Mason Fuller claims overall pole position at the IFMAR 1:8 Off-Road Nitro Worlds in Thornhill

Photo: LiveRC, 02/10/2026 (source)

The suspense lasted until the very last heat at Thornhill Racing Circuit in Texas: Mason Fuller finishes atop the overall qualifying standings of the 2026 IFMAR 1:8 Off-Road Nitro World Championship, with a perfect score of 0 points, after winning three of the six heats.

Mason Fuller edges out David Ronnefalk in a final sprint

Driving his SWorkz, Mason Fuller had to fight to the end against David Ronnefalk, the official Xray driver, who also had two heat wins to his name. In heat 13, Ronnefalk set a new best time, improving on his qualifying 5 run. Fuller answered in the following heat with an even quicker time, six tenths of a second faster, setting the Thornhill track’s all-time record in the process and securing overall pole position.

Davide Ongaro (Team Associated), the reigning world champion, rounds out the provisional qualifying podium with a single heat win, ahead of Juan Carlos Canas (SWorkz), Top Qualifier at the previous Worlds. In heat 15, Canas looked set for a new benchmark time (35.765 seconds) before his car got hung up on a track roof support; it was ultimately Seth Van Dalen, the reigning ROAR champion, who won that heat.

Next stop: the World Championship semi-finals

The top 16 drivers from qualifying are now directly through to Saturday’s semi-finals, ahead of the IFMAR 1:8 Off-Road Nitro World Championship final, which runs through October 3rd in Thornhill.