JDM goodness at Brands Hatch
Us MAXERS boys are feeling grateful right now. Grateful that in a tricky old year we've been able to hang out with chums and cool cars - something that we really love to do.
So, I think it would be only right to start this Go Japan! show report with a big up to all those organisers out there who've put on some wicked modded car shows for us petrolheads this year. Takes some balls and plenty of passion to run an event right now. And big up to all the awesome Maxers that took the time - and found the fuel! - to support shows familiar and new.
Now let's get into that Go Japan! JDM goodness!
We'll start with the lifeblood of our beloved shows - the car clubs. Clubs from all over represented in fine style on the rolling Brands Hatch lawns, and it was a truly pleasant place to be. Millsy and I chatted to many of you, including this friendly bunch from the Dark Side Modified Car Club. They're just down the road from us in Essex, which is nice.
Loads more car club pics in the gallery at the bottom :)
Lovely bunch that they are, the Go Japan! team dished out some big trophies of appreciation. Here are the car club winners, from left to right: Best Tuned Cars: Essex Scooby Crew, Best Stand: Honda NSX Club, Biggest Club: Modified Empire.
Another fun feature at Go Japan! that couldn't happen without some up for it Maxers was the HKS JDM eating competition. The food was suitably Japanese - some of it proper stinky! - and the contestants had to woof the lot first to win the grand prize of a sweet Tamiya R/C kit. One bloke couldn't take the heat and ran off to puke in a bin!! Millsy was going to go in for it, but he only eats big sausages!
The show celebrated 50 years of the Honda Civic with a dedicated display of the world's favourite Jap hot hatch from across the decades. Many a car for the dream garage in this rev-tastic line-up. My K24 Civic will defo be at the show next year. Probably! (haha - Millsy)
Track action of all types is a big part of the Go Japan! show, and there was plenty of poke on display at the legendary Brands Hatch circuit. With so many great places to watch the Drift Pro Championship demo, Time Attack, and more, the track was lined with appreciative punters all day.
Drift cars and star drivers up first. They were SENDING IT!!!
Time Attack UK cars up next, and as we walked into the pits the big, 'Pro Extreme' cars fired up and I was overtaken by a warm and fuzzy feeling that only thousands of horsepower - or a massive hit of crack! - can give you! (I think that warm feeling was just you wetting your pants - Millsy)
Great to catch up with Simon Norris of Norris Designs and his always mental SWB, roof-chop, twin-charged EVO9. Simon was testing new parts in his 1300bhp 'flying bogie' but still managed to take the win in the top class with a Brands Hatch Indy lap time of 46.084 secs! Great to see these cars ripping through the rollercoaster Paddock Hill bend.
Time for a few random pics:
Right, next up and before we get into our bangin' Go Japan! show video, let's take time to check out the best (and only!) BM at the show. It's our very own Max Power Millsy's E46 M3.
Resplendent in Porsche Rubystone Red, she got all the Insta love parked up and polished. We've done many a show mile in the trusty BM this year, and I hope to repay the favour - just going a bit faster ;) - in the mighty K24 Civic next show season.
Random well nice MX-5 alert!
And here are ALL THE PICS! Just click those right/left arrows :)
