With four cars in the A-Final, overall Top Qualifier, and drivers in second, fourth, seventh and eighth, Team Hot Bodies comes away from the IFMAR World Championships in Thailand feeling very proud, confident that the team and all our drivers did everything they could have done to take the the win.

In the first race Atsushi Hara rocketed off from pole with the lead, with friend and racing buddy Marc Rheinard following close behind - rarely more than a few car lengths behind Hara. A pass attempt in the tight infield led to a racing incident with Hara tumbling over and a couple of drivers getting caught in the pile-up. This allowed multiple World Champ Masami Hirosaka past for the first A Final leg win.

The second A Final leg had Hara pulling away with confidence from the entire field, solid win several seconds ahead of the main field. Watch the video here!

For the third A Final leg, another win would seal the win for Hara, but Marc would always have something to say. It was extremely close throughout the last 5-minute race with Marc right on Hara's bumper the entire time. The World Championship decider came down to Marc pulling off one spectacular pass on Hara in the closing minute of the last A Final leg - then a mistake by Hara trying to get the lead back cost dearly, with his car skipping over a berm and the loss of a few crucial places. Watch the video here!

Marc would win this race and Hara would finish fourth - with Hara's first-place finish and Marc's second-place finish in the second leg, Marc would take the overall championship. With two second-place finishes, HB driver Ronald Volker took home second overall and the big silver trophy. A fourth and first place earned Masami third place on the podium.

Although he was eager to become the first ISTC double World Champion, Hara was elated for his friend Marc, saying, 'Marc is the best touring car driver in the world right now. He is my bigger little brother and he was faster than me today.'

Final Results
1. Marc Rheinard - 19pts
2. Ronald Volker (HB/LRP) - 18pts
3. Masami Hirosaka - 17pts
4. Atsushi Hara (HB/Team Orion) - 17pts
5. Elliot Harper - 15pts
6. Viktor Wilck - 13pts
7. Andy Moore (HB/Team Orion) - 10pts
8. Hayato Matsuzaki (HB/LRP) - 9pts
9. Meen Vejrak - 7pts
10. Jilles Groskamp - 6pts

HPI.TV on Location!
Throughout the weekend, Nick Daman from RC Racing TV was on hand with a cameraman from Motors TV, talking to all the top racers, RC dignitaries, race director Scotty Ernst and the guys from RedRC.net to give RC race fans around the world the full picture of the World Championship week! You can watch ALL the videos on hpi.TV and check out RC Racing TV in the months to come for all the expert racing action!

Overall Results from the 2008 IFMAR Electric Track Worlds:
1/12th:
Debut of Cyclone 12X
4 cars in the A Final
4th, 5th, 8th, 10th overall

ISTC:
Top Qualifier
Fastest Race Time
4 cars in the A Final
2nd place, 4th, 7th, 8th overall

The Hot Bodies team was able to put FOUR cars into both A Finals, a feat that could not be equaled by any other team or manufacturer, and a result that continues the streak started by the D8 earlier just a couple of months ago, where the off-road HB team secured 4 of the 12 World Championship A Final spots.

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