Ecleo takes Philippine summer races with his RC8B3 and B3e!

Summer is in full swing here in the Philippines, which means that the 2016 racing season has officially begun.

The season kicked off with the Philippine E-Buggy National Championship, by which the country will crown the year's first national champion. After a hectic battle across eight heats against stiff competition, including last year's national champion, Benjie Ecleo took home the first national championship for himself with his Team Associated RC8B3e.

The following week, the team headed down south for the Dinagat Islands Nitro Challenge 2016, which features the country's biggest track in the center of a cool jungle, offering racers much-needed respite from the summer heat. Once again Benjie Ecleo ran a masterful race taking TQ and the overall win after the finals, this time with the nitro-powered Associated RC8B3. Oggie Tiu came in third to let the team take two of the podium spots.

Finally, the Circulo Verde RC track played host to this year's Off-Road Masters, where Kyle McBride won last year with his prototype RC8B3. Without the presence of McBride, the locals valiantly picked up the cudgels for the team. After the hour-long finals, Adam Drake beat out the various home teams, but the team did put up a decent fight, with the Associated RC8B3 taking second overall, driven by national champion Daniel Sarmiento.

All in all, a good start for the team in the Philippine racing season as we head on to the nationals for 1:8 nitro buggy next.

Products used
#80916 RC8B3e Team Kit
#80914 RC8B3 Nitro Team Kit

Thanks to Michael Ang for this report.

Team Associated - Champions by Design