Hirosaka: "A small manufacturer, big dreams"

Above is the tasteful header for the Hirosaka brand's website.

 This picture depicts a man staring down. Focused on the task at hand. Wearing a Monster Energy flat bill hat. Maybe not that last part.

The Hirosaka website is full of the rich history of the family and many photos of Masaaki and Masami early in their careers. Like this proud picture of Masami with what is most likely a winning car:

I stayed up all night, but could not find the re release of these pants on AE's or Yoke's websites.

The Hirosaka website is full of content. You're surly in for a long read if you venture down that roughly translated rabbit hole of Japanese toy car racing history.

From what I can tell they are saying that Masaaki is the manager of this outdoor track. They've also Included a link to a video containing a outdoor nitro track and maybe the creepiest voice over in YouTube history.  You've been warned.

The further I get into the website, the more I am blown away and have to question Google Translate's accuracy. From what I've gleamed on their site, Masami may have been  trained early on to race for 8 minutes(1/12th scale) without closing his eyes once.

Whoa. Treat yourself if you're into the obscure.

http://hirosaka.jp/Hirosaka 

The Hirosaka family, Masami and Masaaki have announced their electronic motor and esc products and things look promising. Familiar to anyone with a Speed Passion, but promising.

Whatever it started as, the name on it alone is good for two tenths a lap

Let's face it. The winning rc formula is clear: Take one part Hirosaka and one part green paint. Stir.

1 million out of 1 million aint bad

In other news, Tamiya just blew some minds with the release of their new TRF530 at the Toyfair in Nueremberg. Even Tamiya recently had just announced they were leaving behind the racing offroad buggy world, they've gone ahead and kept one foot in the competitive offroad world.

Yup

Belt drive and 4 wheel are still popular in many aspects of rc, but 4 wheel 1/10 buggy has yet to fully embrace the drive train. Whatever works, as long as Tamiya keeps feeding us their quality rc.

Belt or shaft drive, I don't envy anyone in the market for a 1/10th scale market. There are just too many choices. That keeps me to playin it safe with trusty B44 platform until Team Associated drops another metric bomb on us.


One motor is cute, but four wheelers in my stable, I'll take two motors. Here's to hoping Hirosaka ESC can handle two silver can 540's in my Clod Buster.

Are we all old enough yet to admit we always kinda wanted one of those Clods in the back of RC Car Action?

 In other phenom news, Atsushi Hara will make a return to the Yokomo Euro Touring Series driving, well... a Yokomo.

The super talented and very "pop" styled driver has been showing up to everything form of racing with whatever brand he decided was the right tool for the job. Now settling back with Yokomo, and taking delivery of some fresh, amazing paint for his BD7s from TD Takashima.

TD's paint is finally rivaling my one color, spray bombed wonders 

So, Atsushi and Yoke have come to a deal.  It's still  fun to follow Hara's racing and his car choices when available. Watching him show up at last years Reedy Off Road race with a mid motor Kyosho RB6 was awesome.

Hara's 2013 Reedy RB6: Ahead of his time.

As an unprofessional myself, it's comforting to know even the pros sometimes get to use their preferred tools for the job. That means they're not all just running what the sponsors hand them or putting up with inferior products. This is good for the progression of quality all around.

Thanks for reading!
-Tommy