NG LAP RC Model Invitational Race 2026 – Race Report
Hosted by Chinese Xray factory driver Vening Zhuo, the 2026 NG LAP RC Model Invitational Race 2026, attracted nearly 70 competitors with the 13.5T Pro Stock and 17.5T SuperGT classes seeing exceptionally fierce competition and they attracted most top-tier drivers from central China. The lineup featured national champions Rocket Zhang and Vening Zhuo, rising star Harry Zhu, national youth champions Eric Fang, Jamie Zhou, and Mao Yideng, among others. Free practice kicked off on Friday. As more cars hit the track, track traction kept rising, reaching an extremely high grip level that nearly sent vehicles sliding out of control. Saturday’s original schedule consisted of split-group practice plus two controlled practice rounds, which was disrupted by sudden thunderstorms. The event organisers rescheduled one controlled practice session to start at 7AM Sunday, making for a tight yet thrilling race timetable.
In 13.5T Pro Stock controlled practice saw young Hangzhou driver Eric Fang claimed the top spot with the fastest lap overall and a Top 3 ranking. He was followed by Vening, Rocket, Harry and Jamie in order. In the opening qualifier, Rocket held the lead throughout the session, but a small mistake with 30 seconds remaining allowed Vening to overtake and secure P1. Rocket took P2. Harry’s minor error opened the door for Jamie to grab P3. In Q2, Vening pushed hard to challenge for overall TQ, while Rocket fought to defend his chance at top qualifying position. Both drivers fitted brand-new tires and traded the lead back and forth. Rocket pulled ahead in the final four laps to take P1. In the third & final qualifier, due to the three-tire limit for the whole event, Vening, Rocket and Harry all ran used tires to save fresh rubber for the finals. With track traction peaking, Harry dialed in a superior setup and won Q3. The final qualifying standing was Rocket took overall TQ, Vening 2nd, Harry 3rd, Jamie 4th. In the finals, Rocket led A1 from the start, but lost traction at an S-bend. Vening seized the opportunity to overtake and claim the opening final win. In A2 Rocket pulled away with a dominant run. Harry launched relentless attacks on Vening; Vening’s car struggled for pace. Harry attempted an aggressive pass, resulting in side-by-side contact that sent both cars off track. Rocket cruised to an easy Final 2 victory. All three drivers still held a mathematical shot at the championship podium as A3 got underway. Vening immediately pressured Rocket, but track grip faded after two minutes, forcing him to switch from attacking to defending against Harry. Rocket drove cleanly to secure the overall class championship.
In 17.5 SuperGT this highly popular class delivered plenty of drama. Shanghai driver God Wei fought off relentless pressure from local racer Li Yutong to claim the title by a narrow margin. Mechanical failures caused Li to retire from two finals, costing him a podium spot. Notably, the young driver’s aggressive overtaking attempts on God Wei in the first final drew loud cheers from the entire crowd.
Mao Yideng, reigning national champion of 1/12 Pan Car, claimed an undisputed victory in the 1:10 shaft-driven touring car class and set a new track record for the category.
Report: Vening Zhuo [Facebook]
