It was a weekend of hard-fought racing for Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing as Mikey Doble and Nick Halstead tackled the ever-demanding Brands Hatch Indy circuit on Sunday (11 May) in Rounds 4, 5 and 6 of the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.
The Kent circuit, known for its relentless rhythm and unforgiving nature, played host to a bumper crowd and fierce racing action as both drivers tackled the circuit in their Vauxhall Astras.
Basking in the Kent sunshine, BTCC fans descended on the circuit in their thousands for what would be a traditional action-packed day of racing.
Mikey Doble delivered pace similar to what saw the #88 take home the 2024 Jack Sears Trophy as the Caterham-born driver placed his Astra sixth on the grid, advancing to the ‘Quick Six’ session for the first time this season.
Race day continued in the same vein as Doble backed up his one-lap speed with a composed and mature drive throughout the opening bout to secure solid points for the team, holding onto his grid position come the chequered flag.
“The pace was there from the start of the weekend,” said Doble. “Qualifying went exactly how we wanted, and to bring it home in sixth in Race 1 was a great result.”
However, Race 2 proved to be a much more challenging experience. Starting once more from sixth, the #88’s race quickly descended into survival mode as on-track battles were seen up and down the grid. In the end, amongst all of the action-packed 27 lap race, a puncture would end Doble’s hopes of another points haul.
“Race 2 was tough. It felt like we had a target on our backs,” Doble explained. “There was a lot of contact - just one of those classic BTCC races where luck wasn’t on our side.”
Nick Halstead, meanwhile, continued to show consistency and resilience upon his BTCC return. Focusing on clean laps and valuable track time from the opening practice session until the final chequered flag. Halstead avoided incidents and brought the car home in each outing, collecting crucial track time and gaining ground with each race.
“The team has done a fantastic job with the car, and I’m building confidence in each session,” said Halstead. “Brands Indy is hectic, but we stayed out of trouble and made progress.”
Race 3 proved a tough one for the team with Doble battling from the back to make it into top 20, whilst Halstead managed to get more experience of the car under his belt.
Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing now focuses on Snetterton (24/25 May) with motivation to repeat its top-six finishes at both Donington and Brands with plenty of positives to take forward.
