2026 Mugen Challenge at LCRC Raceway: Adam Drake wins Expert Buggy

Photo: LiveRC (source)

2026 Mugen Challenge: more than 470 entries at LCRC Raceway

The 2026 Mugen Challenge will go down as one of the best attended editions in its history. LCRC Raceway logged just over 470 entries spread across eleven classes, a turnout that places the event among the major American off-road 1/8 meetings. The density of the field naturally toughened qualifying, with several finalists only securing their place through the last-chance rounds.

Adam Drake and Douglas Shewfelt share the headline classes

In Expert Buggy, Adam Drake took the win ahead of Ethan Mackanick and Greg Harmer. Douglas Shewfelt completed the leading quartet in fourth, followed by Jacob Hardison. The script flipped in Expert Ebuggy: Douglas Shewfelt claimed victory, Adam Drake finished second and Ethan Mackanick took the final podium step, ahead of Aydan Manchanda and Maddy Long.

Nitro Truggy went to Ethan Mackanick, ahead of Douglas Shewfelt and Greg Harmer, with Travis Horn and Maddy Long in the following places. Travis Horn took his revenge in Expert Etruggy by winning ahead of Aydan Manchanda and Garrett McCutchan, with Gavyn Yoder and Jordan Updegraff completing the top 5.

An equally dense amateur field

The 40+ classes saw Paul Ciccarello complete a double, winning both 40+ Buggy ahead of Scott Belcastro and Billy Papenberg, and 40+ Ebuggy ahead of Chuck Berg and Brett Blum. In Intermediate Buggy, Anthony Grenga won ahead of Tony Oh Boy and Kaeden Weidenhammer, while Lane Steffey took Intermediate Ebuggy ahead of Ben Combs and Logan Good.

Kaeden Weidenhammer got his revenge in Intermediate Etruggy, ahead of Reed Frame and Ben Combs. The 1/10th scale class went to Gavyn Yoder, who beat Justin Stein and Troy Williams. Finally, Ryan Bellucci won the Novice class ahead of Frank Walker and Grayson Fuller. A record that confirms the vitality of the Mugen Seiki Challenge on the American side.