April 30, 2026

Ronald Volker talks FlySky

We have followed Ronald Volker’s career for quite some time, first meeting him in person at the conclusion of the inaugural ETS season at Andernach, Germany, in 2008 when he raced for Hot Bodies and pushed Atsushi Hara the win.  Over the years we have tried to get the 2016 World Champion to ‘put pen to paper’ and give Red RC an insight into his racing.  While we kind of missed the boat at a time when Ronald was just a driver, during his Yokomo days he literally did no work on the cars, now his duties are far wider.  Not just racing for Mugen Seiki and being his own mechanic but also managing the Japanese manufacturer’s touring car race team.  A long time Sanwa user, Ronald would be one of the first major touring car drivers to join FlySky as a sponsored driver and with the Chinese manufacturer just after unveiling their new premium Noble Mix transmitter at Hobby Expo China, he has sent us this first attempt at a column in which he gives his experience with the radio since making the switch.  Take it away Ronald –  ‘Since joining Flysky and running the Noble Pro Series of Radios for around 2.5 years, I am still amazed of the quality and functions.  I visited Flysky and its office in late 2023 and could witness their dedication and motivation to become better and better and to be clearly seen as the top radio manufacturer.  Most importantly, I’ve had zero failures or issues wherever I used it in the World.  Everything is just simple and easy to use and manage – and there is even more to explore, the more you are willing to spend time with for.

Continue reading here


April 29, 2026

2026 Speed King Tour Rd2 – Report

The second round of the high profile Japanese Speed King Tour 2026 took place at the New Rush Next Circuit outdoor tarmac track in Chiba prefecture Japan last weekend where it was Xray’s Jin Sawada who dominated the Modified TC0 class from qualifying to final.  His car showed overwhelming speed and nobody was able to catch him.  Infinity driver Ryosuke Yamamoto finished second with the Xpress of Masaya Okazaki completing the podium.  2025 TC1 (Stock) class ‘Speed King’ Rento Sasaki still kept his speed and consistency with his XRAY car and made back to back win. Topic of this race was ‘back marker’ and the driver who managed smooth overtake got good result. Xpress driver Toyoki Yamada got second position of podium from 5th starting grid. Toshiaki Hirata finished 3rd.  The TC2 class (G Force motor and ESC) A final race was a closely fought contest. Second place qualifier Atsushi Fujimaki won the race from Hiroyuki Tsurumi and Jin Endo finished 3rd from fifth on the grid.  All 3 class races were a huge success and drivers are already focusing the next round which will be held at TM Circuit Wakayama outdoor tarmac track in Wakayama prefecture on May 24th.

View TC1 and TC2 podiums here


April 29, 2026

Teenager Langner joins Awesomatix

Awesomatix has announced there signing of promising 15-year-old German talent Phil Langner to its team.  Previous representing Mugen Seiki, Langner has already built an impressive list of achievements and established himself as one of the most promising young drivers on the European scene taking this year’s ETS FWD Championship title. With speed, racecraft, and determination, he represents the future of RC racing. AS part of the Awesomatix line-up he will compete in ETS Pro Stock 17.5T and Euro 13.5T, alongside key events like the European Championship in Luxembourg, and the German Nationals. On the announced Langner said, ‘I am very happy to join Team Awesomatix after already driving their car privately from 2022 to 2025. It’s very exciting to work with this great team from now on and try to achieve the best possible results together. Thanks to Max Mächler for this opportunity.’

Source: Awesomatix [awesomatix.net]


April 28, 2026

Avid 13mm Ringer Shock Caps

Upgrade parts producer Avid Racing Concepts has released new 13mm Ringer Shock Caps that are designed specifically for use with Avid Ringer Shock Standoffs.  They fit Avid Avant 13mm shocks as well as AE kit and Kashima 13mm shocks, but will not work on the AE kit shock standoffs, Avid Ringer Standoffs only. The signature silver Ringer grooves give your AE ride a clean, aggressive look that stands out without trying too hard.  Avid include 4 silver washers for the bleeder screws if you’re worried about scratching the caps.
 Also included are their large seal-proof o-rings from the Avant shocks.  These won’t squish out when tightening and provide a reliable seal so your shocks stay leak-free.

View additional image here


April 28, 2026

Wins for Smith & Holdsworth at British 1:10 Buggy Nationals opener

The first round of the 6 round British 1:10 Offraad National Championships was hosted by the Potteries Model Car Club over the weekend where Schumacher’s Josh Holdsworth the 2WD win on Saturday before team-mate Ben Smith went one better on Sunday to win 4WD.  2WD qualifying would see Holdsworth secure the TQ honours ahead of Team Associated’s defending BRCA Champion Tommy Hall with Smith lining up P3.  Winning the opening two encounters it was Holdsworth who claimed the first win of the season with voctry in A3 and a 2nd in A1 allowing Smith finish ahead of Hall.  In 4WD it would be Smith who took the overall TQ ahead of Holdsworth with Xray’s Lee Martin 3rd.  The back to back British Champion also of 4WD, Hall would kick off his title defence from P4. Unlike the previous day’s action, deciding the overall win would go all the way to A3.  While Smth won A1, Martin took the A2 victory ahead of the Top Qualifier. In A3 it was the Team Associated of junior driver Daniel Pole who took the win from Smith the second was enough for Smith to bag the first win of the season. Overall Martin was the runner up with another podium for Holdsworth while Pole finished P4 and took the Junior Win.  The next round of the championship will take drivers to Bingham Model Raceway in just 2-weeks time (May 9/10).

Image: Schumacher [Facebook]


April 28, 2026

Niotek PTFE treated Spring Steel TC Chassis

Having just announced a partnership with Monaco RC, Chinese manufacturer Niotek has released a new generation of high-performance Spring Steel Chassis with integrated PTFE treatment.  Each chassis is made from 1.2 mm spring steel, a thickness chosen to deliver the optimal weight and help position mass at the lowest point of the car, improving weight distribution and overall vehicle handling.  A defining feature of this new line is its dual surface treatment, the upper side featuring a technical burnished finish, while the lower side integrates an anti-stick PTFE treatment, engineered to prevent dirt, rubber buildup, oils, and additive residue from adhering to the chassis surface.  It is the first chassis on the market to combine the performance of a spring steel chassis not only with a black finish, but with an integrated treatment capable of delivering a real and measurable advantage on track.  The PTFE anti-stick treatment keeps the underside of the chassis cleaner and smoother throughout the entire run, preventing track dirt and residue from slowing the car down and affecting performance consistency.  This approach also eliminates the need for additional PTFE protective films, a solution that is becoming increasingly common even among top drivers.  To complete the package, the new line also features special dedicated low-head screws, specifically developed for this chassis in order to ensure maximum technical consistency and a solution designed entirely around performance.  The line is currently available in dedicated versions for Mugen, Awesomatix, and Infinity Touring Cars.

View additional images here


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