Reigning 1:8 Onroad World Champion manufacturer Mugen Seiki has announced the release of an updated shock shaft for its MRX platform, the new shafts also suitable for their MTX 1:10 Nitro Touring Car platform. Offered as both as part of a full shock set or just a pair of shafts, the new shock shaft has been updated from a nut-fastened design to an SiG2x6 screw fastening design.
Mugen Seiki’s Burak Kilic became the third different winner in as many rounds of the highly competitive AMSCI 1:8 Nitro Buggy Italian National Championship, the Turkish driver winning Round 3 at the NitroBuggy track in Genzone just ahead of Round 2 winner Mattia Polito. In qualifying it was Kilic who took the TQ honours, the championship regular topping two of the four rounds. Fastest in Q3, Kyosho’s Marco Baruffolo would secure 2nd at his home track ahead of reigning Champion & Round 1 winner Davide Ongaro with Polito ending up 4th. In the 45-minute final after plenty of closing racing it was Kilic’s Nova Engines powered MBX-8R that came out the winner just 6/10ths of a second ahead of a hard charging Polito who set the fastest lap of the race with his Sworkz. Baruffolo completed the podium with Ongaro’s Team Associated finishing 4th on the same lap from P11 on the grid after problems in his Semi. With one round remaining in the championship, it is Polito who leads the standings from Ongaro with Kilic moving up into 3rd. The fourth & final round doesn’t take place until November.
Image: Nova Engines [Facebook]
Mugen Seiki’s Simon Kurzbuch has won the second round of the Euro Nitro Series, the Swiss driver getting the better of Round 1 winner Dario Balestri at the Rucphen track in the Netherlands. As at the season opening in Germany, it was Kurzbuch who secured the overall TQ honours as he took his Ielasi Tuned powered MRX-7 to the fastest time in 2 of the 4 rounds. Fastest in Q1, it was the Infinity of multiple World Champion Balestri who lined up P2, ahead of ARC’s Silvio Hächler and Dutch Serpent Jesse Keller who posted a TQ run in Q3. In the 45-minute main, the two World Champions would pull clear of the field and battle it out from the front for the win. While Balestri set the fastest lap of the race and led a number ocassions at the end it was Kurzbuch who took the win by 6.4-seconds over the Italian. While Hächler strong qualifying came to nothing in the final as he suffered an engine failure, it would be Infinity’s Francesco Tironi from P7 in the grid who completed the podium ahead of the Serpent of Marco Weigerding. In 1:10 200mm reigning World Champion Jilles Groskamp took the home win to make it two from two having won the season opener. The infinity driver was joined on the podium by team-mate Carmine Raiola and French Capricorn driver Quentin Leroux while having qualified P2 reigning champion Jakub Rozycki finished P4 for Capricorn ahead of Melvin Diekmann.
Image: Ielasi Tuned [Facebook]
Having previously released the option of a +4mm chassis for its latest Nitro Buggy, Mugen Seiki is now offering the option for their electric MBX8R ECO buggy. The longer chassis enhances stability and makes handling easier compared to the standard chassis. It also provides smoother steering response off-power. Switching to the +4mm chassis requires the Mugen Seiki’s 119mm Center Drive Shaft.
Source: Mugen Seiki [mugenseiki.com]
Mugen Seiki driver Bradley Baird got his RCCAOI 1:8 Nitro Buggy Irish National Championship title defence off to a perfect start taking the win at the NIMCC hosted season opener. Round 1 of the 5 round new look championship took drivers to Ballymena in Northern Ireland and on the astro track it was Baird who dominated a rain effected qualifying. Topping all 5 rounds he would secured the TQ ahead of Dylan McBurney and Alan Scroggie. In the 45-minute final, Baird continued his form to win ahead of Andrew McClean, who started 4th, with McBurney completing the podium. Round 2 of the championship will see racers compete on dirt at the RCNI track in Bandbridge on June 20/21.
Source: RCCAOI [rccaoi.com]
While unpredictable weather greeted racers for the opening round of the BRCA British National 1:8 Onroad Championship at Halifax, it was business as usual for the Mugen Seiki of reigning Champion Alex Thurston who took the win. Qualifying for the opening race of the 8 round championship would see Thurston secure the TQ by some margin ahead of Michael Lee and Richard Boult as 2025 season opening race winner Tim Wood found himself down in P18. With a damp track for the start of the half final, it would dry out allowing Thurston to take a convincing win over the Shepherd pairing of 5th place qualifier David Spashett and Andrew Hastings. Next up in the championship is the Brooklands track which hosts a double header on May 3-4.
Image: Alex Thurston [Facebook]
Mugen Seiki Racing, the US distributor for the Japanese manufacturer, has announced the release of a new +4mm chassis for the MBX8R 1:8 Nitro Buggy. The hard coated aluminium chassis makes for a longer wheelbase for added stability. In addition to the longer chassis option, they have also added a 119mm Rear Center Drive Shaft which is necessary to make the conversion. Sold as a set, it is also possible to by the chassis and shaft individually.
Source: Mugen Seiki Racing [mugenracing.com]
Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker has won a third MIBO International, the Touring Car Champion successfully defending his title with another dominant performance in the Czech Republic. Securing the overall TQ after 3 rounds of qualifying, the German kicked of finals day with a 5th TQ run before going on to win all 3 A-Mains on this year’s new Racestars designed & built track. While the former World Champion had the edge of the rest of the field, the big battle of the weekend would be really for the other two podium places with Xray’s Adam Izsay the only one to mix it against Mugen team in Hrotovice. While 2025 TITC Open Brushless Champion Sören Sparbier managed to get by Izsay for second in the opening encounter, Iszay, helped by a mistake from Sparbier, held position in A2 and again in A3 to finish overall runner-up. Making his MIBO debut Sparbier complete the podium denying team-mate Patrick Gollner a repeat of his 2025 result. While Volker notched up his third Modified title this year ahead of Iszay, the Hungarian who really impressive in the opening two Modified qualifiers, would achieve the same in Stock. Winning A1 & 2 to defend his title, Iszay was joined on the podium by A3 winner Jaroslav Kriz with Tobias Sutrich claiming the 3rd step. In FWD, Phil Langer was another to defend his 2025 win leading home Loris Buchhalt and previous FWD winner Stefan Schulz.
