Red RC » R On Road

February 28, 2026

Volker Top Qualifier at MIBO International

As a two time winner of MIBO International, Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker will chase a third win of the Czech race tomorrow from pole position after claiming the overall TQ honours will a perfect day on the carpet. While it was Xray’s Adam Izsay who set the pace in Friday’s free practice, Volker made Saturday his own kicking off official proceedings by topping the 2 seeding rounds. Leading away the top heat of Modified qualifying, the German then completed a clean sweep securing the TQ in Q3 before capping off the day with a fourth TQ run in the penultimate round. With one last qualifier in the morning, Volker will look to repeat the 5 from 5 he took last year on his way to victory over Michal Orlowski. Behind the 2016 World Champion it is Iszay who holds second overnight but three drivers recorded runs to the second fastest times and between Iszay, the reigning Stock Champion who will defend that title from the TQ, MIBO International debutant Sören Sparbier, 2025 podium finisher Patrick Gollner it is still all to play for to see who starts directly behind Volker.

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February 28, 2026

Zalewski & Volker on top at MIBO after opening 2 qualifiers

The opening two rounds of qualifying at the fourth edition of MIBO International in the Czech Republic saw repeat TQ runs from Xray’s Bartek Zalewski on the event’s offroad track while over on the onroad track Mugen Seiki’s Ronald Volker continued his reign over touring car. With both drivers topping the morning seeding practice, Zalewski opened qualifying with a TQ run in 2WD which he duly repeated on the switch over to 4WD. Repeating the feat again in the second of the five planned qualifiers, the Polish racer leads the 2WD ranking from the Sworkz of Micha Vidmaier, the Australia opening with a P5 but improving to go second fastest in Q2. With No.2 seed Michal Orlowski struggling with his driving in 2WD, sitting only P8 after 2 rounds, it is Sweden’s Elias Johansson who leads the Schumacher challenge in third, team-mate Daniel Kobbevik suffering a DNF less than a minute into Q2. In 4WD, Kobbevik looked for a time like he might be the first to knock Zalewski off the top of the timing sheets this weekend but a mistake in Q2 cost him around 1-second and Zalewski moved a step closer to wrapping up an early overall TQ by 3/10ths of a second. With a pair of P3 runs Orlowski sits third ahead of Johansson. For the defending Touring Car Champion Volker, Xray’s Adam Iszay is keeping the former World Champion honest and got very close in Q2. Setting the third fastest time in both rounds Sören Sparbier holds third ahead of Mugen team-mate Patrick Gollner. In Stock, like the other Top Seeds, Izsay converted his No.1 starting position in to two TQ runs.

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February 28, 2026

New electronics for Matsukura as ORCA departure announced

Multiple 1:12 and 1:10 Electric Touring Car World Champion Naoto Matsukura has announced his depart from ORCA, the Japanese star having been with the electronics brand since 2020. Having played a big role in ORCA’s recent pre World Championship preparations, including staying on for a number of days of testing with engineer Frankie Lui after his Asia Nitro Party win at Hongyu GDC last month, Matsukura made the announcement on his social media. He posted, ‘I started with Team ORCA in 2020, and after almost 6 years together, my contract will come to an end in February. I’m grateful for all the support and help throughout this time. Special thanks to Michael Lo, Frankie Lui and Keith!’ With the start of the IFMAR Electric Onroad World Championship just a month away, and the Infinity driver having shown some good pace when he TQ’d the opening round of qualifying at the FEMCA Asian Championships hosted by the world’s track in December, it will be interesting to see which brand he will represent given the current battle of the electronics brands for supremacy.

Source: Naoto Matsukura [Facebook]

February 28, 2026

Volker tops seeding at MIBO International

Defending MIBO International Champion Ronald Volker has topped Touring Car seeding in the Czech Republic this morning, the Mugen Seiki driver fastest ahead of Xray’s Adam Izsay who had set the pace in yesterday’s five rounds of free practice. Making his MIBO debut, it was Volker’s young team-mate Sören Sparbier who completed the Top 3. In the first of the two seeding runs on the new for 2026 Racestar’s built track, it was a very Mugen affair at the top of the timing sheets with Volker fastest from Sparbier and last year podium finisher Patrick Gollner with Izsay only managing P4. With the track’s new carpet continuing to grip up, Volker would knock another 2/10ths off his time in SP2 with an improved Izsay the only on to manage to join him on 29-seconds for his 3-consecutive fastest laps. Gollner will carry the No.4 for seeding ahead inaugural 2023 MIBO podium finisher Oliver Havranek with the Yokomo of Christopher Krapp, who stripped a spur gear in SP2, completing the Top 6. In 17.5 Stock, Izsay continued to set the pace in Hrotovice, topping seeding from the Mugen Seiki of German Phil Langer and Austrian Tobias Sutrich.

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February 27, 2026

Zalewski & Izsay top first day of MIBO International

Xray’s Bartek Zalewski and Adam Izsay have set the early pace at MIBO International, Zalewski proving quickest in 2WD & 4WD Buggy while on the opposite side of the sports hall it was Izsay who mastered the onroad track to top both Modified and Stock Touring Car. A race concept that Michal Bok came up with when racing at the 2022 IFMAR ISTC World Championship in Italy, 2026 marks the fourth edition of MIBO International and has again attracted a capacity entry who this year have been treated to two new tracks prepared by Polish track builders Racestars. Switching from last year’s red infield to blue, drivers on both sides of the central drivers stand have been complimentary of the layouts created by Pawel Kowalski. With fresh new black carpet and completely new jumps, on the offroad track it was the Schumacher pairing of Michal Orlowski and 2WD Top Qualifier of the last two MIBO races Daniel Kobbevik who were closest to Zalewski over the half day of practice. Officially a 2 & a half day event, practice only gets underway at 15:30 local time to allow racers use Friday morning for travelling to Hrotovice in southern Czech. In Modified Touring Car it was defending Champion Ronald Volker and his Mugen Seiki team-mate Sören Sparbier who were closest to Izsay’s fastest 3-laps which he set in the 5th & final round of free practice.

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February 27, 2026

Power HD servos for Vogl

German 1:8 Onroad Nitro racer Max Vogl will use Power HD servos as part of his 2026 program, the leading servo manufacturer announcing the Mugen Seiki racer has joined its team line-up. The European Championship A Finalist and multiple ENS Finalist will use Power HD’s GTS-2 servos and on his new deal said, ‘I’m very happy and proud to be joining the Power HD team. I already tested the GTS-2 servo last year and I was really impressed with the performance! So I am very happy to have the full Power HD package in my car for the new season. I can’t wait to hit the track!’

Source: PowerHD [chd.hk]

February 26, 2026

Awesomatix adds iRacing World Champion Caruso

Awesomatix has announced that former iRacing World Champion & TITC Open Brushless Finalist Jordan Caruso as the latest addition to it 2026 team line-up. Coming from Sim racing, the Australian has already proven his ability to perform under pressure on the biggest virtual stage and now he is transferring that precision, focus, and racecraft into RC racing – the results already showing with him also the winner of the 2026 TRTF Masters in 13.5. For the upcoming season, Caruso will focus on the ultra-competitive 13.5 class in Australia, competing at the National Championship as well as the QLD, VIC, and NSW State Titles. On the announcement he said he was, ‘Really keen and very grateful for the opportunity to join Team Awesomatix! Looking forward to trying to compete and represent the brand at the highest level.’

Source: Awesomatix [awesomatix.net]

February 25, 2026

Takashima D-13 partners with top US talent Cruz

Having recently announced 2016 World Champion Ronald Volker had joined to assist with brand development and product performance testing, aftermarket onroad parts & accessories manufacturer Takashima D-13 has announced the signing of top US touring car talent Jacob Cruz. One of the stars of the 2024 IFMAR ISTC World Championships at Finishline RC Raceway in California, where he made the A-Main on his Worlds debut, the 17 year-old Mugen Seiki driver is a major signing for Takashima D-13 who just recently announced Randy Caster’s 1up Racing as its exclusive US distributor. Cruz is already working closely with 1up Racing who sell ‘Cruz Missile’ branded Tyre Additive and Grip Activator.

Source: Target RC [targetrc.com]