there is no sauce’.  Admitting the World title is one on his list he hasn’t yet been able to tick off, he said his approach going into the racing on Sunday is to, ‘See what gets given to you and adapt from there’.  Asked about his mindset for the 19th running of the IFMAR Worlds he said, ‘The desire to win in general at this level is always there.  It hurts more to loose than to win but the Worlds is a little different mindset.  Everyone brings their A-game.  I think this time round I am better at knowing when to push or not.  Before I used be 100% all in, sometimes it worked but other times not managing the situation cost me results’.

Also the reigning 1:8 Nitro Buggy ROAR Champion, Phend says 1:10 electric feels like home as he started out in the hobby in the class.  With a tweak in the schedule seeing the tradition of starting with 2WD and ending with 4WD, he believes starting this time with 4WD is a positive saying ‘it is good for everyone that 4WD is first’ and adding ‘our 4WD is a great package’.  On 2WD he said, ‘Well have a better idea of 2WD after we see what happens in 4WD.  2WD is a big question mark for everyone at these Worlds.’

Asked who he most expected to be locked in battle with he replied, ‘Spencer for sure.  It’s his home track.  Michal (Orlowski) and Bruno (Coelho) are going to figure it out too.  Broc (Champlin) and Cav (Ryan Cavalieri) have been running good over here and will have a base line for Orlowski to work off.  The track is going to be fast and everyone’s pace will be close so I think it will come down to mistakes.  Everyone’s stuff is so good now a days – you’ve got to be mentally on point.  This track is always hard.  It has a narrow groove and it is hard to see it.  Getting used to and comfortable with that will be important.’

Having got everything ready last week in terms of his cars with just stickering of bodies to do, and set to fly out Saturday to Chandler, Arizona, Phend plans to spend some time with family enjoying ‘what is left of Summer’ adding ‘racing takes a lot out of you so its nice to get some down time before hand’.

2023 IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championship coverage presented by Ruddog

The first of four World Championships Red RC will attend this year, our coverage from 1:10 Offroad in Arizona is being supported by Ruddog.  Founded in 2006 by Sven Rudig, himself an avid offroad racer, Ruddog is steeped in offroad racing history being a distributor for 31 times World Champion manufacturer Team Associated and iconic offroad tyre brand JConcepts to name but a few.  In addition, they have developed their own product ranges such as Ruddog Racing, a new line of electronics offered by the German company that already has a European Championship title to its credit in touring car.  Revolution Design Racing Products has established itself as a designer & producer of high-quality tuning parts and are popular upgrades among offroad racers.  Red RC’s trackside coverage of the 1:10 Offroad World Championship will kick off on September 10th with the start of the 4WD action and conclude on September 16th when the 2WD Champion is decided.

World Championship Schedule
4WD Buggy
September 9 – Check-in, Pit Setup, Tyre purchase and tyre tech
September 10 – Open Practice and 2 rounds of controlled practice
September 11 – 1 round of controlled practice and 4 rounds of qualifying
September 12 – 1 round of controlled practice, 1 round of quali and Mains

2WD Buggy
September 13 – Track Closed, 2WD Buggy Tyre purchase and tyre tech
September 14 – Open Practice and 2 rounds of controlled practice
September 15 – 1 round of controlled practice and 4 rounds of qualifying
September 16 – 1 round of controlled practice, 1 round of qualifying and Mains

‘Definitely the strongest team we have ever had’, says Orlowski

Michal Orlowski goes into the IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championship at the end of this week confident his Schumacher team is fielding what is ‘definitely the strongest team we have ever had’ for a Worlds.  12 years on from making his World Championship debut in Vaasa, Finland, the Polish driver is expected to be a leading contender in the European challenge to deny the US drivers victory on their very own doorstep.  Only racing 2WD at the 2011 WC because he couldn’t get hold of Tamiya’s 511 4WD kit at the time, the recently turned 22-year old heads up a strong Schumacher team going to Hobby Action RC Raceway in Arizona.  With the vastly experienced Ryan Cavalieri & Lee Martin, a very on form Broc Champlin, and Daniel Kobbevik as team-mates, he is also coming off the back of his own very successful run of results, in both off and onroad.  Winner of last weekend’s most recent Euro Touring Series encounter at Marc Rheinard’s home circuit Arena33, he travels to the US as the European 4WD Offroad Champion having regained the title back in July 8-years on from first holding it.

Describing 2015 as ‘a break through year’, he attributes that to joining his Schumacher team that year after leaving Team Durango and it is fair to say that his relationship with the British manufacturer, and in particular engineer Trish Neal, has gotten stronger and stronger with each season.  As European Champion in 2015, Orlowski qualified P2 in Japan behind 4WD Champion elect Bruno Coelho but finished the finals in 4th.  Now looking back on that chapter he says, ‘I way too nervous.  I couldn’t deal with the pressure behind me from Naoto (Matsukura), and (David) Ronnefalk.  I had just turned 14 before worlds.’   Two years later the best in the business went to China and what started out looking like a very promising championship for Orlowski.  Topping seeding & Q1, he form was washed away in the rain, literally, and he found himself struggling to adapt to the new track conditions finishing P8 while Ryan Maifield finally got the monkey off his back with double World titles in Xiamen.  With an early prototype L2 for 4WD, reliability issues meant Orlowski could only end the week in the C-Main.  After another 2-year wait Slovakia in 2019 didn’t get off to the start he hoped for but come 4WD he would achieve his first World Championship podium finish behind repeat Champion Coelho and Dakotah Phend. 

Having now served a doubly long 4-year wait for the 19th edition of the IFMAR Worlds, Orlowski is aiming high for the title that so far eludes him.  He said, ‘In 2015 it was only me (in the team).  Then Joern (Nuemann) but never a top American driver.  Ryan (Cavalieri) has so much experience.  Our cars are the best they have ever been.  We have had our best preparation – lots of work and passion have gone into this.’  Asked about the track and in particular reigning 2WD Champion Spencer Rivkin’s home advantage, he replied, ‘I know it is his home track but loads of us have been there plenty of times and there is only so much you can do.  No one is expecting a European to win.  The surface, the tyres are so different there to what we usually race.   The pressure is on the Americans to win it, I go there with no pressure.’  He continued,  ‘(I am) not really bother it’s his home track.  It’s always different at the Worlds.  The three main guys are Broc, Spencer and Dakotah from our trips there and I’m excited to battle with them.  Remember in Slovakia everyone said Xray would dominate, they didn’t.’

On the importance of his working relationship with Schumacher’s engineer Neal, he said, ‘Trish and I have developed an amazing friendship.  I have grown into a man spending a lot of time with him.  I spend 3 weekends a month working with him.  When I come off the driver stand we usual have the same idea of what we need to do.  He’s very good at watching the car and understanding what it is doing and how I can improve my driving.’  Asked about his travel plans to Chandler and any final preparations he need to make, Orlowski concluded our chat with, ‘We will go straight to the event.  Going early and doing testing at another track would put a lot of pressure on myself.  We have the work done – arrive fresh and relaxed.  I’m doing a lot of races this year and that approach has worked well.’

2023 IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championship coverage presented by Ruddog

The first of four World Championships Red RC will attend this year, our coverage from 1:10 Offroad in Arizona is being supported by Ruddog.  Founded in 2006 by Sven Rudig, himself an avid offroad racer, Ruddog is steeped in offroad racing history being a distributor for 31 times World Champion manufacturer Team Associated and iconic offroad tyre brand JConcepts to name but a few.  In addition, they have developed their own product ranges such as Ruddog Racing, a new line of electronics offered by the German company that already has a European Championship title to its credit in touring car.  Revolution Design Racing Products has established itself as a designer & producer of high-quality tuning parts and are popular upgrades among offroad racers.  Red RC’s trackside coverage of the 1:10 Offroad World Championship will kick off on September 10th with the start of the 4WD action and conclude on September 16th when the 2WD Champion is decided.

World Championship Schedule
4WD Buggy
September 9 – Check-in, Pit Setup, Tyre purchase and tyre tech
September 10 – Open Practice and 2 rounds of controlled practice
September 11 – 1 round of controlled practice and 4 rounds of qualifying
September 12 – 1 round of controlled practice, 1 round of qualifying and Mains

2WD Buggy
September 13 – Track Closed, 2WD Buggy Tyre purchase and tyre tech
September 14 – Open Practice and 2 rounds of controlled practice
September 15 – 1 round of controlled practice and 4 rounds of qualifying
September 16 – 1 round of controlled practice, 1 round of qualifying and Mains