Red RC

September 13, 2026

Title No.7 as Matsukura reclaims Nitro Touring Worlds in Italy

18-years after he took his first IFMAR World title as a 15-year-old in 1:12, Naoto Matsukura has added a 7th World Championship victory by reclaiming the 1:10 Nitro Touring Car crown in Italy. The 11th running of the championships, the Infinity driver, who turns 33 on Monday, would take a convincing win in Gubbio, 8-years on from winning the same title in the United Stated. Starting from 3rd on the grid, Matsukura would go to P2 on the opening lap and closely pursue team-mate & Top Qualifier Dario Balestri as they pulled clear of the field. Unfortunately for Balestri, just like in 2016 when he TQ’d the same championships at the same track, the final wasn’t to go his way. While finishing on this occasion, albeit in P6, the Italian would hit an issue during his tyre stop with the rear right wheel change delaying him by a lap & a half, effectively ending his quest to finally add a 1:10 title to the two he has achieved in 1:8. The only driver to manage a 15-second lap of the Miniautodromo Internazionale Mario Rosati track in the Main, later in the race he would also run out of fuel. With his main rival out of contention, Matsukura could manage the race even adjusting his tyre stop strategy to just a single stop having started out planning two stops. While he was on cruise control, with a 2-lap buffer, to becoming the first driver to win the categories biggest prize twice, the battle for second brought life to the final minutes of the 1-hour encounter as Capricorn’s Toni Gruber, having turned around a disappointing start to the week, tried to hunt down a very impressive Filippo Domanin. This race marking his World Championship debut, the talented Italian teenager kept the highly experienced German at bay taking a crowd pleasing 2nd by one tenth of second. Just off the podium, Kyle Branson claimed P4 on his World Championship return ahead Serpent’s Andrea Catanzani.

Continue reading here

September 12, 2026

New World Champion to be crowned in Italy, Groskamp just misses out in LCF

Nitro Touring Car will get a new IFMAR World Champion in Italy as reigning champion Jilles Groskamp RC failed to make the Main Final, the Infinity driver’s quest coming to an end in the Last Chance Final in Gubbio when he was denied the win by France’s Quentin Leroux by just 0.071. of a second. Winner of the title 2-years ago in Bangkok, Groskamp found himself in the Semi final after qualifying P5, just missing out on the Top 4 directing qualifying spots to British racer Kyle Branson. Starting the second of the Semi Finals on pole, the 30-minute final would produce a thrilling & intense multi car battle for the lead. While Groskamp held the lead early on it was Melvin Diekmann who took a late win ahead of Milan Holthuis as Serpent’s Andrea Catanzani, having led, dropped to third. 1.9-seconds back Groskamp finished fourth, the Top 3 progressing to the final. With 15-minutes to try and put himself into the Main via the Last Chance Final, starting on pole Groskamp led for the opening laps but a very fast Leroux quickly got himself to the front. Following each other for the rest of the race, gapping 3rd place, a moment as the race entered the final 2-minutes looked to be the end of Groskamp’s challenge but an impressive charge over the final laps saw the Dutch veteran right back on the rear bumper of the leader’s Capricorn setting up a dash to the loop. But it wasn’t to be, the experienced Leroux holding his nerve and progressing to the final as the 11th car on the grid. In the first of the Semi final, Capricorn’s Toni Gruber took the win ahead of Jakub Rozycki and pole sitter Alex Thurston to secure their places in the decider for the 11th running of these World Championships.

September 12, 2026

Tran announces new role with Yokomo

Good positive news for Yokomo fans with the news that Thomas Tran has joined the Japanese manufacturer in a design and product development role and will call the Tsukuba RC Arena his new office, the track better known as the world famous Yatabe Arena. Tran previously held the role of Team Manager at Team Losi Racing whom he join in 2020 and enjoyed World Championship success in 2023 when Tater Sontag took the 2WD Buggy title at Hobby Action RC Raceway in Arizona. The popular character has extensive industry experience and was a major part of racing’s media circus running his own site 2WDMod.com before joining JConcepts and then Team Losi. First meeting Tran at the 2015 IFMAR Electric Offroad Worlds at the Yatabe Arena, he would work with Red RC as our photographer when we first attended the legendary Philippine Masters 1:8 Offroad race in Manila in 2017. Tran, who now lives in Japan, revealed his return to the industry in a post on Faceback in which he said, ‘What up fam?! I know it’s been a long time for an update but just enjoying my life here in Japan with my wife. The journey has been incredible and filled with happiness! But never in my wildest dreams I’d ever imagine calling Tsukuba RC Arena my office and joining the legendary Japanese Yokomo brand!! Thanks to Hiroshi Suzuki and the leadership at Yokomo for bringing me on to help with design and product development. I will do my best and look forward to the challenge! Although not directly connected to the team, I will help out wherever possible! Let’s go!!!’

Source: Thomas Tran [Facebook]

September 11, 2026

Shepherd V8.3 Carbon Fibre Brake Discs

Nitro onroad car manufacturer Shepherd has released Carbon Fibre Brake Discs for its 1:8 Onroad kit, the Velox V8.3. In use these have proven to be smoother and more consistent to drive, making for a very good tuning option. The new discs are to be used with the Shepherd’s V2 Brake Pads.

Source: Zen Racing [zen-racing.co.uk]

September 11, 2026

Heartbreak for Esser as World Champs down to final 52

After taking a hugely popular win in his 1/16 Final, which should have put him through to tomorrow’s Main Finals day at the IFMAR 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship in Italy, Alex Esser’s celebrations were to be short lived as his car failed post tech inspection. One of only four racers representing British manufacturer Shepherd here in Gubbio, making the Worlds podium finishing manufacturer the smallest represented of the 6 brands competing at the 11th edition of Worlds, the young American racer’s body shell was declared to be outside the minimum measurements, the rear bumper cut too high. Winning the 20-minute encounter ahead of Stefan Strasser and Jules Kerguiduff, Esser’s disqualification would promote Rolli Josua to third and into tomorrow’s 1/8 Finals. With rain cancelling yesterday’s second day of qualifying, the damp aftermath conditions would also effect today’s program with the start of racing delayed from 11:00 to 14:00 as the damp track proved well off the pace in the specially arranged free practice which was later extended to get cars running on the track and to bring back up traction levels. This delayed start meant racing wouldn’t finish until just before 19:00 before a red sunset quickly brought a close to the Lower Finals day with just 52 drivers of the 114 starters now remaining in the competition. In the second of the 1/16 Finals it was Michaël Derderian who took the win ahead of Kristof Sielaff and Nathan De Marco to get themselves through to Saturday. The Mains day here at Miniautodromo Internazionale Mario Rosati will start at 08:00 with a round of group practice for drivers up to and including the Semi Finals before the first race gets underway at 09:30. The World Championship deciding 1-hour final is set to start at 16:15 (local time) with Top Qualifier Dario Balestri set to lead them away.

September 11, 2026

Infinity IF14 Speciale +2mm Bulkhead | +1mm Shock Tower

In their latest release for their IF14 Speciale Electric Touring Car, Infinity has added new optional +2mm Bulkheads to provide additional differential position adjustments to help maximise performance with thin chassis options. The new +2 mm bulkheads raise the differential position, while updated +1mm shock towers are designed to properly complement this new configuration and optimise suspension travel with the thinner chassis such as the 1.5 mm aluminium and 1.2 mm steel chassis. The Lower Bulkhead allows the differential (spool) pulley height to be raised by 2mm compared to the standard kit specification. This allows you to optimise the differential (spool) height. +1mm Shock Tower that raises the shock mounting height by approximately 1mm compared to the standard kit specifications optimise shock travel when using the 1.5mm Alu or Steel Chassis.

View more images here

September 11, 2026

Sparko F8SE Carbon Chassis Stiffener Inserts

The newly crowned double Asian Buggy Championship champion manufacturer thanks to newly signed team driver Jayden Edmunds, Sparko has released Front & Rear Carbon Chassis Stiffener Inserts for its F8SE 1:8 Buggy. The lightweight 3mm carbon inserts add rigidity for sharper response, stronger support under braking & acceleration, and more predictable handling on track. Giving more precise corner entry, they more overall consistent chassis response. Also new from the Taiwanese manufacturer come Hard-Anodized Threaded Shock Pins for the F8. Offering a simpler, more secure shock mounting upgrade, they ditch the grub screw for good. Machined from lightweight 7075 aluminium with a durable hard-anodized finish, these pins thread directly in for a cleaner install and consistent handling.

View more images here

September 11, 2026

RTRC RTA V3.1 RS Edition 1:28 Chassis

Fresh from taking 5 class wins at the 2026 Team Associated 1:28 International in Las Vegas last weekend, France’s RTRC has announced the RTA V3.1 RS Edition, a new premium version of their RTA V3.1 designed for drivers who want a highly competitive car right from the start. The RS Edition will be fully assembled by RTRC and supplied with an ESC and RTRC servo already installed. During assembly, each car will also be carefully checked and tweaked to ensure the chassis is properly set up before delivery. The motor will not be included, allowing each driver to choose the motor that best suits their class and racing conditions. This version will also come with a selection of performance option parts already fitted, so the car is delivered with a more advanced specification than the standard RTA V3.1 and is ready to perform from the very first runs. And this configuration is not just theoretical. The chassis has already proven its potential by winning the Lipo 3500 category at the Team Associated 1:28 International. RTRC say the the idea behind the RTA V3.1 RS Edition is simple, ‘take the proven RTA V3.1 platform, assemble it carefully in-house at RTRC, tweak and check the chassis during assembly, equip it with the right performance parts, and offer customers a package that is as close as possible to a race-ready chassis straight out of the box.’

View Car components & additional images here