Red RC » National

July 20, 2026

Kato takes back Japanese National 1:8 Buggy title

Kouki Kato has taken back his JMRCA Japanese 1:8 Nitro Buggy National title, the Infinity driver declared the winner of the weather curtailed championships over the weekend. Racing at the Honzawa Off-Road Park, in Kitami city on Japan’s Hokkaido island, unfortunately bad weather would halt the action half way through qualifying forcing the result to be declared based on the 2 two of the 4 rounds they managed to get completed. Fastest in controlled practice ahead of Mugen Seiki designer Shin Adachi, it was 2024 Champion Kato who topped both rounds giving him back the title he lost to Yusuke Sugiura last year. Second fastest over his two qualifiers Adachi would be declared the runner-up with Ayato Tsuruta, 3rd fastest in Q1, completing the podium. Making his return to his National Championship for the first time in 9-years, 2008 World Champion Atsushi Hara would be classified 6th based on his P5 run in Q1.

Image: Kouki Kato [Facebook]

July 13, 2026

Boots takes British Championship Round 4 win

Sworkz/Reds Racing/GRP factory driver Elliott Boots came away with the win at the fourth & penultimate round of the BRCA 1:8 Nitro Buggy Championship held at Brookthorpe track over the weekend. Winner of the season opener at Herts, the defending British Champion claimed his second win of the season after starting on pole having won his Semi Final in the fastest time. In Qualifying it was Xray’s Jonathan Skidmore, winner of the Round 2 of the Championship, who secured the overall TQ, with Boots securing P2 ahead of the Agama of Round 3 winner Erik Lykke. In the 45-minute final, with Skidmore lining up P2, Boots lead from start to finish as Skidmore suffered a steering issue that cost him 5-laps to fix and left him with a P9. At the end it was Lykke who claimed second to lead the championship standings with WIRC’s Jack Willets completing the podium. The final round of the 2026 championship takes place at Shrewsbury on August 15/16.

Image: Elliott Boots [Facebook]

July 13, 2026

Kilic wins Italian Nationals Round 3 from Polito

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]

July 8, 2026

2026/27 Essex Winter Series – Announcement

While most of Europe is currently basking in sunshine and enjoying racing outdoors, the popular British based Essex Winter Series has unveiled their 2026/27 race schedule. Led by well known race announcer Oli Meggitt, the indoor EWS celebrates its 15th season this winter with 5 rounds of 1-day racing at the Deanes Sports Centre, in Thundersley, Essex. With EWS events built on a shared passion for racing and a respect for the time and effort put in by organisers and competitors alike, the series takes place on ETS-type carpet with the layout defined by their unique wooden corner kerbs. Sticking to its traditional format, qualifying is a round-by-round points system with the doors for each meeting opening at 7:30am and racing concluding around 5:00pm. In addition to the regular series, EWS International, a 2-day event that has become the UK’s top annual international Touring Car race, will takes place at the same venue over the weekend of December 5 & 6th.

View EWS Race dates here

July 7, 2026

Sturdy doubles at Queensland State Titles

Christopher Sturdy pulled off the double at the SpeedyRC backed 2026 QLD 1:10 Offroad State Titles, the Schumacher driver taking his 30th State title when he backed up his 2WD win with the 4WD title on the Sunday. Racing at his home track Chargers RC, Sturdy, who joined Schumacher for the 2026, secured the 4WD TQ after topping all four rounds of qualifying with Jordan Isergin and Lachlan Munday completing the Top 3 on the grid. In the finals, Sturdy took the opening encounter ahead of Munday and wrapped up the title in A2 with the win over Isergin who claimed P2 overall. In the previous day’s 2WD action the multiple Australian National Champion secured the TQ ahead of Munday’s Team Associated and Phoenix Eggleton’s Sworkz. From the front Sturdy won A1 & 2 to secure the title with Munday and young Eggleton completing the podium. In the Stock classes it was also a double weekend for Team Associated’s Rob Maycock winning 2WD from Nathan Graham and 4WD from Gopal Pavlich.

Image: Chris Sturdy [Facebook]

July 7, 2026

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.

Continue reading here

July 1, 2026

Johansson takes Swedish National title tally to 10

Schumacher’s Elias Johansson took his National Championship title tally to 10 over the weekend when he lifted both the overall 1:10 2WD and 4WD buggy wins at the SMK Söderhamn hosted championships. Taking the TQ in both categories, he wrapped up his 9th National title on the Saturday winning the opening two 2WD A-Mains ahead of Team Associated’s Alexander Landén. With the astro track challenging all drivers consistency, Xray’s Simon Eklind completed the podium. In Sunday’s 4WD action, Johansson again taking the pole ahead of main rival Landén, the latter couldn’t prevent former from completing the perfect weekend. Wins in A1 & 2, clinched the title, while Landén took second. They were joined on the podium by the Team Associated of Sebastian Lindqvist.

View 2WD podium here

June 30, 2026

Stanley defends Queensland State Title

Brayden Stanley has successfully defended his SpeedyRC RCRA QLD Electric Touring Car State title, the factory ARC driver taking the 2026 win at the Bayside R/C Car Club hosted race in Brisbane. The 20-year-old would secure the overall TQ as he took his A11 to the fastest time in 3 of the 4 qualifiers. Topping the times in Q3, Infinity’s Jesse Davis would line up 2nd on the grid ahead touring car returnee Christopher Sturdy, RC Maker’s Jeff Hamon, and Schumacher’s Simon Nicholson. In the triple finals after a DNF in A1, Davis taking that win, Stanley would control A2 & 3 to defend his 2025 Queensland State title. With a 2nd in A3, Hamon would compete the podium behind Davis with Sturdy finishing 4th. In 13.5 Touring it was Jordan Caruso took the spoils while 21.5 Superstock, the biggest category of the championships, it was Josh Evans who took the TQ and win.

Source: Brayden Stanley [Facebook]