Red RC » Racing

November 18, 2025

Thurston back on top at EWS – Round 2 Report

The 2025/2026 Essex Winter Series presented by Team Cayote continued last weekend with Round 2 where Alex Thurston would take the big win. The LRP Modified Class was one to watch, with defending champion Olly Jefferies returning to the series after missing the first event, and Round 1 winner Kyle Branson looking to capitalise on his early championship lead. It was a tight battle for TQ between Kyle and his Awesomatix, and Alex Thurston. Branson took Q1, whilst Alex topped Q2 and Q3. The drivers traded positions in Q4 initially, with Alex then taking the lead, only to have a battery failure two laps from the end. Kyle took the round, but lost out on the tie-break by just 0.002 seconds! Elliott Harper lined up third for Schumacher, with Olly taking his factory Awesomatix to fourth ahead of the privately-entered example of Stefan Chodzynski. In the A Final, Alex led off with Kyle close behind. Olly immediately put Elliott under pressure and was able to get by on the second lap, and then set about closing on the leaders. Alex soaked up the pressure from Kyle, and the battle up front became a four-way fight as Olly closed in and pulled Elliott along with him. The four drivers circulated at high speed for the remaining four minutes of the race, often getting nose-to-tail but everyone keeping the door closed and not allowing the car behind the chance of an overtake. The high-speed freight train entertained the watching crowd as Alex stayed out front, crossing the line to take his second ever victory at EWS.

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November 17, 2025

Inaugural Asia 1:8 GT Nitro C/ship – Announcement

Continuing its roll out of Asia Championship title races, FEMCA has announced the inaugural 1:8 Nitro GT Championship for 2026. The Far East Model Car Association (FEMCA), the governing body for RC racing that represents 15 nations in Asia and Australasia, has awarded the first 1:8 GT title race to the very impressive X-RC Complex in Lam Dong, Vietnam. An event that crowns the ‘Champion of Asia’, while titled the Asia 1:8 GT Nitro Championship, alongside the nitro cars the event will also cater for Electric GT. With GT crowning only its third World Champion this year in Chile, Raptor/Gimar driver Alessio Mazzeo doing the double, the first Asian Champions are set to be crowned between July 17-19th, 2026. FEMCA will publish further details on the championship in due course.

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November 14, 2025

Vintage Bash 4.0 Sets New Record 483 Entries – Report

Taking place in Melbourne recently with Atsushi Hara among those in attendance, Vintage Bash 4.0 has cemented its position as Australia’s premier vintage off-road RC event, delivering a spectacular four-day celebration that blended nostalgia, racing heritage, and modern festival energy. Hosted at the Knox RC Track, VB4.0 once again raised the bar with an incredible 483 entries, breaking its own national record and reaffirming its status as the largest RC racing event ever held in Australia. The Vintage Bash attracts racers from across Australia, along with an impressive roster of international visitors flying in from Japan, Spain, Indonesia, New Zealand, Canada, and the USA. This global participation added a remarkable multicultural richness to the paddock, reflecting the universal appeal of vintage RC racing and the strong reputation the Bash has built worldwide. More than just a race meeting, Vintage Bash 4.0 delivered a full festival-style experience. Enthusiasts of classic-era machines were treated to relaxed racing across iconic classes, a beautifully curated concours, and the crowd-favourite 1989 IFMAR Worlds re-enactment, which became a centrepiece of the weekend’s nostalgia.

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November 11, 2025

Pequito defends World title at PNWC

Xbility driver & designer Jose Pequito has successfully defended his 2WD Open World title at the PN Racing World Cup in Colorado. Winning the 1:28 title last year in France, then racing for RC Atomic, the Portuguese driver would repeat the feat with his own car this year taking the ‘One’ to victory in 2WD Open at 5280 Raceway in Denver. In qualifying it would be Reflex Racing’s John Dickson who secured the TQ ahead of Pequito and PN Racing’s Mathieu Da Rocha, the latter taking the TQ & win in the AWD Open class. With Dickson suffering a DNF in A1, Alex Soto-Pagan took the win ahead of Pequito before the World Champion came good in A2 & 3 to win both and retain his title. Soto-Pagan would fill the second step on the podium which was completed by Marka driver Guillaume Loie. Counting a 6th from A2 and a 3rd in A3, Dickson would finish 5th. In 2WD Stock Chris Lemaire had the perfect weekend topping qualifying and taking the win while in Formula 1 EJ Courtemanch covnerted his TQ after turning around an A1 DNF to win the next two for the title.

Image: MOD Live Media [Facebook]

November 11, 2025

Apolaro & Ernst claim Infinity double at Cow Patty Classic

DJ Apolaro and Scotty Ernst gave Infinity a double win at the annual Cow Patty Classic at the Nuggets Ranch Raceway in Arcadia, Florida. One of the US nitro onroad race majors and run by US nitro onroad stalwart Greg Esser and his family, the 14th edition not only attracted the Top US Nitro racers but also a group of European visitors. In qualifying, each driver’s fastest time determining the order, after the 6 rounds it was Apolaro who secured the TQ ahead of the Capricorn of German’s Thilo Diekmann and former Nitro Touring Car World Champion Ralph Burch. In the 1:8 Masters class it was Robert Ronas who took the TQ ahead of Ernst. With a 40-minute final determining the Masters result, Ernst would set the fastest lap with with his Kabuto powered IF8-3 and take the win after Ronas’ race came to an end with 6 minutes to go. Behind Ernst, Donna Garcia and Peter Berton completed the Masters Top 3. With a 45-minute Main for 1:8 Open concluding the weekend’s action, Apolaro would be kept on his toes by Diekmann, the two very evenly matched on outright pace, Apolaro’s best lap a 15.063 compared to Diekmann’s 15.093. With Burch retiring from the race, in the end Apolaro took the win by under 10-seconds from Diekmann with Joachim Bruneau taking the final step on the podium while Ersnt backed up his early win with a P5 in Open. In Nitro Touring Michael Palazzola took the TQ and win ahead of Alex Eesser while in 1:8 GT Nitro the Raptor of World Championship finalist Carlie Lopez took the win.

Image: Cow Patty Classic

November 10, 2025

Maifield wins Alabama Manufacturers Shootout

Ryan Maifield took the big win at this year’s Alabama Manufacturers Shootout, the Tekno driver beating 2024 winner Juan Carlos Canas to take Nitro Buggy at the 16th edition of the race. With AMS 16.0 attracting a strong European entry, it was Maifield who secured the TQ honours ahead of his team-mate Seth Vandalen, Mugen Seiki’s Burak Kilic, Canas’ Sworkz, and the Xray of Dakotah Phend. Winning the Super Pole race from Vandalen, Phend, Berkan Kilic, as Canas finished back in 12th behind Burak putting them towards the back of the starting grid, Maifield would lead away the 16-car 45-minute main. From the front he led from start to finish as Spaniard Canas and Turk Burak worked their way up through the field, Canas setting the fastest to finish second with Burak completing the podium ahead of Vandalen. Maifield would also TQ Nitro Truggy ahead of Kyosho’s Phi Long Nguyen before going on to win from Burak Kilic and Phend. In eBuggy Phend would deny Canas a repeat of his win from last year with Brandon Rose completing the podium.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]

November 10, 2025

TRC signs suspension deal with Coelho

With them working with and advising a number of top drivers at both the Hongyu GDC opening race and the Sunpadow International Grand Prix in China the past two weekends, Belgian shock components specialist brand TRC has announced the signing of multiple World and European Champion Bruno Coelho to their team. The Portuguese driver will be representing TRC on the international stage, using their shock pistons and suspension components along with calling on its founder’s suspension knowledge at upcoming races. Known for his precision and versatility across both electric touring and nitro offroad classes, Coelho, who took the SIGP eBuggy win on the suspension critical 3 Circles track, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record to the brand. TRC stated that they are proud to support Coelho’s racing program and view the partnership as a step forward in their commitment to performance and reliability. The collaboration marks a new chapter for TRC, aligning with their focus on innovation and precision to perform.

Source: TRC [trc-store.com]

November 10, 2025

Takahata takes MRX7 to JMRCA Japanese National title

With Mugen Seiki having only officially released their latest 1:8 Onroad Chassis at the end of last month, their factory driver Shouki Takahata gave the Robert Pietsch designed MRX7 its first major title by winning the 2025 JMRCA 1:8 Onroad Japanese National Championship. With a field stacked with World Champions, it was the 2019 World Champion secured the TQ at the K2 International Circuit ahead of multiple World Champion Naoto Matsukura while Infinity team-mate & defending Champion Takaaki Shimo ended up 3rd. While the Top 2 directly went to the 45-minute final, Shimo and 1:12 World Finalist Hayato Ishioka won the Semi finals to progress along with the other 6 drivers to make up the Main grid. In the final Takahata would take back he last held in 2024 with his Max powered MRX7 setting the fastest lap on his way to the win with the rest of the podium a repeat of last year – Matsukura second and double Nitro Onroad World Champion Tadahiko Sahashi third from 5th on the grid. Unfortunately Shimo would retire from the final just before the half way point. For Takahata the result is a nice boost ahead of the upcoming IFMAR 1:8 Onroad World Championships in Santiago, Chile.

Image: Mugen Seiki [Facebook]