Red RC

September 29, 2026

SPower XS7TT TAKUMI Factory Edition Offroad Engine

Spower, the engine brand of chassis manufacturer Sworkz, has introduced a completely new performance platform in the XS7TT Takumi. The Factory Edition 1:8 Offroad engine follows the success of the hand-modified SOUL II engine series with the name “匠” (Takumi), meaning master craftsman, represents the dedication, precision, and engineering excellence behind this exceptional racing engine. Developed in close cooperation with O.S. Japan, the XS7TT Takumi features a square-stroke piston and liner design with a conventional 3-port configuration. This setup delivers an extremely smooth and linear power curve, giving drivers outstanding throttle control and confidence on any off-road track. At the heart of the engine is a DLC-coated crankshaft equipped with dual tungsten counterweights. This advanced design provides exceptional idle stability and ultra-responsive throttle feel, translating every steering and throttle input into precise and controlled acceleration. The XS7TT Takumi is equipped with the proven SPower carburetor, allowing highly precise tuning and adjustment. The responsive carburetor design enables racers to fine-tune the engine for varying track conditions, temperatures, and fuel types while maintaining consistent fuel delivery and outstanding drivability throughout every run. Combined with its highly efficient combustion chamber design and optimised internal components, the engine delivers outstanding fuel mileage, allowing longer run times, fewer pit stops, and maximum consistency during demanding main events without sacrificing performance. To further enhance performance, the engine comes standard with the exclusive SPower Boost rear cover plate, helping to stabilise airflow and improve engine consistency across the entire RPM range, from low-end torque to maximum top-end power. A specially designed inner seal featuring an O-ring significantly improves gas sealing efficiency, contributing to greater reliability and more consistent performance over extended racing conditions.

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September 29, 2026

Fuller tops opening seeding round in Texas

Sworkz’s Mason Fuller has topped the opening round of seeding at the IFMAR 1:8 Nitro Buggy World Championship in Texas. Having shown good speed in yesterday’s free practice, as the event moved up a gear today with times now officially counting for something, the American racer laid down the fastest 3-consecutive laps to take the first of the two scheduled seeding rounds by an impressive 6/10ths of a second over Xray’s David Ronnefalk. Having been the fastest over the previous two days’ 6 rounds of free practice, reigning World Champion Davide Ongaro would complete the Top 3, the Team Associated driver run over half his run with a damaged car. Top Qualifier at the championship 2-years ago, Juan Carlos Canas posted the fourth fastest time, the Sworkz driver feeling he was hamper slightly by today’s track conditions as he ran in Group 13 of 15. Nate Sutherland and Brandon Rose completed the Top 6 times.

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September 29, 2026

Reds Racing 321 Estremo Worlds Edition

Italian engine tuner Reds Racing has released the 321 Estremo Worlds Edition, a Limited Edition 1:8 Buggy engine developed from the championship-winning 321 Estremo platform. Winner of the 2026 EFRA 1:8 Nitro Buggy European Championship with Juan Carlos Canas Carrasco, the Worlds Edition combines performance and thermal management with exclusive components specifically designed for high-level competition. The exclusive Worlds Edition Cooling Head has been developed to optimise engine temperature management, particularly in high ambient temperatures and during extended runs. A more stable operating temperature helps maintain consistent carburetion and performance throughout the run, while improving overall engine reliability and repeatability. The engine is paired with the special 2143 XONE Worlds Edition exhaust system, featuring the exclusive OXD surface treatment. The OXD treatment provides increased resistance to wear, deterioration, and high operating temperatures, helping the exhaust maintain its characteristics over time. In addition, the treatment contributes to improved exhaust gas temperature management, enhancing engine performance and the overall efficiency and consistency of the engine–exhaust system.

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September 29, 2026

Kilic tops final free practice at Thornhill

Mugen Seiki’s Burak Kilic shot to the top of the times for the sixth & final round of free practice at the IFMAR 1:8 Nitro Buggy World Championship in Texas, the Turkish driver closing out Monday’s action with a 3-consecutive lap time of 1:51.195 around the Thornhill Racing Circuit. The round would see big changes at the top with Sworkz’ Juan Carlos Canas, Top Qualifier in 2024, setting the second fastest time ahead of American Xray pairing Dakotah Phend and Chase Lemieux, the former struggling with his bad at the end of the day and retiring early to his bed to rest it. Tekno’s Daniel Pariente posted his first Top 5 run just ahead of Mason Fuller, the Sworkz driver having posted the second fastest time in the previous round. While his FP5 time of 1:51.133 still stands as the fastest run of free practice, defending World Champion Davide Ongaro would use the final practice to test if he had been going the right direction with his set-up after his FP5 run and taking the set-up in the opposite direction the 7th fastest time verified he had been on the right route with set-up. The round would also see David Ronnefalk drop outside the Top 3 for the first time, sticking with the same harder compound tyre he ran in the fifth round, with temperatures dropping for FP6 it was too hard and the lacking pace resulted in the 10th fastest time for the Swede.

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September 29, 2026

Fuller closes gap as Ongaro continues to set pace in Texas

Mason Fuller continues his rise up the practice rankings in Texas today, the Sworkz driver closing the gap to World Champion Davide Ongaro with the second fastest time in the fifth round of free practice at the 1:8 Nitro Buggy World Championship. Again it was the Team Associated of Ongaro who topped the times around the Thornhill Racing Circuit, the Italian finding more than a second to lay down the fastest 3-consecutive laps we have witnessed yet. Just 4/10ths of a second off, Fuller bettered his best time by 2-seconds with a run that put him ahead of Xray’s David Ronnefalk and Associated’s Marcus Kaerup. The second fastest American driver, Brandon Rose took his Team Associated to the fifth fastest time for the round with the Xray of much favoured USA title hopeful Dakotah Phend completing the Top 6.

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September 28, 2026

Wood crowned 2026 British 1:8 Onroad Champion

Shepherd’s Tim Wood has regained the British 1:8 Onroad Championship title, the championship concluding with Round 8 at the Cotswold track over the weekend where rain would effort the racing. Attracting 27-entries, qualifying for the season finale would see Wood secure the TQ ahead of Andrew Hastings and Karl Dransfield to wrap up the title had been held by Mugen Seiki’s Alex Thurston for the past number of seasons. With a very wet afternoon, the half hour finals would see half the field including Wood opt not to race with Craig Hook, who took his first ever National win earlier this year, going on to take his second win of the season. Ashley Gouveia and Daniel Ludena would complete the podium. In the overall championship it was to be an all Shepherd podium with Hook finishing runner-up with Andy Hastings ending his campaign with 3rd.

Image: Shepherd Micro Racing [Facebook]

September 28, 2026

Ongaro set early pace at Buggy Worlds

Having had three rounds of practice yesterday to familiarise themselves with the Thornhill Racing Circuit track layout on which IFMAR will crown its 20th 1:8 Nitro Buggy World Champion come Saturday, it is Team Associated’s defending Champion Davide Ongaro who is setting the early pace in Texas. With drivers best 3-consecutive laps improving in huge chunks over yesterday, Xray’s David Ronnefalk fastest on 1:58.124 in the first round, Sworkz’s Camden Lime fastest in the second run on 1:54.709, it was Ongaro who ended the day fastest with a 1:51.540 in the third free practice. With three more practice rounds on today’s schedule it was the Italian who opened proceedings with the fastest time. While a slower pace than yesterday evening’s run, Ongaro was, on like for like conditions, quickest from Ronnefalk with Kyosho’s Riccardo Berton third ahead of the Sworkz of Mason Fuller, Kyosho’s Marco Baruffolo and the Associated of reigning eBuggy World Champion Marcus Kaerup.

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September 28, 2026

1:8 Offroad Worlds coverage presented by RUDDOG

The 2-year wait is finally over and thanks to Ruddog Racing we have just arrived in Hutto, Texas, ready to spend the next 6 days telling the story of how the 20th running of the IFMAR 1:8 Offroad World Championship unfolds at Thornhill Racing Circuit. The eigth time we will report on the categories biggest race, this is the third time our coverage has been presented by Ruddog Racing. Based in Germany, Ruddog is a company steeped in offroad racing history being a distributor for 35-time World Champion manufacturer Team Associated and iconic offroad tyre brand JConcepts to name but a few. Founded in 2006 by Sven Rudig, the same year as Red RC joined the world wide web, as an avid offroad racer himself he has developed Ruddog into having their own product ranges such as Ruddog Racing which offers a line of nitro engines and electronics. They are also behind Revolution Design Racing Products which has established itself as a designer & producer of high-quality tuning parts that are hugely popular upgrades among offroad racers. 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of the crowning of the inaugural 1:8 Buggy World Champion Frederic Vesseyre in France in 1986 and a decade since David Ronnefalk won the last US staged Worlds with victory in Las Vegas in 2016. As the current World Champion Team Associated’s Davide Ongaro will chase a record extending 4-in-row this week but the Italian faces strong opposition from US drivers all looking to become the first to win the sport’s biggest prize on home soil.

Source: Ruddog [ruddog.eu]