Red RC

October 1, 2026

Fuller takes Q2 in Texas

Despite a mistake, Sworkz Mason Fuller has TQ’d the second round of qualifying at the IFMAR 1:8 Nitro Buggy World Championship at Thornhill Racing Circuit. Running in the second fastest heat, the American just missed out on a 17-lap run posting a time of 16/10:00.219 to beat Q1 winner David Ronnefalk, the Xray driver having went fastest in Heat 13 from team-mate Chase Lemieux, this the Top 3 order for the round. A qualifying round that would see mistakes from many drivers, having opened with the second fastest time in Q1 Tekno’s Ryan Maifield would need to be marshalled on his second attempt and with 4-seconds lost he ended up P13. While finishing top of the timing screens in Heat 15, Juan Carlos Canas’ effort was only good for P4, the Spaniard like Ronnefalk having the disadvantage of needing to do a fuel stop to get through the 10-minute run. After a torrid Q1 in which he ran out of fuel, a much happier Dakotah Phend would run the fifth fastest time just ahead of 2-time 1:10 Offroad World Champion Spencer Rivkin who was the best Team Associated for the round. For defending World Champion Davide Ongaro he was again not happy with his car, the Italian only managing P8 to go with his P5 from Q1.

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September 30, 2026

Ronnefalk from Maifield in opening Worlds qualifier

Xray’s David Ronnefalk has taken the opening round of qualifying at the IFMAR 1:8 Nitro Buggy World Championship in Texas, the Swede topping the 10-minute run from the Tekno of Ryan Maifield. Having expected he might have been at a disadvantage for the first of the six scheduled rounds of qualifying at Thornhill Racing Circuit by running in Heat 13 of 15, even with a fuel stop Ronnefalk topped the round by 3.4-seconds over Maifield, the American the big surprise of the morning. Three of the Top 6 would eventually come from the 3rd fastest heat group with Maifield and Ronnefalk’s team-mate Chase Lemieux also in there, the young American opening his championship with a P4 run just behind fellow countryman Mason Fuller who topped Heat 14. For defending Champion & Top Seed Davide Ongaro, it would only be a P5 first run, the driver being delayed exiting the pits after his fuel stop but overall not happy with his tyre choice. Running in the top heat alongside Ongaro, Sworkz’s Juan Carlos Canas completed the Top 6.

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September 30, 2026

Ripoll defends French title

Xray’s Maxime Ripoll has successfully defended his FFVRC 2026 French 1:8 Onroad National, doing so in style with the TQ and win at the fifth & final round of the championship which was staged at Feriere aux Etangs. Securing the TQ ahead of Shepherd driver Fabien Baranger, who took his first Elite win this year at Round 3, in the 45-minute final Ripoll took a commanding win ahead of Mugen Seiki’s Christophe Louis with Gerald Colinet completing the podium. Unfortunately for Baranger he would retire from the race after just 13-minutes. As a season, 2025 World Championship finalist Ripoll claimed 4 poles, 3 victories, and two podium finishes on his way to the title.

Image: Maxime Ripoll [Facebook]

September 30, 2026

Reflex Racing GX28 Steel Front Bulkheads

New from 1:28 specialists Reflex Racing come these new optional Steel Front Bulkheads for the KISS V2 front suspension on their GX28. Offered in 2º, 3º, and 4º, this front bulkhead adds about 4 grams of weight to the suspension to shift the weight bias forward on your car. This is suited for higher traction conditions and Lexan body classes where you need to mellow out response and decrease traction rolling. Also for the KISS V2 is a new Aluminium Lower Arm. Although the countersunk washer addition helped the CF Lower Arm become much more durable, this part adds even more toughness, albeit with a slight 1.5 gram penalty. Reflex still recommend to use the lower Screw CS washer and screw for maximum durability.

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September 30, 2026

SkyRC battery-powered Transponder for LapWiz

Following the launch of its LapWiz RC lap timing system in June, SkyRC is expanding the system with the new T04 Battery-Powered Transponder. This compact self-powered unit is designed to offer greater mounting freedom across a wide range of RC racing applications. Measuring just 30.8 × 18.5 × 11 mm and weighing 6.5 grams, the T04 features an integrated 140 mAh LiPo battery providing more than 12 hours of continuous operation, eliminating the need to draw power from the car’s receiver. Built-in motion sensing automatically wakes the transponder when movement is detected while helping conserve power when the car is stationary, and dual IR emitters provide added redundancy for reliable lap detection. T04 also incorporates Bluetooth connectivity, allowing its Car ID to be configured wirelessly through the LapWiz app, while adjustable IR output power lets racers optimise transmission range for anything from compact indoor circuits to larger outdoor tracks. USB-C charging rounds out the package, with an IR transmission range of 4 to 10 metres depending on the selected output setting and track environment. This new T04 Battery-Powered Transponder is expected to be available by the end of October.

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September 30, 2026

Ongaro Top Seed at Nitro Buggy World Championship

Team Associated’s Davide Ongaro is the Top Seed going into qualifying tomorrow at the IFMAR 1:8 Nitro Buggy World Championship, the defending World Champion setting the fastest time in the second of the seeding rounds today in Texas. Having set the pace in free practice yesterday, in the opening seeding round the Italian broke a front arm but on a much faster track for Round 2 he produced the fastest 3-consecutive laps of the three days being the only one to break 1:50 with a time of 1:49.983. Xray’s David Ronnefalk would be his closest challenger on the hot track running 1:50.126 but the 2016 World Champion seeds P3 behind Sworkz’s Mason Fuller. Fastest in SP1 from Ronnefalk, the points system puts the American second in the seeding ranking as he completed seeding with the third fastest time. Again fourth fastest in the second seeding round, Juan Carlos Canas seeds P4 for Sworkz while a big turn around in form from Kyosho’s Phi-Long Nguyen sees the youngster claim 5th with Nate Sutherland completing the Top 6.

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September 29, 2026

Gateway RC Park, Florida to stage 2027 eBuggy Worlds

The 2nd running of the IFMAR 1:8 Electric Offroad World Championship will take place in Florida next year with new build Gateway RC Park in Lake City the host track. Describing itself as North Florida’s premier 250′ × 150′ covered 1:8 and 1:10 offroad RC racing destination, Gateway RC Park is run by Lance MacDonald and has just recently put the final touches to its rebuild, the grounds having formerly been the home to Southside RC Raceway. The works include a newly constructed roof structure meaning like the Nitro Buggy World Championship, which is currently underway at Thornhill Racing Circuit in Texas, the racing will take place under cover from the elements. A hugely important category for the industry, eBuggy only got World Championship status last year when the World governing body hosted the inaugural Worlds in Portugal. Attracting almost 120 entries, it would be Team Associated’s Marcus Kaerup who claimed the inaugural title at the Barcelos Buggy Arena located in the north of the country. In terms of a date, it is expected that the 2027 1:8 Electric Offroad World Championship will be scheduled for mid November. The track will stage the 4th Annual Elevate presented by Exalt for 1:8 Offroad from December 11-13th this year.

September 29, 2026

SPower XS7TT TAKUMI Factory Edition Offroad Engine

Spower, the engine brand of chassis manufacturer Sworkz, has introduced a completely new performance platform in the XS7TT Takumi. The Factory Edition 1:8 Offroad engine follows the success of the hand-modified SOUL II engine series with the name “匠” (Takumi), meaning master craftsman, represents the dedication, precision, and engineering excellence behind this exceptional racing engine. Developed in close cooperation with O.S. Japan, the XS7TT Takumi features a square-stroke piston and liner design with a conventional 3-port configuration. This setup delivers an extremely smooth and linear power curve, giving drivers outstanding throttle control and confidence on any off-road track. At the heart of the engine is a DLC-coated crankshaft equipped with dual tungsten counterweights. This advanced design provides exceptional idle stability and ultra-responsive throttle feel, translating every steering and throttle input into precise and controlled acceleration. The XS7TT Takumi is equipped with the proven SPower carburetor, allowing highly precise tuning and adjustment. The responsive carburetor design enables racers to fine-tune the engine for varying track conditions, temperatures, and fuel types while maintaining consistent fuel delivery and outstanding drivability throughout every run. Combined with its highly efficient combustion chamber design and optimised internal components, the engine delivers outstanding fuel mileage, allowing longer run times, fewer pit stops, and maximum consistency during demanding main events without sacrificing performance. To further enhance performance, the engine comes standard with the exclusive SPower Boost rear cover plate, helping to stabilise airflow and improve engine consistency across the entire RPM range, from low-end torque to maximum top-end power. A specially designed inner seal featuring an O-ring significantly improves gas sealing efficiency, contributing to greater reliability and more consistent performance over extended racing conditions.

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