The 2026 ROAR National Championships are in the books, and the season had a clear storyline: a few names kept showing up on top, on carpet, on dirt and in 1/8 scale. If you race at a club track, the results are worth a look, because what wins at Nationals usually shows up in your pit lane a year later.
This recap pulls from race reports on RedRC, LiveRC and Hobbywing. I only list results those reports confirm, and I note where they leave a gap.
The Short Answer
Chase Lemieux (Xray) won the 2WD carpet title and the 4WD Mod dirt title, then finished second in 1/8 Nitro Buggy. Broc Champlin (Schumacher) defended his 4WD carpet crown. Dakotah Phend (Xray) won 2WD Mod on dirt, and Seth VanDalen won 1/8 Nitro Buggy. On-road, Diego Morganti (Mugen) took the 1/8 title.
- Xray drivers won titles on carpet and dirt, in both off-road and touring car.
- Hobbywing says all four carpet off-road winners ran its motors and speed controls.
- Domnic Paccione won two stock classes at the dirt Nationals.
- ROAR is the US sanctioning body and the only one that can send drivers to IFMAR Worlds.
1. Carpet Nationals: Lemieux's Breakthrough
The year opened indoors, with two carpet championships.
Carpet on-road and 1/12 (Texas)
RedRC reported in March from the RC Car Club of America-hosted event in Texas. Kemp Anderson (Awesomatix) won the 1/12 title, taking the opening final and A2. Chris Adams (Xray) won Modified Touring Car at his home track, winning A1 and A2.
Carpet off-road (Seabrook, New Hampshire)
In April, Maximus R/C Raceway in Seabrook hosted the carpet off-road title fight. According to RedRC, Chase Lemieux (Xray) won his first National title in 2WD, and Broc Champlin (Schumacher) defended the 4WD crown he had won the previous two years.
What powered the winners
Hobbywing reports that Lemieux and Champlin both ran its XR10 G3 speed control and V10 G3 Modified motor. In the stock classes, Dustin Fox took overall TQ and won 2WD Stock Buggy with a V10 G5 17.5 motor and XR10 G3X, and Jon Mans won 21.5 with a V10 G4R Team Edition 21.5 and XR10 G3X. Note that this is the motor maker's own report, so read it as their claim. Tire choices weren't published in any report we found.
2. Dirt and 1/8: The Same Names Keep Winning
Outdoors, the 1/10 dirt Nationals ran in San Diego, and 1/8 scale raced at Silver Dollar and in Illinois.
1/10 dirt off-road (SDRC Raceway, San Diego)
RedRC reported in May that the Xray pair of Dakotah Phend and Chase Lemieux took 2WD and 4WD Mod Buggy. LiveRC's podium list fills in the rest:
| Class | Winner | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2WD Mod | Dakotah Phend | Aydin Horne | Spencer Rivkin |
| 4WD Mod | Chase Lemieux | Broc Champlin | Spencer Rivkin |
| 17.5 2WD | Domnic Paccione | Matt Gonzales | Sammy Moran |
| 13.5 4WD | Domnic Paccione | Bryce Butterfield | Jermaine Robinson |
| 13.5 Stadium Truck | Kadin Meeks | Doug Lariviere | Sammy Moran |
| 40+ 2WD | Allen Horne | Kevin King | Andrew Swanson |
| 40+ 4WD | Brent Thielke | Andrew Swanson | Allen Horne |
| 21.5 2WD | Austin Riley | Johann Blizzard | Teucer Carrera |
1/8 off-road (Silver Dollar)
In September, Seth VanDalen won Nitro Buggy at the 1/8 Off-Road Nationals, with Chase Lemieux second and Mason Fuller third, about 10 seconds back, per LiveRC. Dakotah Phend had been the overall Nitro Buggy TQ, with VanDalen second, according to LiveRC's qualifying report. In E-Buggy, Phi-Long Nguyen was overall TQ; we couldn't find a published final result to confirm the champion, so we've left it out.
1/8 on-road (Sheridan, Illinois)
The new Groove R/C Raceway hosted the 1/8 on-road Nationals. RedRC reports Diego Morganti (Mugen Seiki, MRX7) won the 45-minute 1/8 final, Jacob Cerrato gave Mugen the 1/10 Nitro Touring title, and Jose Almonte (Serpent) won 1/8 GT.
3. What It Means for Club Racers
You won't be fighting Lemieux for a title at your local track, but the season still has lessons for Saturday racers.
Consistency across surfaces wins
Lemieux's season is the big one: a carpet title, a dirt title and a 1/8 Nitro Buggy podium in the same year. Champlin finished first on carpet and second on dirt in 4WD. Drivers who race more than one class or surface tend to get faster everywhere, and that's just as true at a club night.
Stock classes are where depth is
The dirt Nationals ran 17.5, 13.5 and 21.5 classes plus two 40+ classes, and Paccione won two of them. Spec and age classes are how most people race, and they reward clean, prepared cars over raw speed. If you're new, our guide to your first RC race covers classes, transponders and tech.
Prep beats parts
None of the reports credit a single magic part. What every front-runner has is a car that's rebuilt and dialed. Before your next club race, rebuild your shocks, check your diff fluid, and reglue your tires. Those three jobs win more club mains than a new motor.
About ROAR
ROAR, the Remotely Operated Auto Racers, was organized in 1967. Its about page says it sets the rules for R/C car racing in the US, sanctions racing from club level up, and is the only organization authorized to qualify and send drivers to the IFMAR World Championships. Because ROAR sanctions club events too, its rulebook is worth knowing before your first race.
Conclusion
The 2026 season belonged to Chase Lemieux, with Broc Champlin, Dakotah Phend and Seth VanDalen right there. Xray drivers won on carpet and dirt, Mugen won both 1/8 on-road and nitro touring, and the stock classes were as deep as ever. For club racers, the takeaway is simple: race often, keep your car fresh, and pick a class where you can learn.
Want to get into racing in Atlanta? Contact the shop and we'll point you to a class and a car that fits.
Gear Mentioned in This Guide
Losi 1/24 Micro-B 2S 2WD RTR Race Buggy, Silver (LOS00007T2)
$89.99: a 1/24 2WD race buggy with battery and charger in the box.
Shop now
Pro-Line 1/10 Blockade M3 Rear 2.2" Off-Road Buggy Tires (2) (8231-02)
$12.99: rear 2.2" tires for 1/10 off-road buggies.
Shop now
Pro-Line 1/8 Avenger HP Belted S3 Buggy Tires Mounted 17mm (2) (PRO906921)
$35.99: mounted 1/8 buggy tires on 17mm hexes.
Shop now
Associated Factory Team Silicone Shock Fluid, 25Wt (275 cSt) 2oz (ASC5428)
$6.00: 25wt shock oil for a fresh rebuild before race day.
Shop now
Associated Factory Team Silicone Diff Fluid, 7000 cSt 2oz (ASC5454)
$6.00: 7000 cSt diff fluid for gear diff tuning.
Shop nowFrequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2026 ROAR Nationals?
Chase Lemieux won 2WD carpet off-road and 4WD Mod dirt, Broc Champlin won 4WD carpet off-road, Dakotah Phend won 2WD Mod dirt, Seth VanDalen won 1/8 Nitro Buggy, Diego Morganti won 1/8 on-road, Chris Adams won Modified Touring Car and Kemp Anderson won 1/12.
What motors won at the 2026 ROAR Carpet Off-Road Nationals?
Hobbywing reports that Lemieux and Champlin used its V10 G3 Modified motor and XR10 G3 ESC, Dustin Fox won 2WD Stock Buggy with a V10 G5 17.5, and Jon Mans won 21.5 with a V10 G4R Team Edition 21.5.
Where were the 2026 ROAR 1/10 dirt Nationals?
At SDRC Raceway in San Diego, California, in May 2026.
What does ROAR do?
ROAR, the Remotely Operated Auto Racers, sets R/C car racing rules in the US, sanctions races, and is the only organization authorized to send drivers to the IFMAR World Championships.
Sources and Further Reading
- RedRC: ROAR Carpet National Championships (Texas)
- RedRC: ROAR Carpet Offroad National Championships (Seabrook, NH)
- Hobbywing: Lemieux, Champlin, Fox and Mans win at the 2026 ROAR Carpet Off-Road Nationals
- RedRC: ROAR 1:10 Dirt National Championships
- LiveRC: 2026 ROAR 1/10th Scale Dirt Off-Road Nationals podiums
- LiveRC: VanDalen wins 2026 ROAR 1/8th Off-Road Nationals Nitro Buggy
- LiveRC: Phend TQs 2026 ROAR 1/8th Off-Road Nationals Nitro Buggy
- LiveRC: Phi-Long Nguyen TQs 2026 ROAR 1/8th Nationals in E-Buggy
- RedRC: Morganti adds ROAR 1:8 Onroad National title
- ROAR: About ROAR
