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Sept. 21, 2014, 12:58 a.m.
9/21/2014
By Aaron Waldron
LiveRC.com
In stark contrast to how news is typically announced in the RC industry (via email, or worse - a fifteen word Facebook post captioning a tiny photo), JQRacing founder Joseph Quagraine held a press conference last night at the villa in which he and the team are staying. After treating the attending media personnel with champagne, bruschetta, beer, and pizza, JQ outlined the future plans for the JQ Racing team, introduced new brand Cosmic Industries and its founder Heikki Naulapää, and then let us return to the pizza and beverages.
IMPORTANT LINKS
LiveRC YouTube account -- RVA (Race Video Archive) recordings of all races available to All Access Pass members
Among the details of Joseph Quagraine's vision for the future of JQRacing is the creation of a more professional racing team. A worldwide network of drivers will run lookalike vehicles, run the same assortment of equipment from partnering sponsors, and wear identical gear - produced through the satellite brand JQThreads, which will be marketed outside the RC industry starting with the world of motocross.
Joseph took the time to acknowledge how proud he is of what he and those who have stuck by him have accomplished in four years, during which much of the mainstream RC racing world and media have doubted the brand's ability to gain traction in one of the most competitive divisions. To date, JQRacing drivers have scored XX national championships around the world, and at the 2014 European Championships they tied for fourth-most cars at the event behind long-time juggernauts Kyosho, Mugen Seiki and XRAY - coming up even with Team Losi Racing.
Joseph spoke of the many advantages afforded by having all of his drivers run the same equipment - which, for now, includes REDS engines, AKA tires, Nitrolux fuel, LRP electronics, Savöx servos, MIP tools, Maugrafix decals, and GHEA accessories - beyond simply presenting a unified appearance. If everyone is running the same gear, the drivers can more accurately share setup information with each other, as well as customers, and that can help speed up the ongoing development of THECar as well as future projects. The deal presents more value for the associate sponsors as well, with more representation around the globe, as well as products sold through the JQRacing website.
JQ's Finnish compatriot and the founder of Cosmic Industries, Heikki Naulapää, brings with him more than just a degree from the UK's Royal College of Art - he was an accomplished RC racer sponsored by Yokomo, Team Losi, and LRP. Heikki attended the IFMAR Electric Off-Road Worlds every two years from 1991 in Detroit through his home country's hosting in the city of Rauma in 1999 - a few times qualifying for the B-Main, and was a finals regular at the Euros with a best finish of fourth. On top of that, Heikki started Power Racing in 1994 to distribute LRP, Yokomo, and other brands in Finland.
In 1999, Heikki sold Power Racing and retired from RC to study Industrial Design at Lahti University of Applied Sciences, and after graduating in four years he went off to London to specialize in automotive design. His design clients have included Aprilia, BMW, Nokia, Sunto, and Sandvik - for which his Pantera percussive drilling platform won this year's "Best of the Best" award from Red Dot.
Naulapää's newest project, Cosmic Industries, brings him back to the RC industry in a professional capacity as he'll be designing Lexan bodies and other accessories for a variety of vehicles. The first is the "Balancer," a Lexan shell for THECar that employs optional "side wings" and a bi-level rear wing piece for additional stability and tuning options. Upon its unveiling, Joseph and Heikki announced that the JQRacing drivers would be switching to the Cosmic Industries Balancer starting with Sunday's practice rounds at the IFMAR Worlds. Heikki said that the Balancer for THECar will be available to the public in about six weeks, along with a similar shell styled for Yokomo's BMax-2 and BMax-4 platforms.
Cheers to Joseph Quagraine, Heikki Naulapää, JQRacing and Cosmic Industries for the classy and professional unveiling!
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