Red RC

February 9, 2026

Bruneau wins 50th anniversary Florida WinterNats

One of the world’s longest running nitro onroad races and celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026, Joachim Bruneau has taken the 1:8 Open win at the end of the high rate of attrition 45-minute Florida WinterNats final. Hosted at Greg Esser’s Nuggets Ranch Raceway in Arcadia, after the four rounds of qualifying it was Infinity’s Teemu Leino who secured the TQ honours ahead of new Mugen Seiki signing Diego Morganti, Lazaro Alonso JR, former 1:10 Nitro Touring World Champion Ralph Burch and 2017 WinterNats Champion DJ Apolaro. With Morganti getting an early lead over Leino, the Finn having issues with his brakes, while pair would be the only drivers to run 13-seconds lap times during the race, unfortunately neither would go the distance. After just 5-minutes Leino was out with a throttle servo failure with Alonso JR next to go out 3-minutes later. Winner of November’s Cow Patty Classic, Apolaro wouldn’t get back to back wins at the track, the former ROAR Champion out at the 20-minute mark. He would be followed to the sidelines at 36-minute by another contender Burch. All the time it was Morganti who was out front and looking on target to add a 6th title to the family name, his father Paolo a 5-time Winternats Champion. With just over 5-minutes to go however a rear belt failure would put the 21-year-old out handing Cow Patty Classic podium finisher Bruneau the win. Some distance back Rafael Angula and Dutch visitor Gertjan Van Schaik completed the podium. In 1:8 Masters it was a Dutch win, as Infinity driver Arie Manten took victory from P5 on the grid. The 1:8 GT win went to Serpent’s Jose Almonte, Top Qualifier & World Championship Podium finisher Carlie Lopez having issues and dropping out of contention eventually finishing P10 with his Raptor. In 1:10 Nitro Touring, Apolaro brought home the win after getting passed Top Qualifier & defending Champion Michael Palazzola with Jerry Guerra completing the podium.

Image: Joe Kimble

February 9, 2026

T-Works MP11 Black Hard Coated Alu Shock towers

Aftermarket parts producer T-Works continues to grow its line for the Kyosho MP11 with the release of Black Hard Coated 7075-T6 Aluminium Front and Rear Shock towers for the 1:8 Buggy platform. The CNC machined towers feature additional caster angle holes & shock mounting options for greater shock position adjustments. Additionally the rear shock tower has added rear wing mount holes for greater options on setting wing height. With each tower sold separately, the rear tower comes with screws for rear wing mount installation.

View additional images here

February 8, 2026

Clean sweep for Zalewski at MKGP

Having taken the 4WD win last year, Xray’s Bartek Zalewski has completed a clean sweep of this year’s MKGP winning both 2WD and 4WD at the British Radio Car Association promoted event. The annual 1:10 carpet track event takes place in the Centre:MK shopping centre in Milton Keynes and showcases RC racing in front of weekend shoppers. In 2WD qualifying it would be Schumacher’s Daniel Kobbevik who took the opening round but it would be Zalewski who would go on to secure the TQ before dominating the remainder of the event. Winning the 2WD final ahead of Kobbevik, with Schumacher’s Ben Smith completing the podium, in 4WD the young Polish talent was untouchable. Topping all four rounds of qualifying, he would again start on pole ahead of Kobbevik, Smith, Sw0rkz’s Micha Widmaier and the Team Associated’s Joona Haatanen and World Champion Marcus Kaerup. In the triple finals, Zalewski wrapped up the perfect weekend with wins in a A1 and A2. Winning A3 ahead of Kaerup, Kobbevik claimed second with the Dane completing the podium.

Image: Bartek Zalewski [Facebook]

February 8, 2026

Anderson & Ratheisky claim Mod wins at Snowbirds

Awesomatix’s Kemp Anderson and Xray’s Jan Ratheisky took the main Modified wins at the 32nd running of the world famous Snowbird Nationals in Florida, Anderson taking the 1:12 title while Ratheisky took Touring Car honours. With long time Snowbirds stalwart and 2025 double winner Alexander Hagberg missing this year’s edition due to the earlier running of the legendary TITC race in Thailand, qualifying would see Xcelerate RC’s Ollie Payne and Ratheisky dominate the time sheets in Orlando. British driver Payne would top both 1:12 Modified, ahead of Anderson and Xray’s Keven Hebert, and 13.5 Super Stock, ahead of Awesomatix pairing of Jeff Dayger and Team EAM owner Eric Anderson. In Modified Touring Car, German Ratheisky secured the TQ from Hebert, Kemp Anderson and Xray’s Drew Ellis, a feat he would repeat in 21.5 Super Stock ahead of Eric Anderson, Ellis, and Clayton Young. Attracting 246 entries, in the single A-Main finals Payne would lead Modified for 51 of the 68 laps before relinquishing the lead to Anderson and having to settle for second with Canadian Hebert completing the podium. He would redeem himself in Super Stock but only after getting back passed Dayger. The podium was completed by fellow Brit & fifth place qualifier Morgan Williams. Ratheisky would convert both his TQ’s in to tone to tone wins, taking Super Stock ahead of ROAR President Young and Michael Hanulec while in Mod it won by almost 2-seconds from Hebert while Kemp Anderson completed the podium.

Image: RC Discharger [Facebook]

February 8, 2026

Canas wins Montpellier GP after Ongaro error

Sworkz Juan Carlos Canas has opened the European 1:8 Nitro Buggy season with victory at the Montpellier Grand Prix, his second consecutive win of the famous French classic coming after a mistake from weekend dominator Davide Ongaro saw the Team Associated driver eventually finish P3. With rain effecting proceedings at Circuit du MBM, qualifying for the 20th edition of the race would after the completion of 3 rounds see Ongaro take the TQ honours ahead of Mugen Seiki’s 2025 Montpellier GP race leader & podium finisher Berkan Kilic. Canas would complete the Top 3 ahead Sworkz team-mate Mattio Polito, the Mugen Seiki of last year’s Top Qualifier Burak Kilic, and Tekno’s Joao Figueiredo. Winning their respective Semi-Finals, it was Ongaro and fellow Italian Polito who lead away the field for the shortened 45-minute main. Last winner of the Montpellier GP in 2023, Ongaro looked on target for the win having built up a huge lead however a high speed mistake resulted in contact with a fencing post which gifted his rivals the race as he struggled with buggy after the impact. With the Top 3 finishing on the same lap, Canas’s took the win by 9-seconds from an impressive Polito with Ongaro a further 7-seconds back. Behind, Figueiredo, Sparko’s Adrian Pariente, and Sworkz’s Elliott Boots completed the Top 6.

Image: Sworkz [Facebook]

February 6, 2026

Mugen Seiki confirms Volker & Sparbier for MIBO International title defence

Defending MIBO International Champions Mugen Seiki have confirmed their return to the unique indoor race for a fourth consecutive year with Modified Champion Ronald Volker being joined by Soren Sparbier who makes his debut at the Czech race. Volker was the winner of the inaugural MIBO International in 2023 but losing that title to Michal Orlowski in 2024 he took it back again when he beat the Schumacher star to the win last year. The 2025 TITC Open Brushless Champion, 19-year-old Sparbier will join Volker on February 27-March 1st in competing for Modified honours with their LRP powered MTC-3s. Hosted by Mibosport, which is owned by former top international Czech touring car racer Michal Bok, MIBO International is a unique event in that two side by side tracks bring together both onroad and offroad racing.

View MIBO International Touring Car Roll of Honour here

February 6, 2026

Hudy 1:12 Tyre Stand + Hard Case

Rolling out more accessories, tool manufacturer Hudy introduces this 6 set Tyre Stand + Hard Case intended for 1:12 Pan Car and 1:12 GT racers. The highly functional stand keeps your pit space tidy and makes it easy to track your various tyre sets and comes complete with a Hudy hard case bag for convenient transportation and safe storage. Made from premium CNC-machined USA carbon fibre, the stand is finished with Hudy graphics. The stand includes six aluminium stands and six aluminium nuts with screws for quick and secure tyre attachment to accommodates up to six 1:12 Pan Car or 1:12 GT tyre sets.

View more images here

February 6, 2026

Roche announces Malyshko signing

1:12 World Champion & reigning Japanese National Champion manufacturer Roche has announced that multiple FEMCA Junior Champion Maxim Malyshko has joined their team. The 14-year-old Russian racer, will campaign the Hong Kong manufacturer’s Rapide P12V2 at the upcoming IFMAR 1:12 World Championship in China having finished fourth in the Spec class at the FEMCA Asia 1:12 Championships hosted by Hongyu GDC Worlds venue before Christmas. The 22nd running of the IFMAR 1:12 World Championships takes place on March 26-29th and is set to see a strong entry with over 80 drivers from 18 nations already confirmed with that number expected to exceed 90 once entries are finalised.

Source: Roche [rocherc.com]