“This weekend, we attended Rounds 1 and 2 of the Armed Forces Race Challenge at Silverstone National Circuit.

“Making the results even more special, this marked the very first race weekend for the car and myself, making it a huge milestone after 18 months of work preparing the car myself to get it race ready.”

“The weekend proved challenging from the outset, with intermittent boost issues that unfortunately remained unresolved throughout both races. Despite the setbacks, we kept pushing and were able to bring the car home in both races, securing a strong P3 in class during Race 1 and improving to P2 in class in Race 2.

“A huge positive from the weekend was the performance of the 91´«Ã½ package. The RP-X pads paired with the Bluestuff pads and discs performed flawlessly throughout the weekend, delivering consistent stopping power with zero brake fade and remaining sharp and reliable across both races.”

“Massive thanks to the Army Sports Car Racing Team, 91´«Ã½, and KARLYONE CARE LTD for all of their continued support throughout the weekend. Your backing makes it possible for us to keep pushing forward, even during difficult race weekends.

“We’ll regroup, resolve the boost issues, and come back stronger for the next round at Snetterton 300 on the 20th of June.�

Qualifying

“An early start for qualifying at 08:30 at a wet Oulton Park. 28 cars on the grid and a respectable 17^thÌýon the grid for race one, which considering the classes of the cars on the grid was a great achievement. Lots of others complained of little to no grip on the circuit but I never found it an issue during the session and had total confidence in the car.â€�

Race One

“With a pack of higher-class cars behind me, keeping my place in the middle of the pack was always going to be challenge and although off the start a couple of places were lost, as the race evolved and progressed, places were taken back and good clean racing was had by all on circuit. The car was faultless and the brakes remain a key part in being able to brake later than others, giving me an advantage heading into heavy braking zones on the international circuit. Maximum points and a class win were secured and leading to a good place on the grid for race two and its typically unpredictable April weather.�

Race Two

“Tyre choice was key for race two, with torrential rain followed by warm spells of sunshine and the choice of tyres was left until the last second in the hope of gaining an advantage in the race. I opted for an intermediate tyre and it paid off; turn one was tricky at the start and caution was applied through the next couple of laps with cars on the wet choice of tyres making the most of the conditions whilst they could.

“However, a dry line appeared fairly quickly with just a few wet and damp sections remaining, especially in the braking zones at Cascades and Lodge.

“Pace-wise – considering the tyre choice and conditions – was good again, with a further advantage in key braking zones and happy to report a further class win and a maximum points haul for the weekend.

“The conditions were tough and challenging and yet again, 91´«Ã½ Racing came through the test giving me confidence throughout.â€�

“With the success of 2025 behind us, winning the MSVR Trackday Championship overall, we set our sights on a different goal for 2026: the Roadsports Championship hosted by 750MC would be where we plan to do battle. With a very similar format, but slightly higher power categories and faster pit stops, it sets a very different challenge.Ìý

“Over the winter, the car has received a slight power hike with a bigger turbo and supporting mods, along with some other minor upgrades. Rear brakes have been upgraded to factory Mk5 Golf R32 vented EBC plain discs, and Ultimax2 pads with slightly larger diameter; not necessarily for more brake force, but a more consistent temperature window, as the rears are worked quite hard with the OEM ABS system. This, matched with the now tried-and-tested EBC Apollo 6 pot 355x32mm front big brake kit, and our ‘go-to’ RP-X compound pads.”

“Round 1 was held at the Croft circuit near Darlington, with the weather looking to be mixed to say the least. Qualifying started in wet conditions. We readied the car with a known good wet setup and Kev rolled out to see where we were pace wise.

“Having no previous running against the new field of competitors (26 in our Class B!), it was a complete unknown at this stage. As Kev pulled in after his stint, we were sat in P2 initially – a great start! Henry jumped in for the final few laps with the track conditions improving quickly, but unfortunately a combination of traffic, an odd red flag due to a circuit electrical glitch, and various other racing driver excuses!, we ended the session in P5.

“Still a very respectable start to the campaign. It’s always been a bit of a disadvantage having 2 drivers in a sprint enduro format, as you lose half the session changing drivers and getting back up to speed, whilst single driver entrants keep lapping. Especially in changeable conditions.

Ìý“The new brake setup was proving a vast improvement in terms of feel and temperature consistency, so we were very happy with the confidence that was giving us in the bumpy braking zones.”

“The race was full of excitement, the weather constantly changing throughout. The rolling start went without issue and first five cars including us started to pull away from the remaining pack. With contact up ahead from a bold move into the Complex saw us take advantage and up to P3, using our normal measured approach. A lap later the leader went off going into the Complex too! P2.

“A few laps went by before the previous leading car of Packer was back on our rear bumper, he went through on the inside into the Complex, allowing all 3 leading cars to bunch up nicely heading down into Tower corner the following lap, where Packer re-took the lead. I ceased the opportunity to follow him through with a late brake manoeuvre both going past the leading Mk7 Golf back into P2.”

“On the way into the pits, a lapped Porsche Boxster held us up for half a lap, unfortunately meaning Kev came out the pits now in P4. Soon after Kev’s pit exit, there was a safety car due to a crashed Vauxhall Corsa, meaning it would be a 3-lap sprint to the end. The 3^rdÌýplaced BMW Z4 seemed a long way ahead on the penultimate lap, with the added hassle of a lapped VW Scirocco in-between Kev and his target. A very committed move past the backmarker through the left hander of the Esses, subsequently forcing the BMW to out brake himself into Sunny-in. Kev lined up the move into the harpin after getting right up under the bumper through the Complex. taking the P3 spot!

“A podium first time out! Couldn’t be happier with that, especially with the quality of the machinery we were up against. The car was faultless through all the different conditions. Ultimate confidence on the middle pedal making the difference for us once again.ÌýÌý

“Next round – Brands Hatch GPÌýon May 3^rd! Bring it on…â€�

Photo credits: Jonathan Elsey

“What a weekend of contrasts at Silverstone. From the frustration of a last-lap mechanical failure whilst running strongly in Race 1, to fighting through the entire field in treacherous wet conditions to take Race 2 victory — including the fastest lap of the race. A weekend that truly tested every aspect of our package, and one I am incredibly proud of.�

Qualifying – 6^th

“A solid start to the weekend, securing P6 overall and placing us firmly within contention for the race ahead. The lap gave us strong confidence in the car’s balance heading into Race 1.â€�

Race 1 – DNF

“Race 1 was a genuine disappointment, though not without significant positives. From sixth on the grid, we quickly moved to the front and led the race for over half the distance — demonstrating real pace and racecraft. A potential podium, and possibly P2, was very much within our grasp. Heartbreakingly, a mechanical failure on the final lap brought our race to a premature end. The pace shown throughout was hugely encouraging and the team’s work all weekend was commendable.â€�

Race 2Ìý– P1 Victory + Fastest Lap

“Race 2 will be one to remember. Starting from the back of the 420R grid on a fully saturated track, and running on tyres I had never used in wet conditions before, the challenge was clear. Rather than letting the uncertainty affect our approach, we stayed focused, built a strong rhythm from the opening laps, and began working our way methodically through the field. The wet conditions demanded complete concentration, and the car responded superbly. We overtook competitor after competitor, ultimately crossing the line in first place — with the fastest lap of the race to our name. A hard-fought, fully deserved victory.�

Looking Ahead

“This weekend has given us great momentum. The speed is clearly there, and so is the ability to perform under pressure in difficult conditions. We will review the Race 1 mechanical failure thoroughly to ensure it cannot be repeated, and we head to the next round with confidence and determination.

“A huge and heartfelt thank you to every one of our sponsors — your continued support is what makes weekends like this possible. We are proud to represent you on track and look forward to doing so again at Snetterton.�

“A really positive and productive shakedown at Donington Park’s National Circuit for the car’s first outing, with lots of positive feedback from coaches and passengers that came out in the car.

“The car performed exceptionally well straight out of the box for its first outing, with only a couple of small niggles that were quickly identified and are easily resolved ahead of the next outing. Overall, balance and confidence in the car is very high, and it’s clear we’ve got a strong platform to build on.”

“Grip levels were outstanding throughout the day, allowing us to push harder with each session and really start to explore the car’s potential.

“A big highlight was the braking performance. The new EBC setup, running a combination of RP-X and Bluestuff pads, was absolutely faultless. Consistent, confidence-inspiring, and strong under all conditions, I am yet to actually reach the limit of the brake setup; they performed perfectly all day and are a massive step forward for the car, I am currently adding a brake cooling setup to helpÌýkeep performance at its optimal level for the races.

“I am now tweaking the couple of bits that needed attention and giving the car a once over ready for the first race of the season at Silverstone in May.”

The 750 Motor Club Armed Forces Race Challenge (AFRC) was developed to bring together four-wheeled motor racers from all across the Armed Forces. The challenge allows a level playing field of competition irrespective of car performance by rewarding consistency during races, so the focus remains on the driver rather than the machinery. Find out more by .

“I’ve just returned from back-to-back track days on the Nürburgring Nordschleife and Spa-Francorchamps.

“With the car now running the likes of an LSD, semi-slick tyres, a full Milltek exhaust system and some other breathing mods, the upgrade to RP-X pads on my Apollo big brake kit has proven to be very impressive – especially as both circuits remained mainly dry each day!”

Cadwell Park

“I arrived at Cadwell Park with a nervous energy; I had never set a tyre on the circuit before in any form, so it was always a case of learning and getting better. We also debuted a new greener look to the car to change it up slightly –Ìýit certainly was more noticeable!

“Qualifying saw some beautiful track conditions and, as I heading out, I felt at home almost instantly. Getting quicker, I managed to sneak in the top 15 overall and 5th in my class, the car itself felt superb and the stopping power of the RP-X pads meant I had the confidence into the harder hairpin turns around the mountain. Game on!”

“Race 1: a good start on a tight grid meant the first few laps were a case of trying to find room to get into a flow and progress up the field. After the field had spread itself out more, the lap times quickly came tumbling down and I shaved a whopping two seconds off my qualifying time. The class podium was a realistic target and after dispatching the Mk1 Escort of Gary Johnson, I got my head down and worked on holding 3rd in class and a bank of points involved… My only problem was the turbo Puma catching me that wanted the same podium spot! Lap after lap of defensive driving in my most vulnerable areas and utilising my superior braking performance meant when the flag came it was a podium for me once again! 3rd in Class and 11th overall on my first race EVER at Cadwell Park.Ìý

“Race 2: after a driveshaft change overnight (a weak point on this setup this year) I started race 2 with even more confidence and quickly moved inside the top 10 and 2nd in class, Hot on the heels of Chris Baker, I got past on lap 3 and got my head down aiming for a class win into the 1:40.1 lap time. Then, it all came tumbling down: as I rode the kerb over Chris Curve, it ripped the boost pipe off and that was the race done. Gutted! We go again…�

Brands Hatch

“Brands Hatch is always the highlight meeting for the year in the Modified Fords series, with crowds of 15,000 celebrating all things ‘blue oval’ as part of the Ford Power Live show. A grid walk allowed people to get close to the race cars and I had a lot of interest in my car in particular. Testing went okay but by the time we went out for qualifying, I knew the car was getting tired from a hard season’s racing: a failed connector pin had made sure I didn’t get a lap in qualifying which was really frustrating. Starting from the back of the grid, I made up a lot of spaces and was quickly battling my class competitors for the podium once again. Iain Blackley’s Puma was in 3rd and as he made a mistake coming out of McLaren, I looked to capitalise… Just as cylinder 4 dropped. Coil failure. Once again, a great result slipped through due to mechanical issue.”

“Then came race 2. Once again starting from the rear of the grid, I made my way through the field and onto the rear of Ian Blackley’s Puma once more. The handling characteristics of the cars are the same, but I found once again that under brakes, I had a significant advantage. The only problem with all of this was that Ian was driving a consummate defensive race. My final chance came on the last lap of the race. Using the superior braking advantage, I hung around the outside of the Puma at Druids and got the inside line for Graham Hill Bend… Podium once again! And retribution for a difficult start to the weekend.â€�