WESTON’S Robert McKenna has become the 2015 BRCA National GP2 champion in Radio Control 18 scale nitro engine racing cars.

WESTON’S Robert McKenna has become the 2015 BRCA National GP2 champion in Radio Control 18 scale nitro engine racing cars.

With the ninth and final round of this year’s championship series being held at Mendip model motor circuit, Bleadon’ in two weeks time, Rob goes to this event with an unassailable lead in the championship after scoring enough points at last weekend’s eighth round at Wombwell, South Yorkshire, to be crowned the champion.

The 18 radio control circuit racing national championship series is often known as the Formula one of the model racing world. The state of the art four-wheel drive, two-speed gearbox, 3.5cc nitromethane fuelled 2.5kg cars are capable of speeds in excess of 85mph, and accelerate quicker than any full size super car.

The nine round series takes in circuits in Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, Sussex and of course Weston, and has the very best radio control racers competing from all over the UK.

For Robert this was his first complete season for over five years. This year he ran the Capricorn C802 Italian brand of RC car powered by Nova Rossi engines and Elite models racing fuel.

The race weekends consist of four rounds of five-minute qualifying heats followed by endurance style 20-minute finals which require a team effort to complete.

This year Robert was assisted by Steve Carpenter, whose slick pit work and excellent race fuel strategies often kept Rob ahead of his main opponents during the mid-season battles, where Rob crucially picked up maximum points towards his goal of being this year’s champion.

Robert said: “We started the season hoping for a good run in each round and attaining top three in the GP2 classifications. It soon became clear that my driving had improved and with this year’s Capricorn car having excellent reliability, I believed we could compete for the championship honours.”

RC car racing is an exciting motorsport and hobby for all ages. Details can be found through the governing body the BRCA (British Radio Car Association) www.BRCA.org

Locally there is the Mendip Model Racing Circuit at Accomodation Road, Bleadon. www.mendiprcraceway.co.uk