RC Silly Season 2026-27 Tracker: Confirmed & Rumored Driver Moves
Updated Nov 5, 2026 · By Lefty
What is RC Silly Season?
Every year, as the racing season wraps up toward the end of the year, the RC world starts talking about who's going where. Most driver deals run on the calendar year, so this is when top drivers re-sign, switch car brands, or change their engine, electronics or tire sponsors for the new season. Some moves are announced officially. Many start as rumors in the pits and on podcasts. That's silly season.
This year's 2026-27 silly season is already busy, and the biggest question is whether Juan Carlos Canas goes to Tekno, which could set off a chain of moves. This tracker keeps it all in one place. Confirmed moves come first, with the official source linked. Rumors and my own what-if scenarios are kept separate and clearly labeled, so you always know what's fact and what's bench racing. I'll keep it updated as news breaks.
One Love, Lefty 🤘
Got a correction? Email Lefty with your source.
Confirmed moves
Confirmed moves link to the official post from the team, brand or driver. Reported moves are known in the scene, but we haven't found an official post, which is common when a driver leaves a team. Newest first in each class.
Off-road spotlight
The latest big off-road moves, confirmed and reportedUpdated Oct 30
Burak Kilic 
1/8 nitro. Stays put: long-term renewal with his current engine sponsor.
Luke Holdsworth 
To
Joins the Yokomo factory team through MB Models, Yokomo's UK distributor. He'll race the SO3.0 2WD and MO3.0 4WD in 1/10 off-road.
Adrian Wicaksono 
From
→
To
Joins the official SWORKz team for 1/8 nitro buggy, leaving Team Associated.
Spencer Heckert 
From
→
To
Heckert and Tekno parted ways in August, and he's now on Mugen in 1/8 off-road. His own Worlds report lists Mugen as a sponsor. The exact joining date hasn't been announced.
On-road spotlight
The latest big on-road and GT moves, confirmed and reportedUpdated Nov 5
Burak Kilic
Leaving
→
Not announcedNext
1/8 GT8 and GTE. Not re-signing with Raptor after one year, with a Vice-European GT Electric podium. Thanks Gimar and Andrea Contarini.
After only a year I announce that I will be not re-sign with Velocy Raptor 1/8 GT and GTE. Including one Vice European Championship Podium. I wanna give a big thanks to Gimar for all his help and Andrea Contarini for his support.
Patrick Gollner 
From→
To
Follows Ronald Völker from Mugen to RC Maker, per RedRC. No official post yet. On Nov 1, LRP also confirmed he’s back for electronics.
Ronald Völker 
From
→
To
Joins RC Maker to develop the SP2 with Ryan Maker and represent the brand in Europe and worldwide.
Marc Rheinard
From
→
To
Joins the XRAY factory team in 1/10 touring car. The signing video came out May 13, and the written release followed May 14.
Chassis moves
Drivers changing car brandsUpdated Nov 51/8 off-road
Adrian Wicaksono
1/8 nitro buggy · Sep 15, 2026
From→To
Joins the official SWORKz team.
Spencer Heckert
1/8 off-road · Tekno exit Aug 11, 2026
From→To
Mugen is on his own Worlds sponsor list. The exact joining date hasn't been announced.
Jayden Edmunds 
1/8 buggy · Jun 24, 2026
Formerly→
To
Was unsponsored in 1/8 before this deal, and formerly with Mayako.
1/10 off-road
Luke Holdsworth
1/10 off-road · Oct 30, 2026
To
Yokomo factory team through MB Models. Racing the SO3.0 2WD and MO3.0 4WD.
Jonathan Pluke
1/10 off-road · Sep 14, 2026
To · via CML
Joins Team Associated through CML, the UK distributor.
1/10 Electric Touring Car
Patrick Gollner
1/10 touring car · Oct 19, 2026
From→To
The second Mugen touring car driver to join RC Maker this season, after Ronald Völker.
Josh Cyrul
1/10 electric TC & 1/12 · Sep 8, 2026
From→
Own brand
Not a normal signing: Cyrul launched his own brand, Cerberus Racing, after Excelerate.
Ronald Völker
1/10 touring car · Aug 12, 2026
From→To
Developing the SP2 with Ryan Maker. See spotlight ↑
Marc Rheinard
1/10 touring car · May 13, 2026
From→To
XRAY factory team. See spotlight ↑
1/10 Nitro Touring Car
No chassis moves yet. Jilles Groskamp's 200mm nitro engine deal is under Engines ↓
1/8 Nitro GP
No chassis moves yet.
1/8 GT8
Burak Kilic
1/8 GT8 and GTE · Leaving Raptor
-
ConfirmedChassis · Nov 5, 2026From→Not announcedTo
Not re-signing with Velocy Raptor 1/8 GT and GTE after one year. Vice-European GT Electric (silver, Vila Real 2026). Thanks Gimar and Andrea Contarini.
After only a year I announce that I will be not re-sign with Velocy Raptor 1/8 GT and GTE. Including one Vice European Championship Podium. I wanna give a big thanks to Gimar for all his help and Andrea Contarini for his support.
Jeff Hamon
1/8 GT8 · Returning to nitro · 2 deals
-
ReportedChassis · Jun 22, 2026TBCFrom→
To -
ReportedEngines · Jun 24, 2026TBCFrom→
To
Engines
Nitro engine dealsUpdated Nov 3Burak Kilic
1/8 nitro · Nov 3, 2026
Stays put: long-term renewal with his current engine sponsor.
Noha Ben Mohamed 
Off-road · Stays Sparko in 1/8, Schumacher in 1/10 · 3 deals
The young French talent left Corsatec for REDS Racing engines. His ESC and motor deal is expected to follow but isn't announced yet.
-
ConfirmedEngines · Aug 2026
From→
Factory -
ReportedBatteries · Oct 12, 2026Not statedFrom→
To -
Waiting to be confirmedESC & motorFrom→To?Lefty / NNRC · not announced yet
Daniel Kobbevik 
1/8 nitro · Sep 24, 2026
From→Factory
Joins the Corsatec factory engine team.
Frankie Contreras Jr.
1/8 nitro buggy · Sep 18, 2026
To
Runs a Mugen MBX8R US Edition with an O.S. Speed B21 AD4 engine.
Phi-Long Nguyen
1/8 nitro buggy · Date pending
From→To
Switched before the Worlds and runs an O.S. Speed B21 AD4. He was top seed at the 2026 ROAR 1/8 Fuel Nationals.
Jilles Groskamp 
Nitro on-road / 200mm · Aug 4, 2026
To
Joins Ielasi Tuned for nitro on-road engines.
Ricardo Monteiro 
1/8 nitro buggy · Jun 8, 2026
To
Joins Ielasi Tuned for 1/8 buggy engines.
Jeff Hamon
1/8 on-road / GT · Jun 24, 2026
To
Part of his nitro comeback, alongside his Capricorn chassis deal. See 1/8 GT8 ↑
Electronics
Batteries, ESC and motor dealsUpdated Nov 2
Patrick Gollner
1/10 touring car · LRP electronics · Nov 1, 2026
Electronics
Back with LRP to lead its Austrian team and help develop the Flow X II 1S ESC. His RC Maker chassis move ↑
Alessio Menicucci 
Electric touring car · Jun 22, 2026
From→
Batteries
Noha Ben Mohamed
Gens ace batteries · ESC & motor waiting
His battery deal is confirmed, and the REDS ESC and motor deal is waiting on an announcement. See all 3 deals ↑
Tires
Drivers changing tire brandsUpdated Oct 5
Ryan Lutz
1/8 nitro buggy · Oct 5, 2026 · IFMAR Worlds only
From→
Worlds only
Ran JConcepts tires at the Worlds. It's not a full signing yet, and a full-time 2027 deal is still a rumor. See the Lutz storyline ↓
Earlier deals that shape 2027
Announced before this seasonUpdated Dec 10
Juan Carlos Canas 
1/8 nitro · Dec 10, 2025
Extended to 2027
Extended for engines and electronics only. It doesn't settle his chassis, and that's why the Canas-to-Tekno rumor is still open. See the Canas domino ↓
We link the team's, brand's or driver's own announcement. Got a correction? Email Lefty with your source.
Driver photos courtesy of the drivers', teams' and brands' social media.
Storylines: rumors & Lefty's scenarios
Updated Nov 1Not confirmed. These are the leads we're following, grouped by story so you can see how one move connects to the next. When a rumor gets confirmed, it moves up to Confirmed Moves.
The Canas Domino
One move could reshuffle 1/8 buggy in Europe. If Juan Carlos Canas leaves SWORKz for Tekno, three teams and three drivers are affected.
▶ Watch the episodeLefty's take: “It all hinges on the Canas to Tekno move.” I put Canas at 85–90%. If that happens, SWORKz needs a winner in Europe, and Ongaro is the obvious fit. Nothing here is announced yet.
How the dominoes could fall
-
1
Juan Carlos Canas
· 1/8 nitro buggyFrom
→
To
The move that starts the domino effect. Canas also owns a hobby shop in Spain, and Lefty wonders whether it could become a Tekno dealer as part of the deal.
-
2
Davide Ongaro
· 4x World ChampionFrom
→
To
The rumor is that Associated gave an ultimatum: Ongaro or Kaerup. It is unconfirmed and most likely just paddock talk. At SWORKz, Ongaro would be reunited with Robert Batlle from their Mugen / Pro Circuit days. Lefty doesn't see another team that could afford him: not Tekno, and not Infinity, where “on-road is their bread and butter.”
-
3
Marcus Kaerup
Stays
Stays put
Lefty's analysis: if Ongaro goes, Kaerup stays as Associated's lead driver in Europe. There's no 2027 statement from Kaerup or the team.
If Ongaro is on the move: the scenarios
Only opens up if Canas goes to Tekno. SWORKz gets a World Champion who can win in 1/8 and 1/10, just as it plans more 1/10 focus for 2027. It would also reunite him with Robert Batlle, who is racing less and focusing on his manager role.
20:19If Canas stays at SWORKz, Ongaro's best landing spot is gone. If the rumored ultimatum is real, Associated keeping Ongaro would put Kaerup on the market instead.
18:58Tekno: that seat goes to Canas in this scenario. Infinity: “on-road is their bread and butter.” Lefty doesn't see another team that could afford him.
What would confirm it
- An official Tekno RC announcement, or Canas racing a Tekno at a 2027 event
- Canas's shop in Spain listed as a Tekno dealer
- A SWORKz signing announcement for a European driver
- A 2027 team statement from Associated
What we already know
- ReportedCanas's REDS deal is extended through 2027, but only for engines and electronics. It doesn't settle his chassis.
- SWORKz plans more focus on 1/10 in 2027 (from Lefty's talk with Robert Batlle).
Maifield's Next Deal
Ryan Maifield's name came up in two different directions. One rumor has cooled off, and the other has him staying at Tekno.
▶ Watch from 03:55Lefty's take: The Hong Nor / AMain talk has been “kind of quashed.” What I'm hearing now is that Maifield re-signs with Tekno “for another couple of years.” Neither is announced.
-
1
Ryan Maifield
· Most likelyRe-signs
Stays put
Heard: a new deal with Tekno “for another couple of years.” No announcement from Tekno or Maifield yet.
-
2
Ryan Maifield
· CoolingFrom
→
To?
The rumor was a move to Hong Nor, the AMain-backed brand. Lefty has since heard AMain isn't hiring big names. It hasn't been officially denied.
What would confirm it
- A Tekno RC or Maifield announcement of a new deal
- Maifield's 2027 sponsor list at the first big race of the year
Ryan Lutz: New Tires, New Role?
Lutz ran JConcepts tires at the IFMAR Worlds instead of Raw Speed. That part is confirmed, but only for the Worlds. The question is what comes next.
Lefty's take: The talk is that the JConcepts deal becomes full-time for 2027. And could a team manager role be in Lutz's future at Kyosho?
-
1
Ryan Lutz
· 1/8 nitro buggy · Worlds onlyFrom
→
To
Confirmed Oct 5, 2026 for the IFMAR Worlds only. It's not a full signing yet.
-
2
Ryan Lutz
· 2027Full-time?
Rumor: the JConcepts deal becomes full-time for 2027. Lefty's question: could a team manager role at Kyosho be part of Lutz's future?
What would confirm it
- Lutz on JConcepts' 2027 team list, or a post from Lutz or JConcepts
- A Kyosho announcement about Lutz's role
SWORKz in 2027: Bigger in 1/10?
SWORKz plans more focus on 1/10 next year. That could open doors for 1/10-only drivers, and it ties straight into the Canas domino.
▶ Watch from 15:30Lefty's take: From talking to Robert Batlle, SWORKz wants more 1/10 in 2027. Robert is leaning into his manager role and racing less. A World Champ who wins in 1/8 and 1/10 fits that plan. More on this in a later video.
If Canas leaves, Ongaro is Lefty's pick for the open European seat, and he can win in both 1/8 and 1/10. See the Canas domino ↑
21:53“Could be on the move, but I don't think so.” He's young and fast, but coming off a tough Worlds, his bargaining chips aren't there.
16:07What would confirm it
- SWORKz announcing new 1/10 cars or 1/10 drivers for 2027
- A SWORKz signing for its European 1/8 seat
Driver photos courtesy of the drivers', teams' and brands' social media.
Got a silly season tip?
Heard something in the pits or saw a post we missed? Send it straight to Lefty. Tips with a source get checked first.
🎙️ Silly season episodes
This season and last season. Dates are when each episode was posted on nnrcmedia.com.Updated Oct 19
2026-27 season
This year-
Oct192026
RC Silly Season: The One Move That Starts a Domino Effect
Lefty's Simple Thoughts
-
Aug232026
Spencer Heckert Leaves Tekno and Joins Mugen!?
NNRC
2025-26 season
Last year-
Jan162026
Show #342: RC Racing Silly Season Wrap Up (2025-26)
The No Name RC Podcast
