There’s no better way to prove a build than to put it on track. That’s why, in partnership with Dixcel brakes, we’re continuing to support a small group of passionate drivers who push their cars (and brake pads) right to the edge.
Here’s how the weekend at Brands Hatch played out for Dan Buckingham, Eden Young, and the newest Dixcel sponsored driver, Liam Collins.
Dan Buckingham – Civic Type R FK8
Following on from technical mishaps in Round 2, Dan's weekend was one aimed at redemption and chasing dropped points to keep the pressure on.
He started the weekend strong with a clean run in Attack 1, showing the usual balance of control and aggression the FK8 is known for;
"I went faster than warm up despite track temperatures increasing, everyone was noticing tyre temperatures and some suffering brake issues as a knock on effect" Dan explains. "even in the hotter later sessions, the Dixcel RE pads didn’t deteriorate any performance at all throughout the day"
Attack 2 got a little scrappy after a brave move into Paddock Hill Bend sent him off-line and onto the gravel;
"Went 3 tenths quicker then attack 1... however my session was cut a little short after going for 4 push laps back to back, which was too much for the tyres resulting in significant amount of understeer and going off into the grass"
That luck seemed to linger into the final, finishing P2 in class, just behind Annie Thompson’s Lotus Exige;
"I couldn’t complete a lap without catching some sort of traffic (Brands is very challenging to get a clear lap) resulting in not besting my previous session time"
Overall a solid showing from Dan, also securing the 2nd fastest time of the round for Clubman Class with a 53.397, missing outright glory by less than three hundredths of a second.
Eden Young – Turbo'd K20 Nissan Micra
After producing an excellent Round 2's, Eden's turbocharged K20 continues to confuse and impress in equal measure.
Consistently in the Top 2 for the Classic and Retro Class throughout all 3 Attack's, The Spicy Micra lived right up to its name, outpacing almost everything it shared the track with, whilst throwing in the odd technical gremlin, just for fun.
"A few laps into practice, I noticed oil pressure dipping below 30 psi in two corners - Paddock Hill and Graham Hill. Oil level was just above max, so we topped it off. Back out, and now the pressure was dipping below 40 psi in the same corners."
"The ECU cuts power when pressure drops below target. We could’ve disabled that safety net, but I chose to leave it on - better to protect the engine."
With the oil pressure issue still persisting, Eden went on to lay down a blistering best lap time of 52.305 in Attack 1, beating his own PB by 2.7 seconds!
But it wasn't all going his way...
"Out we went for Attack 2. First push lap, and straight into a red flag after Druids - car in the gravel...Two red flags before I could string a clean lap together. Sitting in P3... Six minutes left on the clock. Time to get serious. One clean lap. It had to count."
Managing to put in 52.567 and lifting himself back into P3, before following up with a 52.009 to take P1, things quickly take a turn;
"..over the radio I hear: Marc Donnelly just dropped a 51.875... Unreal."
Following a coolant issue that could have ended his weekend early and with the final looming, the Spicy Micra head's into the Super Attack with a win-or-lose gambit;
"On lap 7, I dropped a 52.219 taking P1. But right after, Marc hits back with a 51.597. Insanely fast. No more playing. Boost to Position 10 - full 447 hp unleashed."
"Later, I discover the passenger-side ball joint had come loose. It was messing with the wheel geometry, and I was unknowingly fighting understeer on full power!"
Even so, he dragged it over the line for P2 in class, less than a second behind the top spot. Not bad for a car with imperfect alignment, and a reminder that when it’s running clean, it’s a serious threat!
Introducing: Liam Collins – DC2 Integra, Racing Hondas Series
We’re also excited to introduce a new driver to the Dixcel sponsorship fold: Liam Collins (@teg_dc2), who competes in the Racing Hondas series, which runs in parallel to Time Attack.
Liam’s car is something special - a featherweight (1030kg) K24-swapped, carbon fibre bodied, 247bhp Integra Type R DC2 that is absolutely all about one thing - winning.
He came painfully close to the title last year, just missing out on the title in the penultimate race at a wet Brands Hatch to Dan Brown. This season he’s gunning to go one better.
To back up his push title push, we're supporting Liam with Dixcel Specom Alpha pads as his main stoppers. A thoroughbred race pad, it's one of the many flavour of performance compounds in the Dixcel arsenal. Liam is no stranger to Dixcel, having used them across the start of this season and all of last season;
"The pads are great, there’s honestly nothing I would change!"
So far this season, Liam has started the season strong, collecting 32 points and putting himself in 4th place for Class A. His weekend at Brands Hatch continued that trend, further keeping pressure on the top 3 with:
✅ P1 in qualifying with a new lap record for the championship!
🏁 P2 in Race 1
🔄 P4 in the reverse grid Race 2
“The car was mental fast,” Liam tells us. “it's based on handling and cornering speed and as soon as someone is in front of me with more power, it’s a struggle!"
Still, it’s clear Liam and the DC2 mean business - and we’re looking forward to seeing how the season plays out for him!
We’ll be following Dan, Eden, and Liam across the rest of the season, and we’ll keep you updated on the wins, near-misses, and inevitable mid-session chaos that comes with racing at this level.
See you in the next round!
Pictures courtesy of @mattbeardless
