Time Attack and Racing Hondas returned to Brands Hatch for the second time this season, delivering another weekend of high drama, championship battles and standout performances.
With championship points at stake, our sponsored drivers Eden Young, Dan Buckingham and Liam Collins arrived with big ambitions and the confidence from Dixcel’s performance brake pads.
Dan Buckingham - FK8 Civic Type R
Dan came to Brands Hatch looking to bounce back from cooling problems that had hampered his FK8 Civic Type R at Oulton Park. With a fresh Spoon Sports thermostat and coolant in place, he wasted no time in pushing hard during the opening session. His efforts were rewarded with a 53.5 lap which secured P1 in Attack 1.
Throughout the day he continued to refine his approach, experimenting with different lines whilst braking later and harder with the help of his Dixcel performance brake pads. This confidence translated into an even quicker 53.4 lap, once again placing him top of the class for Attack 2. The final session was disrupted by traffic and red flags which prevented a final push, but Dan still walked away with two P1 finishes in Attack 1 and Attack before P2 in the Final, being pipped by just 0.111s, gaining yet more crucial points towards his championship campaign.
Eden Young - K20 Turbo Micra
Eden’s K20 turbo Micra has been one of the most talked about cars in the paddock this season and once again he came to Brands Hatch determined to be the fastest. Pushing hard from the outset, he was on the edge as he fought for lap time, but this time the limits pushed back.
Warm Up, Attack 1 and Attack 2 all saw great times, with both Dean Riley and Mark Donnoley clawing back time in the final - with just minutes to go, and the Micra sat in P3 with less than 2 hundredths of a second between the top three, Eden went back out to try to claim P1.
That however, is where things got a little off course, quite literally - on the last lap of the day, Eden ran wide out of Clearways, catching the tyre wall and rolling onto its side in the gravel, bringing the weekend to a slightly earlier ending than planned in pursuit of P1 in class.
Thankfully Eden was unhurt, with huge thanks to the medical teams and marshalls who immediately rushed to check, and he remains as determined as ever to return stronger. Fortunately the car is relatively undamaged, with the most notable issues being the rear axle bending, and some carbon damage; nothing too major though - it even drove onto the trailer! We’re hoping to see him back out for Knockhill on September 27th!
Liam Collins - DC2 Integra
Brands Hatch also provided plenty of excitement in the Racing Hondas championship thanks to Liam Collins in his DC2 Integra. Locked in a fierce showdown with a rival DC5, he treated spectators to some of the best racing of the weekend, including a breathtaking overtake towards the end of the race that many described as the pass of the season.
In race one he finished second with the fastest lap, only denied a closer fight by safety car interruptions. Race two delivered the wheel-to-wheel battle of the weekend, with Liam crossing the line in fourth but securing another fastest lap and a new race lap record. His performance not only entertained the crowds but also underlined the impact of consistency and confidence when pushing hard lap after lap.
The Takeaway
Brands Hatch offered everything from podium results to dramatic setbacks. Dan showed the strength of the FK8 Civic Type R when paired with Dixcel performance brake pads, Eden reminded everyone of the realities of motorsport and the risks involved within pushing the limits, and Liam proved that the Integra remains one of the most exciting platforms in Honda racing. The championship fight continues to build as we approach the final 2 rounds of the year, will we see some final runs for glory?
