A Co. Armagh man has made Irish radio-controlled motorsport history after securing a stunning second-place finish at the European Championships in Portugal – the culmination of a 15-year journey competing in the sport.
Bradley Baird returned home as European Vice Champion after representing Ireland at the 2026 EFRA 1/8 Nitro Buggy European B Championship in Guarda, Portugal.
But his second-place finish was only part of a remarkable weekend.
Bradley also secured the overall Top Qualifier (TQ) position after setting the fastest times in the final two qualifying rounds – becoming the first Irish driver to achieve an overall TQ result and a podium finish at an EFRA European Championship event.
For the Co. Armagh racer, the breakthrough comes after approximately 15 years of dedication, travelling, preparation and sacrifice.
Fifteen years chasing a European dream
Radio-controlled racing at this level bears little resemblance to the toy RC cars many people may immediately picture.
Competitors race highly sophisticated 1/8-scale machines, with drivers required to understand everything from suspension and tyre choice to engines, changing track conditions and race strategy.
At European Championship level, the smallest difference in car setup or driver performance can decide races.
Bradley’s journey to Portugal therefore began long before he arrived at the circuit.
Over the past 15 years there have been countless hours of practice and preparation, weekends spent travelling to events, late nights working on equipment and the considerable financial commitment required to compete at a high level.
There have also been mechanical failures, disappointing results and plenty of occasions when walking away would have been the easier option.
Behind that commitment has been a family making many of those sacrifices alongside him.
Irish competitors can also arrive at major European events facing racers from countries with considerably larger RC racing scenes, facilities and resources.
In Portugal, however, Bradley demonstrated that an Irish racer could compete right at the front.
History made in Portugal
Bradley’s European Championship campaign gathered momentum during qualifying.
He produced the fastest performances in the final two qualifying rounds, securing the coveted overall Top Qualifier position and putting himself at the head of the European field.
It was already a significant achievement for Irish RC racing.
But there was more to come.
Bradley progressed through the competition and into the 45-minute European Championship final, where he lined up against some of the continent’s leading drivers.
After 45 minutes of intense racing, the Co. Armagh man crossed the line in second place overall.
Bradley Baird was a European Vice Champion.
More importantly for Irish RC motorsport, his performance had broken new ground.
After 15 years of pursuing the sport he loves, an Irish driver was standing on a European Championship podium.
Family pride after years of sacrifice
Bradley’s family said watching him finally achieve the result was difficult to put into words after witnessing first-hand the commitment required to reach this level.
His wife Shelley Baird told Clanrye News & Sport that the achievement was about much more than one weekend of racing.
She said the family had watched the “time, determination, sacrifices and setbacks” Bradley had experienced throughout his 15-year journey.
For them, seeing him eventually stand on a European podium representing Ireland was an incredibly proud moment.
Bradley’s story is also one of persistence.
He wasn’t someone arriving at a European Championship expecting success.
Instead, he spent years developing his ability, continuing through setbacks and believing that an Irish driver could eventually compete alongside Europe’s best.
In Portugal, that belief became reality.
Helping grow RC racing at home
Bradley isn’t only focused on his own success.
He is also Chairman of RCNI, a radio-controlled racing club based in Loughbrickland, Co. Down, where he has helped develop and promote the sport locally.
Encouraging new racers and helping grow RC motorsport in Northern Ireland has become an important part of his involvement.
His European success now provides a powerful example of just how far that journey can go.
A young person can begin racing at a local club in Northern Ireland and, with enough dedication, potentially find themselves competing – and winning – on the European stage.
For a sport that rarely receives the attention afforded to more mainstream forms of motorsport, Bradley’s achievement is significant.
It is also a very local success story.
Fifteen years of travelling, practising, preparing, winning, losing and refusing to give up eventually led a Co. Armagh racer to a podium in Portugal.
Bradley Baird – European Vice Champion and an Irish motorsport history-maker.