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January 12, 2026

Harper wins at EWS R3 as two Champions crowned early

Round 3 of the Essex Winter Series took place yesterday at the popular British series’ regular venue in the South-East of the UK where a win for Schumacher’s Elliot Harper keeps the championship wide open while Zak Finlay and Dan Blake secured titles. Harper secured pole position in the LRP Modified class, but he had a tight battle with Kyle Branson throughout. Branson, who took the win at Round 1 of the series in October, topped the opening round with his Awesomatix, before Harper took control to win the remaining rounds. The winner at Round 2 of the series, Alex Thurston, lined up third with his Mugen Seiki, ahead of Xray’s Harley Eldridge and the Schumacher of Peter Eagles. In the final, Elliott remained in control and quickly opened up a lead at the front ahead of Branson. The battle on track was for third, with Harley continually closing in on Alex. After keeping the pressure on, Eldridge finally found a way past Thurston in the final minute of the race to move to a podium position. Almost at the same moment, Branson tapped a corner, damaging his car. He held on to second place, but Eldridge quickly closed in. Branson did all he could to keep Eldridge behind, but with a damaged car it proved difficult, leading to Eldridge making an excellent high-speed pass through the infield section on the penultimate lap to add to Branson’s injury, Thurston then also managed to sneak through on the final lap to secure a podium result. All this action left Harper to cruise to victory at the front. This keeps the overall championship wide open, with Harper, Thurston and Branson each having a win with two rounds of the series left to run.

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January 9, 2026

Serpent’s Catanzani confirmed for inaugural Nitro Party

Currently one of the fastest Nitro Onroad racers in the World, Serpent’s Andrea Catazani is the latest top international driver to be confirmed for the inaugural Nitro Party race in Foshan, China, later this month. The 20-year-old Italian, who was the Top Qualifier at both the IFMAR 1:8 Onroad and the 1:8 GT World Championships at the end of the last year, joins the already stacked entry in making the trip to the new Hongyu GDC facility for its first major nitro onroad event. The reigning Italian GT Champion, he joins compatriots Alessio Mazzeo, Natanaele Senesi, and Filippo Domanin for the first edition of what the 2026 ISTC World Championship host venue plans to build into a major annual event on the nitro racing calendar. Other confirmed entries for the January 24-25th race include Infinity’s Naoto Matsukura and Genius Racing’s Bernard-Alain Arnaldi.

Source: Hongyu GDC [Facebook]

January 8, 2026

Genius confirm Arnaldi for Nitro Party

Italian GT manufacturer Genius Racing has confirmed they are sending 2 time European GT Champion Bernard-Alain Arnaldi to the inaugural Nitro Party race which takes place later this month at the Hongyu GDC track in China. Travelling to the southern city of Foshan for the brand new Asian nitro onroad fixture, the French driver is the latest top international driver to be announced. Taking place over the weekend of January 24-25th, Arnaldi, who is also one of the World’s leading Large Scale racers, joins fellow Genius driver & Spanish Champion Raul Daras Anton on the strong entry list that will also see the Raptor of newly crowned IFMAR 1:8 GT World Champion Alessio Mazzeo, Senesi Motorport’s 2024 European GT Champion Natanaele Senesi, Infinity’s multiple World Champion Naoto Matsukua, Xray’s Filippo Domanin, and Hotrace’s Nicola Marrone race at the multi track Hongyu GDC facility’s 80m X 43m asphalt circuit. Having ended our busy 2025 season coverage at the recent FEMCA Asia Electric Touring Car Championships at the track, Red RC is excited to be returning to this very impressive venue to cover the inaugural Nitro Party when it will echo to the sound of nitro engines.

Source: Hongyu GDC [Facebook]

January 5, 2026

Champlin & Batta win Clash Of Champions but Lemieux takes home the money

The first big US offroad race of 2026 took place over the weekend with Hoosier RC Hobbyplex in Indiana hosting the Clash Of Champions where Schumacher’s Broc Champlin and Team Associated’s Davey Batta took the Mod titles, but winning the event’s closing Mod Clash Race it was Xray’s Chase Lemieux who took home the money. With 8 cars lining up for the 2WD Buggy 8-minute shoot out which offer a top prize of $3,000, Lemieux would come out the winner ahead of Batta and Xray’s Dakotah Phend, their podium efforts rewarded with $300 and $200 respectively. In the main racing qualifying for 2WD would see Phend take the TQ at the end of the three rounds ahead of Batta and his AE team-mate Spencer Rivkin. In 4WD it was Champlin who secured the TQ ahead of Phend and Brennan Schimmel who after his end of season departure from Xray was running Schumacher buggies. In the finals both classes would decided in A2, Batta winning the opening two encounters to wrap up 2WD while Champlin did the same in 4WD. The 2WD would see Phend recover rough A1 and A2 outings to win A3 and salvage 2nd with Champlin grabbing a podium from 5th on the grid. The 4WD podium would be completed by A3 winner Schimmel and Phend.

image: Team Associated [Facebook]

January 5, 2026

Mazzeo confirmed for inaugural ‘Nitro Party’ race

The organisers of the inaugural ‘Nitro Party’ race, which takes place later this month at the new Hongyu GDC track in China, has announced that newly crowned IFMAR 1:8 GT World Champion Alessio Mazzeo will travel to the city of Foshan for the brand new Asian nitro onroad fixture. Taking place at the 2026 IFMAR ISTC World Championship host track on January 24-25, the Gimar team driver is one of a number of new European entries confirmed for the race which Hongyu GDC has plans to grow & establish into one of the regions major nitro onroad events on the annual international racing calendar. With European GT Champion Natanaele Senesi previously confirmed for the Nitro Party, the latest drivers to join the race also includes Xray’s Filippo Domanin and Attilio D’Angelo, Spanish GT Champion & European Finalist Raul Daras Anton, and Hot Race tyres owner & accomplished 1:8 Onroad racer Nicola Marrone. Racing on the world class facility’s 80m X 43m asphalt circuit, the event has attracted huge interest in the region and beyond, with future high profile entries expected to be announced shortly. Having covered the recent FEMCA Asia Electric Touring Car Championships at Hongyu GDC, Red RC is excited to returning to the very impressive venue to cover the inaugural Nitro Party and to hear it echo to the sound of nitro engines.

Source: Hongyu GDC [Facebook]

December 19, 2025

Nitro Party 2026 China – Registration Open

Fresh from hosting the biggest Asia Touring Car Championship in FEMCA history last weekend, all visiting drivers hugely impressed by the massive multi track facility, Hongyu GDC has announced that registration for the inaugural Nitro Party on January 24-25, 2026, is open. Since the Chinese venue announced it would host the nitro onroad race on its large 80m X 43m track, Nitro Party has attracted world wide interest with 2024 European 1:8 GT Champion Natanaele Senesi the first international driver to confirm he will travel to the city of Foshan to fight for 1:8 GT honours. With a number of manufacturers expressing interest in sending drivers to the race it is expected to be one of the biggest nitro onroad races in Asia. With China lifting Visa entry requirements for many European countries and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) one of the country’s main international airports attending the race is very accessible. Hongyu GDC is also within walking distance of a number of hotel options making it very convenient for racers and their crews. With classes for 1:8 Onroad, 1:8 GT Nitro and Electric, and 1:10 Nitro Touring Car, the race will feature spec tyres and controlled fuel. Teaming up with RC racing registration platform RC Race Pal (RRP), you can register your entry here where you will also find more details about each of the classes that will make up the inaugural Nitro Party. Having just recently covered the IFMAR 1:8 Onroad World Championship in Chile, Red RC is excited that we will be returning to the very impressive Hongyu GDC track to cover the Nitro Party and we are very much looking forward to experiencing the unique sounds & smells of top level nitro onroad racing again.

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December 18, 2025

Midland Indoor Carpet C/ship Round 2 – Report

Based in Telford in the UK, Round 2 of the Midland Indoor Carpet Championship took place last weekend where fresh from his IFMAR 1:8 Onroad World Championship Finale debut in Chile, Alex Thurston took the Modified TC win. It was Thurston who continued his dominance from Round 1 to take TQ in all 4 rounds. Stefan Chodzynski would line up 2nd followed by Peter Eagles. Junior Andrea Torregiani lined up 4th with Liam Brookes and Sam Richardson close behind in 5th and 6th. Less than a second separating the three drivers. Thurston edged out Chodzynski in a nail-biting finish, with only a tiny margin separating the two at the finish. Eagles completed a fiercely competitive podium, finishing just behind the top two in what was one of the closest three-way battles of the season so far. Richardson, Alex Bold, and Liam Brooks were all tightly bunched behind the leaders, trading positions and keeping the intensity high throughout the race. Paul Chambers would cross the line in 7th, while Torregiani had a final to forget despite showing amazing speed all day.

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December 17, 2025

2026 MIBO International Race – Registration Open

Now on its fourth edition, registration for the 2026 MIBO International Race on Feb 27th – Mar 1st is open. Created in 2023 off the back of the very successful Mibo Cup Race Series, MIBO International is a unique event that brings together both 1:10 electric onroad and offroad racing with the building of two tracks side by side inside the Sport V Hotel in Hrotovice, Czech Republic. Under the guidance of former international touring car racer Michal Bok, the race has attracted numerous World Champions and counts Bruno Coelho, Ronald Volker, Michal Orlowski, Joern Nuemann and Bartek Zaleswki among its winners over the previous 3 editions. One of the attractions of MIBO International is its condensed timetable of just two and a half days, the Mibosport promoted race getting underway on the Friday afternoon with practice allowing for travel Friday morning. Another popular aspect of the race is the venue, everything from the track, restaurant, bowling alley, and hotel rooms all under the one roof of the Sport V Hotel. You can find full details for the 2026 MIBO International Race and register to be on the grid via the Mibosport website by clicking here.

Source: MIBO [mibosport.com]