RCRA South Australia IC State Titles 2026
By Anthony Wasson
From April 16th to 19th, I, along with several other Serpent drivers, competed in the 2026 edition of the RCRA South Australia IC State Titles at RRCSA in Littlehampton. This on-road circuit is truly unique, unlike any other in the country. Built along the side of a hill, the track features dramatic elevation changes and challenging off-camber corners. The terrain is so steep that the back straight sits just below eye level with the driver’s stand. This layout provided a serious test for drivers across IC GT, GTE, and 1/8th scale classes. One of the standout sections was the Eau Rouge-style complex just off the front straight, which could be taken flat-out, provided you avoided catching air and launching the car.
For this event, I competed in both IC GT and GTE using the latest Serpent SRX8 GT-R and GTE-R platforms. In the 1/8th scale class, Serpent was represented by local driver Hamish Scott. Together, we were also able to assist several new local Serpent customers who were competing in their first sanctioned event.
Personally, I was able to find a highly competitive setup for both GT and GTE early on the first day of practice. My lap times were already comparable to those seen in the finals of the 2024 RCRA Australian IC Nationals, which was very encouraging given the track had not yet fully rubbered in. A major highlight came in GTE, where I set a new IC layout track record. The previous benchmark in the 18.9s was lowered to a 17.666. The SRX8 GT-R was also incredibly easy to drive and a clear step forward from the previous generation, offering excellent grip and stability, especially through the off-camber hairpins following the fast, bumpy back straight and high-speed sweeper.
Saturday consisted of five rounds of qualifying. In both GT and GTE, I was able to TQ every round, securing overall TQ in both classes. In 1/8th scale, Hamish Scott locked in TQ with an outstanding Round 5 performance, also setting the fastest lap of the event.
Sunday began with one final round of qualifying before the mains. Unfortunately, wet weather early in the day limited track time, meaning Q6 effectively became a shakedown session after overnight rebuilds. In IC GT, I was unable to start Q6 due to snapping the heads off several engine mount screws. This proved costly, as I later discovered a gearbox issue during the warm-up for the A-main, something I likely would have caught during Q6. I was forced to change the gearbox as the final began. Once back on track, however, the car was extremely competitive. I managed to unlap myself multiple times, setting both the fastest lap of the race and the fastest consecutive lap times, quicker than any competitor’s single fastest lap. Despite this, I ultimately finished 6th overall.
A big congratulations to Andrew Gillespie, who used my spare SRX8 GT-R to finish 2nd in the final. Unfortunately, a late-race flameout cost him the lead.
In GTE, I went on to win A1 and A2, securing the 2026 South Australian State Title. The performance of the SRX8 GTE-R was outstanding compared to the competition, particularly in corner speed and on-power stability, both critical in a class where high-performance ESC and motor combinations deliver instant power.
Hamish also delivered an impressive drive in the 1/8th scale A-main. After being pushed back early due to contact with backmarkers, he fought his way back with consistent pace and ultimately won the final by one lap, also setting the fastest lap of the race, a well-deserved victory following his strong qualifying performance.
A huge thank you goes to Alyssa Spiteri for making the trip with me and handling pitting duties, your support is always greatly appreciated. Thanks also to Warren Meissner and all the RRCSA volunteers who worked tirelessly to make the SA IC State Titles possible. Hopefully, we’ll see continued growth in IC racing in South Australia and even bigger events in the future. Finally, thank you to all my sponsors and supporters, especially Serpent, for continuing to give me the opportunity to compete at a high level. I’m looking forward to representing you all again soon.
For any technical or setup support feel free to contact me via Anthony Wasson RC on facebook. As always I am more than happy to provide assistance. Also please keep an eye out for setup sheets from the RCRA South Australia IC State Titles for the Serpent SRX8 GT-R and GTE-R platforms.
Click here for the Setup of the SRX8GTE R Click here for the Setup of the SRX8GT R
