Red RC » R Off Road

February 26, 2026

FlySky officially announces Champlin signing

While he announced last month on his own social media that he had switched to their popular Noble Pro Plus transmitter, Chinese radio manufacturer FlySky has just official announced that IFMAR 1:10 2WD World Champion Broc Champlin is the latest high profile driver to join its team. The factory Schumacher driver joins fellow US racers Dakotah Phend and Ryan Maifield in representing the brand Stateside and on his switch to FlySky he said, ‘I’m proud to announce my radio sponsor for the year of 2026 and beyond, Flysky RC. I first tried this radio in April of 2025 and was instantly sold. Due to the 2025 World Championships, I chose to stay with what I was most familiar with but after the Florida Carpet Championships, I began the switch. Whether they would end up as my sponsor or not, I chose this radio because it has all of the features I like best. I’m ecstatic to be apart of the fastest growing radio brand in competitive RC racing. I can’t wait to see all of my personal improvements and help the team provide a more quality and refined product for our community of racers. See you all at the races!’

Source: Flysky [flysky-cn.com]

February 25, 2026

O.S. Engines announces Kaerup signing

Iconic Japanese engine manufacturer O.S. Engines has announced that electric offroad World Champion Marcus Kaerup has joined its official factory team. With 2026 a World Championship year for Nitro Buggy, the reigning 1:8 eBuggy and 1:10 4WD World Champion joins defending Nitro Buggy World Champion & Team Associated team-mate Davide Ongaro in using O.S. engines to power his nitro programme. The Danish teenager had been running Ruddog Racing branded engines and his new deal with O.S. is a significant one ahead of the 20th running of the IFMAR 1:8 Nitro Buggy World Championships which will be hosted by Thornhill Racing Circuit in Texas and run from September 26th to October 3rd.

Source: O.S. Engines [oos-engines.co.jp]

February 25, 2026

Power HD adds young British Offroad racer Grindley

Leading servo manufacturer Power HD has announced the addition of young British 1:8 Buggy racer Billy Grindley to their team for 2026. The European B Championship finalist, who represents WIRC/Reds Racing, enjoyed a strong 2025 season with results including being a British Nationals finalist, finishing runner-up in the Junior Nationals, and winning both the HNMC GP and the Slough GP. The teenager, whose 2026 season will include racing at the Neoland, a revival of the Neo Race over the Easter weekend, will use Power HD upgraded servo S35V2 for the coming season, which are more energy-efficient and less prone to overheating, make it perfectly suited for 1:8 Buggy. On the announcement, Grindley said, ‘I am Excited for my new adventure with PowerHD for the following season. I can’t wait to try them out for the first time on track, thank you to everyone at PowerHD for the opportunity.’

Source: PowerHD [chd.hk]

February 24, 2026

Sester wins Buggy & Truggy at Motorama

Running as part of Motorama’s Custom Car, Truck and Bike Show and attracting just shy of 300 entries it was Sparko driver Lee Setser who was the big winner at the now all electric class event. The long running annual event which takes place in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and with 2025 winner Chase Lemieux not returning to defend his win, it was Setser who ruled proceedings taking all four rounds of 1:8 eBuggy qualifying and three of the four eTruggy rounds. Xray driver Ethan MacKanick setting the fastest time in the opening Truggy qualifier. From the TQ, Setser would win the first of the double A-Mains in Buggy but had to settle for second behind MacKanick in A2. Overall however it was Setser for the win ahead of MacKanick who had a bad A1. The Xray of Jacob Hardison completed the podium. In Truggy, Setser won both A-Mains with 5th place qualifier Ben Decker finishing run up ahead of Hardison. In the Buggy Masters class it was Xray’s Paul Ciccarello who took the TQ and win.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]

February 23, 2026

Sturdy & McMillan win South Australian State Titles

Schumacher’s Christopher Sturdy and Team Associated’s Jack McMillan are the RCRA 1:10 Buggy South Australian State Title Champions for 2026. Racing at Adelaide Radio Controlled Raceway, it was Sturdy who took the TQ honours in both 2WD and 4WD, the race having to be condensed down to 3 qualifiers and a hectic single day of race action due to rain forecast for Sunday. In 2WD, starting on pole ahead of McMillan, Sturdy took his first title for new for 2026 chassis sponsor Schumacher by winning A1 and A3 with A2 winner & team-mate Jayden Edmunds making it 1-2 for the British manufacturer. McMillan would complete the podium. In 4WD, starting on pole ahead of Phoenix Eggleton and McMillen, while Sturdy won A1, errors in A2 & 3 denied him a shot at the double. Winning A2 and finishing second to Edmunds in A3, McMillan took the overall title. With Edmunds again runner-up it was Sworkz driver Eggleton who completed the podium having won the SA State title in Stadium Truck.

Image: Christopher Sturdy [Facebook]

February 23, 2026

Ongaro opens Italian National Champs with double win

The four round 2026 1:8 Buggy AMSCI Italian National Championship kicked off over the weekend with 10-time consecutive Champion Davide Ongaro doing the double with wins in Nitro & eBuggy. Racing at the Nitro Plaza Off Road Marigllanella track near Naples, qualifying would see Ongaro’s Team Associated top the ranking with 3 TQ runs ahead of the Sworkz of Mattia Polito, who took the opening round, and Xray’s Alex Zanchettin. After Semi finals however it was Polito who would start on pole for the 45-minute main from Ongaro and Serpent’s Giuseppe Tescione. Despite laying down the fastest lap of the race, Polito wouldn’t be able to deny Ongaro the win. They would be joined on the podium by Mugen Seiki’s Burak Kilic, the Turkish racer winning the Last Chance Fnal to come from 13th in the grid to deny the WIRC of Andrea Trevisan a Top 3 finish. In eBuggy Onagro also took the TQ and win ahead of Polito with Trevisan completing the podium.

Image: Mauro Ongaro [Facebook]

February 13, 2026

Schumacher confirm Orlowski & Kobbevik for MIBO International

Schumacher has confirmed its return to the 4th edition of the MIBO International with regular Czech visitors Michal Orlowski and Daniel Kobbevik. Orlowski, who is currently setting the pace at the famous TITC race in Thailand, is a MIBO International winner in touring car but this year the Pole switches to racing on other side of the Sports V Hotel sports hall as he takes on the offroad track. Kobbevik has been a Top Qualifier in Hrotovice and finished on the podium but a win has so far eluded the Norwegian, a record he will be hoping to amend. With confirmed entries for offroad also from Xray, in European Champion Martin Bayer and defending MIBO International 2WD Champion Bartek Zalewski, and Sworkz, in Elliott Boots and Micha Widmaier, the racing is set to be intense over the 2 & a half day event. Full details of the 2026 MIBO International Race, which takes place on February 27-March 1st, can be viewed on the Mibosport website by clicking here.

View MIBO International Roll of Honour here

February 9, 2026

Lemieux doubles at JConcepts INS16 opener

Xray’s Chase Lemieux has opened the 16th season of the JConcepts Indoor National Series with a double win at his home track of Trackside Hobbies in Wisconsin. The first stop on the 5 round calendar, Lemieux would secure the TQ in both 2WD and 4WD. In 2WD his closest challenger would be Team Associated’s Aydin Horne, winner of the race 12-months earlier, and Xray team-mate Dakotah Phend, each driver posting a TQ run over the three quali rounds. In 4WD, it was Schumacher’s reigning double INS Champion, and winner of the race in 2025, Broc Champlin who lined up P2 with Phend again P3 ahead of Team Associated’s Spencer Rivkin. In the finals Lemieux would need just the opening two A-Mains to wrap up both overall wins. In 2WD Horne won A3 to finish second with Phend completing the podium ahead of Tom Rinderknecht. In 4WD Champlin took A3 to finish second with Rivkin getting onto the podium with P2 finishes in A2 & 3. Round 2 of the JConcepts INS16 takes place on May 1-3 at RC One Racing in Macomb Township, Michigan.

Image: JConcepts [jconcepts.net]