Polito ends Ongaro's reign, FCC week + JConcepts 2027 calendars
Italy has a new 1/8 nitro champ, Beachline goes technical, and Kilic's busy Silly Season week.
FCC week, crew. Beachline is fast and technical, the 2027 JConcepts calendars are out, Kilic had a busy week, and Italy has a new 1/8 nitro buggy champ for the first time in a decade.
Nitro is the glory. Let's get into it.
Race Reports
Polito ends Ongaro's 10-year reign — at the Ongororing
Ten straight national titles, a 45-minute battle and a dramatic finish on Ongaro's home turf. Italy has a new 1/8 Nitro Buggy National Champion.
Hyunkyu Jung wins the Korean 1/8 Nitro Buggy Nats
Team Associated's Hyunkyu Jung went TQ in all three qualifiers and won the 1-hour final.
Florida Carpet Championships
Track preview: Beachline goes fast and technical
No big air jumps this year. It's a feature triple, the waterfall steps and the FCC logo turn.
Can anyone stop Broc Champlin?
The unofficial 1/10 off-road carpet Worlds are back at Beachline Raceway in Cocoa, Florida. Several big names are missing, so does a new champ emerge or does Broc keep rolling?
2027 Calendars
JConcepts INS17 2027 heads west
The 2027 Indoor National Series is out, with five new tracks and three rounds on the West Coast.
JConcepts ONS returns for 2027
Five rounds of the Outdoor National Series, kicking off March 19–21 at Adrenaline RC Raceway in Winchester, Virginia.
Silly Season
Burak Kilic signs long-term with Nova Engines
Kilic has locked in a long-term deal with his current engine sponsor, Nova Engines.
Kilic splits with Raptor after one season
Kilic is done with Raptor for GT8 after a year that included a podium in the electric class at the Euros.
Patrick Gollner goes back to blue with LRP
The Austrian touring car ace is back with LRP, leading its Austrian team and helping develop the Flow X II 1S ESC.
Lost track of who's going where? It's all in our Silly Season 2026-27 Tracker →
New Stuff in the Pits
XRAY XB4'27 gets laydown shocks
XRAY's new 1/10 XB4'27 runs Standard or Laydown shocks, and it's already in action at the Florida Carpet Champs.
Hong Nor X5B and iX5B LCG kits
Hong Nor's LCG suspension now comes in complete kits: the X5B nitro and the iX5B electric 1/8 buggy.
This Week on the Channel
In case you missed them:
Lefty Learns Dirt Oval – The full episode with Will Brinton on dirt oval setup, classes, track prep, tires and how it differs from off-road. Yeah, I want to try it.
Broc Champlin's 2WD pace at FCC FP#2 – Onboard hot laps with the four-time FCC champ in 2WD practice at Beachline.
Bartek Zalewski 4WD hot laps – Onboard with Bartek Zalewski in 4WD practice at FCC 2026.
Ben Smith 2WD hot laps – Ben Smith's P2 2WD practice hot laps at FCC 2026.
World Cup vs. World Championship – Lefty and Mark Pavidis on whether his 2002 nitro touring title was an IFMAR World Cup or a Worlds, and why he counts it.
On-Road vs. Off-Road: Which Takes MORE SKILL? – Skill, longevity and switching disciplines, with Coelho, Orlowski and Ongaro in the mix.
That's the week. Hit reply and tell me what you want more of, or tell us on the podcast.
Nitro is the glory, e-buggy pays the bills.
Lefty