January 29, 2025

Xray confirms Champions return for MIBO International

Xray has confirmed that two of its MIBO International Champions will return to the third annual running of the Czech indoor onroad/offroad race early next month.  Inaugural Pro-Stock Champion Adam Izsay returns and the recent GP3F winner will not only look to retake the Pro-Stock title Xray has won at the previous two editions but he will also step up to compete in the Modified class against the likes of Schumacher’s reigning Champion Michal Orlowski and the Mugen Seiki of inaugural Champion Ronald Volker.  In Offroad, defending 4WD Champion Bartek Zalewski, who really made a name for himself at last year’s MIBO International, heads the Slovakian manufacturer’s quest for a third consecutive 4WD title on the offroad track.  Bruno Coelho was the winner at the first running of the event that is organised by former top international Czech touring car racer Michal Bok and his well known RC company Mibosport.  A sell-out event, the 2025 MIBO International will be very much a family affair for Xray with company founder Juraj Hudy one of 5 of the Hudy family’s three generations who will be racing at the Sport V Hotel based event on February 7-9th.


January 22, 2025

Mugen Seiki confirm Volker for MIBO International

Inaugural MIBO International Champions Mugen Seiki has confirmed that their lead driver Ronald Volker will return to the Czech race for a third consecutive year next month.  In 2023 Volker won the first edition of MIBO International and last year returned finishing runner up to victor Michal Orlowski, the Polish racer already confirmed for his attempt retain his Touring Car title and add an offroad title at the February 7-9th race.  Hosted by Mibosport, which is owned by former top international Czech touring car racer Michal Bok, MIBO International is unique event in that two side by side tracks bring together both onroad and offroad racing.  The 3rd edition of the event, which is staged in the Sports V Hotel in Hrotovice, the 250 entries includes factory team drivers from Schumacher, Sworkz, Yokomo, Team Associated, Mugen Seiki and Xray.


January 15, 2025

Associated confirm Kaerup for MIBO International

Team Associated has confirmed they will be represented at the upcoming MIBO International Race in the Czech Republic with the news that their teenage offroad star Marcus Kaerup will make his debut at the third edition of the event on February 7-9th.  The multiple European Champion and World Championship finalist is set to take the challenge to Sworkz’s defending 2WD Champion Joern Neumann and Schumacher pairing of Michal Orlowski and Daniel Kobbevik.  Having been denied back to back European 2WD Buggy titles by Orlowski last September in Swedend when EFRA hosted the European Championship indoor on carpet, the 17-year-old Dane will be looking to prevent the reigning MIBO International Touring Car Champion from doing the double as the Polish ace races on both the onroad and offroad track this year.  In 4WD he will take on the Xray of fellow teenager and reigning champion Bartek Zalewski.  Red RC is looking forward to kicking off its 2025 World tour of race coverage by making the trip to Hrotovice once again to report on the action.


January 13, 2025

Yokomo confirm Krapp for 3rd MIBO International outing

Having attended the previous two years of MIBO International, Yokomo has confirmed its return for the 3rd edition of the annual Czech race where it will once again be represented by ISTC World Championship podium finisher Christopher Krapp.  The Japanese manufacturer’s lead international driver and team manager travels to Hrotovice aiming to mix it with defending Champion Michal Orlowski over the weekend of February 07-09.  A unique event, MIBO International brings together both electric touring car and electric offroad racers on the same weekend with the building of two indoor carpet tracks side by side at the Sports V Hotel.  With everything from the track, restaurant, bowling alley and hotel rooms all under one roof, the venue has always been popular with racers and counts Bruno Coelho, Ronald Volker, Joern Neumann, Adam Izsay and Bartek Zalewski as some of its champions.  With a capped entry limit the relaxed schedule means plenty of time in the evening to wind down and socialise over dinner after each day’s racing.


January 8, 2025

Schumacher’s Kobbevik returns for MIBO International

A double podium finisher on his MIBO International debut last year, Daniel Kobbevik will return to the annual Czech race doubling the factory effort of defending Touring Car Champions Schumacher.  Taking place from on February 07-09, the race sees both onroad and offroad race run side by side on two indoor carpet tracks built by Mibosport in Sports V Hotel in Hrotovice.  Last year, Kobbevik finished runner up to Sworkz’s Joern Neumann in 2WD Buggy, the defending champion already confirmed for the 3rd edition, and in 4WD the Norwegian completed the podium behind the Xrays of winner Bartek Zalewski and second place Martin Bayer.  Having confirmed in November they would be sending Michal Orlowski to MIBO International not only to try to defend his Touring Car title but also to complete in offroad, with the addition of Kobbevik the British manufacturer has a formidable line-up capable of securing a first offoad win.  A two and a half day event, it gets underway on the Friday evening with practice to allow for travel Friday morning.


December 18, 2024

2024 SIGP Offroad Chassis Focus Index

After a 4 year break, the last SIGP Offroad Race being held in 2019, China’s top annual international offroad race returned with its best entry yet as three World Champions made the trip to the former 1:10 Offroad World Championship host track in Xiamen.  With almost 100 entries in Nitro Buggy and 53 in Electric Buggy, racers’ biggest rival of 2024 will be remembered as the track, even the best in the World describing it as their most challenging race of the year.  While the European visitors dominated, Italian Mattia Polito really impressing and putting on a great show in the final against a certain Davide Ongaro, we had the opportunity to include the Ming Yang buggy of 2023 FEMCA Champion Jeff Wang in our Chassis Focus.  The Taiwanese driver was the top Asian qualifier and finisher, coming home in P7.  Featuring buggies from Team Associated, Sworkz, Xray and Mayako, we were also able to photograph each of the podium finishing eBuggies.  One buggy we couldn’t include in our Chassis Focus was the WIRC of 18-year-old Italian racer Gabriel Astorino, both his Nitro and eBuggy running new front hubs that are set to appear on the Italian manufacturer’s 2025 kits early next year.

Nitro Buggy

Davide OngaroAssociated (Winner)

Mattia PolitoSworkz (Top Qualifier)

Bruno CoelhoXray (Q4/P3)

David RonnefalkXray (Q3/P4)

Joseph QuagraineMayako (Q6/P6 )

Jeff WangMing Yang (Q7/P7 )

 

Electric Buggy

David RonnefalkXray (Q2/Winner)

Davide OngaroAssociated (Top Qualifier)

Mattia PolitoSworkz (Q4/P3)

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