Motion Motorsport are the 2024 TDC Champions!

The iconic Brands Hatch Indy circuit hosted the 2024 Trackday Championship season finale on Saturday 26 October.

Heading into the round only the Class D championship title had been decided, meaning that the Overall, Class B and Class C championships were all up for grabs!

Qualifying

Team Air Supply’s father and son duo of George and Jack Wright were the first to light up the timing sheets in Class B, before championship leaders Roberts/Drought (Motion Motorsport) and Unique Racing’s Charlie Palk took their turns at the top. Both teams exchanged fastest laps on multiple occasions, before Palk set a unbeaten benchmark of 1m03.135s to secure the front of the grid for the #98 Renault Clio. Early pacesetters Wright/Wright would start the race second in Class B, ahead of Roberts/Drought.

A tightly contested Class C qualifying session was eventually topped by Wolf Motorsport’s Chris Reade, who would start the race an impressive P2 on the grid. PRO/AM Racing’s Thompson/Johansson would line up second in class, with reigning champion Stewart Donovan (Se7en Motorsport) third.

Fiesta Clubracer’s Wright/Glover headed into Kent as champions elect in Class D and were on the pace in qualifying, dominating the class timing sheet until a fantastic lap from Abbitt Motorsport’s McDonald/Abbit secured the bragging rights of being Class D fastest qualifiers. Wright/Glover would qualify second in class, with John Lyne (Tylah Motorsport) third.

Race

Wright/Wright flew out of the blocks to jump to second by the end of the opening lap, but their championship rivals Roberts/Drought had also made significant progress. Despite the large grid, each of the Class B, C and D fastest qualifiers remained at the front of their respective classes at the end of the first lap – with Palk leading the way overall.

However, the lead wouldn’t last for long as an exceptional overtake round the outside of Paddock Hill Bend by the Team Air Supply VW Golf secured the front. Palk was immediately looking to reel the new leader back in, while becoming under increasing pressure himself from Roberts/Drought behind. Elsewhere Donovan had seized the Class C lead, while Swaffer Racing’s Matt Swaffer and MCS Racing’s Nathan Mcphail were picking their way through the field.

As to be expected with a 31-strong grid, plenty of action and overtaking could be found between all three classes – providing plenty of entertainment for the Kent crowd. The pit window caused a shake-up in the running order, with the likes of Palk and Jack Goes (Mangoes Racing) profiting from well-timed stops to propel up the order.

The constant battling didn’t cease in the second half of the race either, as each driver pushed hard to maximise their final points haul of the year. Palk paved the way out front, with Goes now in second and Swaffer and Roberts/Drought enjoying a great battle for the final spot on the podium. Also entrenched in an entertaining battle was Reade and Donovan, who were vying for the top step of the Class C podium.

Wright/Glover had seized the Class D lead from McDonald/Abbitt, while Lyne had also managed to make his way past the #67 car.

Barely nothing separated the four leaders through the final lap, with Palk, Goes, Swaffer and Roberts/Drought all in extremely close proximity. As the checkered flag fell, it was Palk who claimed the final victory of the season for the Unique Racing team – sealing third place in the Class B championship standings in the process!

Jack Goes put in an impressive display to finish second, a mere 0.258s ahead of the Motion Motorsport Honda Civic. The third-place finish for the #70 car was enough to secure the 2024 Trackday Championship title for drivers Justin Roberts and Nicole Drought! A massive congratulations goes out to both and their wider team.

The top two in Class C were separated by just 0.885s over the finish line, with Donovan just edging Reade to the top step in a exhilarating finish. Cockerill finished the race third in Class C, claiming the class championship title for Aindale Racing as a result!

Fiesta Clubracer rounded out an outstanding season with one more winner’s trophy courtesy of drivers Wright/Glover, with Lyne and McDonald/Abbitt taking to the final Class D podium of the season.

Congratulations to all!

The full 2024 Trackday Championship standings can be viewed here.

Photo: Gary Hawkins Photography