Red RC » Mugen

May 15, 2024

Thurston makes it 2 from 2 in BRCA 1:8 Onroad C/ship

Alex Thurston continued his impressive 2024 season form making it 2 from 2 at the second round of the BRCA British 1:8 Onroad Nationals held at Adur over the weekend. Winner of the season opener at the Cotswolds track last month, Thurston took his Ielasi Tuned powered YMC Racing Mugen Seiki to the top of the times in all four qualifier and starting from the TQ went on to win the final by 2 and a half laps setting the fastest lap in the process. As at Round 1 of the 7 round Championship, reigning Champion Tim Wood was again on the podium but this time down in P3 behind team-mate & new Team Shepherd owner David Spashett who went from pitman at season opener to racer at Round 2 to claim a second place. Currently Thurston leads three National Championships – 1:8 Onroad, 1:10 200mm Nitro Touring Car and the 1:10 Electric Touring Car having secured his first ever National win in the class at the season opener a weekend earlier.

Image: Alex Thurston [Facebook]

May 7, 2024

Thurston claims first EP British Nationals win

Alex Thurston got his 2024 season off to the best possible start by securing his first ever BRCA Electric Touring Car National win at opening round held at Halifax over the weekend. In qualifying it was the Schumacher of former National Champion Elliott Harper who took the TQ ahead of Thurston’s YMC Racing Mugen MTC2-R with another former Champion Olly Jefferies in third. Successfully defend his title in 2023, defending Champion Kyle Branson would line up P4 with his Xray. With double mains to decide the first of the 5 round National Championship, A1 would see Harper take the win as Thurston and Jefferies had a good battle for second with the later unable to find a way through. A2 and Thurston was able to capitalise on an issue for Harper however Jefferies wasn’t able to get through cleanly giving Thurston a comfortable lead to the finish over multiple BRCA Champion Chris Grainger for a first EP National win to go with his 1:8 Onroad season opening win at Cotswolds last month. Branson would fill the second step on the podium which was completed by Harper. In 13.5 Touring Car, Ollie Payne took the TQ and win ahead of Zak Finlay and James Hart.

Image: Alex Thurston [Facebook]

April 16, 2024

Thurston wins 1:8 Onroad British Nationals opener

Alex Thurston enjoyed the perfect debut with his new Mugen Seiki MRX6 at the opening round of the BRCA 1:8 Onroad British National Championship taking the TQ and setting a new lap record on the way to victory over reigning Champion Tim Wood. Over the four rounds of qualifying Thurston was the only driver to run 18-laps, securing the overall TQ ahead of the Shepherd of Wood and Vice-Champion Karl Dransfield. In the half hour final an opening lap incident involving hitting a pitman delayed Thurston but worse for Dransfield resulted in the end of his race. This allowed Wood to go to the front but losing 8-seconds with a slow first pitstop, he dropped back to second as Thurston took over a lead. Once out front Thurston held station winning by 11-seconds from Wood with the Shepherd of fourth place qualifier John Carr completing the podium. While a great day for Thurston, unfortunately after 20-years racing at the Cotswolds track this was to be the last race before it is permanently closed down due to the site being developed for commercial use.

Image: Alex Thurston [Facebook]

March 2, 2024

Volker is TITC Top Qualifier

Having found himself lining up for the B-Main 12-months ago, Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker has bounced in style to become the Top Qualifier at the 20th edition of the legendary TITC in Thailand. Opening Day 2 of qualifying in Bangkok with a TQ run after a mistake from defending Champion Bruno Coelho, Volker added a second TQ in the slower than expected fourth & final ‘Rocket Round’ on Saturday evening. With the huge entry of drivers from around the world watching on in anticipation of a thrilling conclusion to qualifying from the top heat, the showdown between Coelho and Volker would all be over in a matter of seconds. As Volker led out Q4, Coelho would make a false start going off at the same time as team-mate Alexander Hagberg. Backing off the throttle after realising his error, getting back on the power he traction rolled his Xray in the first corner. With the Portuguese driver who took both of yesterday’s qualifiers now out of contention for Q4, the pressure was still on Volker to TQ the round in order to deny his rival pole for tomorrow. With Infinity driver Kouki Kato putting in an impressive run in the fourth fastest of the five Modified heat group, Volker couldn’t let up and in the end delivered a second TQ run followed by Kato with Hagberg third from the Awesomatix pairing of Marc Rheinard and Lucas Urbain. That finishing order his how they line up on the grid behind Volker and Bruno with Kato, a C finalist on his TITC debut last year, completing the Top 6.

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March 2, 2024

Volker takes Q3, TQ to be decided in ‘Rocket Round’

Ronald Volker has taken the third round of qualifying at the TITC, meaning the final ‘Rocket Round’ of qualifying in Bangkok will decide the Top Qualifier for the 20th running of the famed race. Top Seed for the event, the Mugen driver would take his first TQ run as Bruno Coelho traction rolled his Xray with 1-minute to go while on TQ pace. This promoted Volker to the top of the timing screens followed by Alexander Hagberg as Coelho ended up with a P3. Behind the leading trio Awesomatix’s Lucas Urbain finally posted a strong run after a difficult first day of qualifying at RC Addict yesterday. Behind the Frenchman was team-mate Marc Rheinard with Axon’s Hayato Ishioka completing the Top 6 in today very humid afternoon conditions.

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February 29, 2024

Volker top seed at TITC

Ronald Volker is the top seed going into qualifying at the TITC, the Mugen Seiki driver fastest over 3-laps from defending Champion Bruno Coelho. With just a single round of seeding practice determining the heats for the four rounds of qualifying, most drivers completed the minimum laps possible needed to secure a place in the top while also saving tyres. Running in the second fastest practice heat due to his B-Final appearance at last year’s event, Volker took two goes at setting a time. It was his second 3-consecutive laps that counted with him fastest by 16/100th of a second over Coelho, the Xray driver making just one attempt to post a time. One of the few drivers to run the entire 5-minutes along with team-mate Akio Sobue, Axon’s Hayato Ishioka set the third fastest time with 2-time TITC winner Sobue ending up 7th. Infinity’s Naoto Matsukura posted the fourth fastest time ahead of the Awesomatix pairing of Lucas Urbain and Marc Rheinard.

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February 1, 2024

Mugen Seiki MSB1 1:10 2WD Buggy

Having been given a first look at their first foray into the 1:10 2WD Buggy class at the IFMAR 1:10 Offroad World Championship in Arizona last September, Mugen Seiki has now officially released its MSB1 kit. This is a hugely significant launch for the Japanese manufacturer who despite its small size is a major force in the 1:8 Buggy competition market. A brand that punches well above its weight given the actually size of the company, the MSB1 has the potential to bring them a whole new customer base and as well as open up an all year round season due to the popularity of indoor 1:10 offroad racing. Designed by Shin Adacahi, the MSB1 was conceived from years of testing and development. It is designed to be used for multi-purpose purposes on dirt, carpet and astro road surfaces. The slim aluminium chassis provide exceptional precision and stability when jumping and cornering with the kit including front and rear stabiliser, highly adjustable gear differential and 13mm shocks. The design of the rear suspension is unique and adjustable than other vehicles in this class. The height of the deferential is adjustable, giving you quick and easy access to the deferential. MSB1 kit also includes cab forward body shell, front wing and rear wing.

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January 7, 2024

Kilic opens ’24 season with third ‘OneRace OneMan’ win

Mugen Seiki’s Burak Kilic has opened his 2024 season in the best way possible with a third 1:8 Nitro Buggy victory at the annual ‘OneRace OneMan’ race at the IBR Padova indoor facility in northern Italy. Second in qualifying behind Infinity’s Riccardo Berton, Kilic would like up P4 for the 45-minute final after the Semi Finals. A previous winner of the race in 2018 and 2021, the German would take his third win ahead of new Xray signing Alex Zanchettin with the HB Racing of Theo Lemaire from France completing the podium. Having qualified fourth but securing pole position for the final with victory over Zanchettin and Kilic, WIRC Racing’s Marco Baruffolo would lead the first quarter of the race until he was forced to retire with a throttle servo failure. In eBuggy, Berton took the win from 2023 Nitro Buggy winner Mattia Polito with Lemaire making it a double podium at IBR Padova.

Image: Burak Kilic [Facebook]