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It was a weekend of highs, heartbreak, and 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, May 11th, in Round 2 of the 2025 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.
The Kent circuit, known for its relentless rhythm and unforgiving nature, played host to a packed crowd and fierce racing action as both drivers gave it everything in their Vauxhall Astras.
Basking in the Kent sunshine thousands of BTCC fans descended on the circuit for what would be a traditional, BTCC action-packed day of racing. Full of drama and surprises showing exactly why so many people love this sport.
Mikey Doble delivered his season strongest BTCC qualifying performance to date, putting the car 6th on the grid after showing top-six pace all throughout Saturday. In Race 1, Doble backed up his one-lap speed with a composed and mature drive, soaking up pressure and bringing the car home in 6th place, securing solid points for the team.
“The pace was there from the start of the weekend,” said Doble. “Qualifying went exactly how we wanted, and to bring it home in 6th in Race 1 was a great result.”
However, Race 2 proved far more chaotic. Starting again from P6, Doble’s race quickly descended into survival mode as he was caught in the thick of his and everyone else's battles. The car sustained multiple bouts of contact, including a forceful push-to-pass through Clearways. Eventually all the contact and damage led to a rear puncture, forcing him out of contention and dashing hopes of another strong points finish.
“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. He focused on clean laps and valuable track time throughout the races. Halstead avoided incidents and brought the car home in each outing, collecting crucial experience 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.”
Motor Parts Direct with Power Maxed Racing now focusses on Snetterton with motivation to get the results they know they can achieve, with plenty of positives to take forward, particularly after Doble’s standout qualifying and early-race form.
