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May 13, 2026

2026 1:8 Nitro Buggy European C/ship – Stage 2 Report

The organisers of this year’s EFRA 1:8 Nitro Buggy European Championship which will take place in Spain from June 23-27 has published its Stage 2 report for the event. Home to the annual Buggyland race, Club CARTT Fuencarral in Madrid will host the 44th running of the European Championship for the category with Xray’s David Ronnefalk heading the entry as the defending Champion. With the track prepared by Miguelo Izquierdo, the man who successfully brought back the Neo Race this year as Neoland, the race will be directed by Javier Garcia. View the full Stage 2 Report here.

Source: EFRA [efra.ws]

May 12, 2026

Rheinard announces Awesomatix departure

Multiple World Champion Marc Rheinard has announced his departure from Awesomatix after six years with the manufacturer which only came into being at the height of the career of one RC racing’s true legends. The electric onroad star has been their lead driver since his departure from Infinity at the end of 2019, the initial deal to run Aersomatix done through his brother’s successful Tonisport business. While a fourth ISTC World title has eluded the German, achieving a podium in 2024 with the unique Oleg Babich designed touring car, they did enjoy plenty of successes including most recently the 2025 1:12 European title and the 2024 Electric Touring Car European title. In a post on his social media, Rheinard said, ‘Hey Friends, Today I would like to announce my departure from Awesomatix. A bit more than 6 years ago, Oleg gave me the chance to join his fantastic race team. At a time he backed me when I unfortunately did not have the best moments in my career and this will never be forgotten! I would like to specially thank Oleg as well as Max Mächler for great years with good success for all of us.’ With 2026 marking 22-years since he claimed his first World Championship, he added, ‘A true honour for me but now it is time to move on! I wish everyone in the team as well as the factory lots of success and I will always keep great memories in my mind! Last but most important, I’m happy that after talking to Max and Oleg we end our cooperation in a good way and keep the relationship positive. Thanks a lot for all and see you on track!’ With a huge following around the world, especially among Tamiya fans, it will be interesting to see what brand of car he will race next.

Source: Marc Rheinard [Facebook]

May 12, 2026

Martin & Smith take Round 2 at British Buggy Nationals

Xray’s Lee Martin and Schumacher’s Ben Smith took the wins at the second round of the BRCA British 1:10 Offroad National Championships which took place at Bingham Model Raceway over the weekend. Opening with the 2WD action it was Round 1 4WD winner Smith who secured the TQ ahead of Xray’s Thomas Phipps with the winner of the season opener Josh Holdsworth qualifying P5. After a DNF in A1, Daniel Pole taking the win from P6, Smith would win A2 and 3 to overall and the lead of the championship. Defending Champion Tommy Hall and Pole would complete the podium. In Sunday’s 4WD action it was the Team Associated of Hall that took the TQ ahead of Martin and Smith. In the opening final Martin took the narrowest of wins ahead of Hall but the latter would deliver in A2 with himself and Martin again super close but a mistake a minute and a half into A3 by Hall handed Martin the lead and the veteran of 1:10 offroad stayed there to claim the overall win. Smith completed the podium. Round 3 of the championship will take racers to Robin Hood Raceway on May 30/31st.

Image: Xray [Facebook]

May 11, 2026

Balestri & Groskamp win ENS season opener

The latest season of the Euro Nitro Series kicked off at Minidrom Ettlingen in Germany over the weekend where it was double success for Infinity with Dario Balestri winning 1:8 and Jilles Groskamp winning 1:10. In 1:8 qualifying it was the Mugen Seiki of Simon Kurzbuch that set the pace, the Swiss driver topping all four qualifiers to secure TQ honours ahead of Balestri. Counting two P2 runs it was the Capricorn of reigning champion Toni Gruber who completed the Top 3 on the grid ahead of Serpent pairing Marco Weigerding and Mirko Salemi. In the 45-minute final, Kurzbuch would lead away but with 8-minutes done as the former World Champion exited pit lap after his second stop attempting to keep his lead he and Balestri made contact with the Italian land on his roof. While Kurzbach waited this allowed Gruber to the lead. The German would lead until the 25-minute to go mark when Balestri squeezed passed as the leader exited pit lane after refuelling. Unfortunately just after stopping for new tyres Gruber would suffer a problem retire in pit lane. This left Balestri to lead the race home for the final 20-minutes chased by Kurzbuch. Starting from 11th on the grid, Dutch Infinity driver Robbin Hertong completed the podium ahead Weigerding, Rick Vrielijnck, and ARC’s Silvio Hächler.

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May 11, 2026

Ongaro wins Worlds Warm-up Race at Thornhill

With this year’s 13th annual The Dirt Lonestar Challenge doubling up as the official Warm-Up Race for the 1:8 Nitro Buggy World Championship later this year it was Team Associated’s Davide Ongaro who took the win. Racing at the covered Thornhill Racing Circuit in Texas, it would be an Italian 1-2 as Ongaro was followed home by Sworkz’s of Mattia Polito while American Ryan Maifield completed the podium for Tekno. In qualifying it was Ongaro who was fastest in the opening two qualifiers to secure the overall RQ ahead of Sworkz’s Mason Fuller who topped the third & final round. Polito would end qualifying P3 ahead of the Kyosho of recent Asian Buggy Championships Indonesia winner Phi-Long Nguyen with European Champion Juan Carlos Canas completing the Top 5. Winning his Semi final from Canas’ Sworkz, Ongaro would like up on pole for the 1-hour final ahead of the Spaniard, Polito and Brandon Rose winner of the first Semi. From the front Ongaro, who will chase a fourth consecutive World title in September, took control of the race to win by 2-laps. He would make it double winning weekend in Hutto, also taking the eBuggy win comfortably ahead of team-mate Spencer Rivkin and Fuller as Top Qualifier Nguyen dropped to fourth.

Image: Matrix Racing Tires [Facebook]

May 9, 2026

Serpent legend Salven joins Ielasi Tuned

Ielasi Tuned engines has welcomed veteran 1:8 Onroad racer & Serpent legend Michael Salven to its team. The announcement was made at this weekend’s opening round of the 2026 Euro Nitro Series at Minidrom Ettlingen in Germany. A World Championship Top Qualifier, a European Champion, and multiple German Champion, Salven has been both successful as a racer, since joining Serpent in 1980, and as chief designer of their cars over the last three decades. In joining Daniele Ielasi’s engine brand, a racer with whom he enjoyed many on track battles, Salven joins Serpent’s star driver Andrea Catanzani in representing the Italian company and running their Pista Team Edition engine.

Source: Ielasi Tuned [ielasituned.com]

May 7, 2026

Baird wins Irish Championship opener

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]

May 7, 2026

LAP Paradise Int. Buggy Party 2026 – Announcement

With its track going viral on the internet when the world tuned in for its hosting of the Asian Buggy Championships two weeks ago, Malaysian track LAP Paradise RC Raceway has announced details of its annual International Buggy Party Race which takes place December 11-13th. With the track undergoing huge development works in preparations for its first hosting of an Asian Buggy Championships round, its large 3D layout and sealed surface, contrasted by its blue infield, was a huge hit with visiting racers including young Kyosho star Phi-Long Nguyen who took the double win and his main rival & Top Qualifier Mayako’s Pekko Iivonen. Situated in the south of the country in Johor Bahru, LAP Paradise RC Raceway is only an hour drive from major international hub airport Singapore Changi Airport. The amazing Malaysian hospitality also makes LAP Paradise RC Raceway a must visit race destination for 1:8 Offroad racers.

View more track images here