“Coming off of another strong showing at Gridlife Atlanta with a double podium in Streetmod for ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ, I was feeling all the momentum and all the confidence heading into my 10th Gridlife Midwest, the event that started it all for me! The energy at Gridlife Midwest is just unmatched in every way, from the massive crowds to the festival vibes throughout the weekend, it’s always been my favourite event making a podium here just that much more meaningful. This is Gridlife’s Indy 500.”

“This weekend proved to me more of a challenge that I could have ever expected though. Right at the first corner of the very first session, my ABS failed, making each braking zone incredibly challenging. While racing a car designed without ABS is relatively straightforward, racing one without it that’s designed to have it is nothing short of dangerous.”

“Because of this, I was far off of the pace I needed to be fighting at the front, and potentially too far off to even put it in the top-5 for the podium sprint. I knew that if I wanted a podium, I needed to give it my absolute everything to at the very least make it into the sprint in order to give us the chance to fix our ABS issues, and I was able to do just that! Modulating my SR-21 pads and focusing on perfecting each and every braking zone, I got us into the sprint by just over a second! This gave us a full day to chase whatever electrical issue was causing our problems. Thankfully, Gridlife is a paddock full of the most helpful people, and after getting help from a couple mechanics on a Rush SR team, we found the blown fuse, and the ABS was back to working as it should! 

“Come Sunday, I knew what I had to do, and now that I could actually lean into the full potential of my ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ brakes, I knew I could give it my everything to go for my third podium in a row for the season! Although I missed out on second place due to fuel cuts from the car getting little too hot waiting in the pits from an incident on track, I was able to secure third, and with Eric Dewitt in first, this was yet another double podium for ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ! After such a challenging event, to be able to come home with a podium is something I’ll forever be grateful for. Next up we’ve got Watkins Glen, one of my favourite tracks and a place that the Mercedes really shines at! The last time we were there, not only did I set the Streetmod record, I was also able to get the overall record! I’m so hyped to see what we can do this time!â€�

“Going into this weekend, fresh off of a strong result at Gridlife Carolina coming in P2, I had so much confidence to give it my everything one of my all-time favourite tracks: Road Atlanta. To start out the weekend, I was met with some traffic during my flyers, so initially I wasn’t able to show what the true pace was. With this being a two-day, traditional time attack weekend with a limited schedule, the pressure was on to put together a perfect lap. On top of that, we had rain in the forecast for Sunday, potentially limiting us to only 3 dry sessions.”

“Road Atlanta is a very high-speed track, with the car hitting speeds of over 165 mph, putting the braking performance on centre stage. My SR-21s performed at their best, giving me the confidence to carry as much speed as possible into even the heaviest of braking zones, without a single ounce of hesitation, just full confidence. Ending the day on Saturday, I still never got a truly clean lap catching traffic on a track that is incredibly difficult to pass at, but even with this, I was able to put us into P3 going into Sunday.”

“Come Sunday morning, to my surprise, we had no rain! I knew exactly where I needed to find the time, and I did just that. Battling back and forth up until the last session, I ended the weekend in P2, with Eric Dewitt in P1, also on ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵs! Just like Carolina, this was an ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ Streetmod 1-2, and on top of that, in ClubTR, the entire podium was swept by ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ equipped cars! I couldn’t be prouder to show represent ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ in such a strong showing against such a strong field at one of the most difficult tracks in the world.â€�

“We ended up scoring P2 at Gridlife Carolina, and Dewey got P1 so we’re looking at an ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ front-row lockout!

“The first day, we battled the heat since temps were in the 90s, but on Sunday after putting in some sticker tires I was able to go 5 tenths faster than my previous personal best!”

“The SR-21s felt incredible all weekend and I really had the confidence to push into the braking zones and trust the ABS when needed.

“Next up is Atlanta and I really think we’ve got a good shot at getting P1 there, it’s a track that really suits the Mercedes and personally a track that I’m very comfortable at.�

“A day of mixed weather was no challenge for PB Racing with JMH’s Peter Erceg and Marcus Clutton, as they prevailed in a thrilling 100-minute battle at Donington Park over GT3 debutants Team BRIT.

“Qualifying on pole, it looked as though BRIT’s Jamie Falvey and Peter Fullick had put themselves in prime position for a brace of victories in their BMW M4 GT3. But pre-race rain threw a spanner in the works and changing strategies opened the door for experienced hands Erceg and Clutton to power ahead to Group GT3 and Overall glory. 

“GTC was a thriller from the start, and it was JMH who walked away from the East Midlands with two wins for the team as Frank Morris and James Pickford powered to the Group win. SVG Motorsport took a double as Marc Elman and Cameron Pratt-Thompson snatched GTH, whilst a gamble to go on slicks before the competition gave Neil Wallace and Ian Astley the foundation to take GTA honours. Paul Bailey and David Brabham did a GTO double in their new Mercedes-AMG whip with SB Rce Engineering.�

ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ Racing has a well-established relationship with the GT Cup, with many teams on the grid already sporting the firm’s motorsport braking components and a successful sponsorship between the two parties previously carried out across the 2020 season.

“We managed to get the Civic back together after the crash and made the last two races of the year! 

“After a mid-season crash at a wet Donington Park, the Semprini Racing Civic underwent an unscheduled rebuild! 

“Joining up with the Club Racing UK team for the famous Birkett Relay, the ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ SR-11/Bluestuff-equipped Civic made its return to action on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit. 

“Pressed into action for two stints rather than the planned one due to an issue with another car in the team, Jeremy quickly got himself and the car back up to speed and posted a best lap time two seconds quicker than when they had raced at the circuit earlier in the season.”

“The final race of the season was in the Trackday Trophy at Brands Hatch and was a unique experience as qualifying had to take place behind the safety car because of fog. This meant grid positions were drawn out of a cup with Jeremy drawing P30 out of the 34 cars! 

“Come race time and the fog had lifted but the rain had started. A very busy start at the Brands Hatch Indy circuit from P30 saw Jeremy stay out of trouble and then set about some overtaking… and some more overtaking!

“In tricky wet conditions, Jeremy relied on the excellent feel from the ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ setup and made up an incredible 25 places to finish 5th overall and 4th in class at the flag. In fact, Jeremy made up more places than any other driver!

“On to 2026 now and plans are already taking shape for another season with the Civic.”

“Last weekend, we were at the track in Portimão. The RP-X brake pads are amazing; the brakes are so nice with my 8-piston calipers.”

“I’ve already installed the high-pressure fuel injectors, but am yet to perform a remap, but I still made a good lap time of 2:40 on a rainy day – the track was so wet.�

• More info on RP-X: RP-X Racing Brake Pads – ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ
• ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ Racing components: Where To Buy ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ RP1 and RPX Race Brake Pads – ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ
• RP-1 or RP-X? Should I choose RP-1 or RP-X Pads? – ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ

“A mixed first half of the season!

“Semprini Racing’s ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ-equipped Honda Civic has had a busy and mixed start to the season. Electrical gremlins in pre-season testing meant the first round of the BRSCC Supersport Endurance Cup was missed, with the season starting instead with the MSV Trackday Trophy at Silverstone.

“This season, the Civic is once again with the tried-and-tested combination of ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ SR-11 front pads and Bluestuff rear, giving that great combination of stopping power and pedal feel.

“Solid mid-class pace at Silverstone, but importantly, reliability from the first race with a new engine wiring loom gave the team a huge relief.

“Next up was the delayed return to the Supersport grid at Oulton Park, a great track and firm favourite of both Jeremy and Phil. Tricky, changeable wet/dry conditions saw the pair again solidly mid-class without taking undue risks. The feel from the SR-11/Bluestuff combo meant braking in the changeable conditions was predictable and the drivers could concentrate on finding grip on the damp track. Despite a last lap clutch failure, the Civic was classified as a finisher and we breathed a sigh of relief, only to have the recovery truck pull the front of the car off and damage the oil cooler, meaning a bigger repair job than hoped for!

“With clutch and oil cooler replaced and the car put back together, it was off to Snetterton – a circuit the Civic has performed well at historically. Qualifying was tricky with both drivers unhappy with the feel from the car and unable to match times from previous visits. We started the race a bit further back than hoped for and after 20 minutes alternator failure ended our race early. We subsequently found a leaky shock absorber to explain the poor handling. Surely our luck had to change soon!

“Onwards to Brands Hatch and back to the Trackday Trophy on the iconic Grand Prix circuit. Jeremy is driving these races solo this year as Phil shares another Civic with his sons in this series. Putting in competitive lap times in an extremely close top Class B, Jeremy improved on his previous visits to the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit and was comfortable in the car, now complete with new shock absorber and alternator plus some other setup changes. A fresh set of each of the SR-11 and Bluestuff pads completed the car prep.

“A poor start by Jeremy saw him drop a couple of places and settle in to a battle in the middle of the class B pack. A safety car just as the pit window opened where Jeremy decided to stay out and gain a lap over those ahead who pitted backfired when the Safety Car picked up Jeremy as the leader and slowed him right down. Pitting next time around, the circuit went green as the Civic was stationary, compounding the loss in time!

“Now in 18^th, Jeremy set about overtaking anything in his path, leaning on the ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ brakes as never before to overtake a total of 10 cars – including three in once corner – and finish in 8th overall, 7th in class, with a new personal best lap time. The car felt great and performed well – the driver could do better!â€�

“Back to the BRSCC and Donington Park, where Phil re-joined Jeremy for a double-header Clubsport 45-minute race we used as a test for the main event, the 2-hour SuperSport race on Sunday.

“Another solid mid-class outing in wet conditions on Saturday set us up well for Sunday… or so we thought! Going out first in qualifying on Sunday, Jeremy set out for an early push lap while the track was quiet, unaware a helpful Mini had dropped coolant at the top of the circuit at the fast right hander at Coppice. Full of confidence, Jeremy turned into the corner fully committed to have the car go straight on and into the gravel trap, beached! The lovely marshalls hooked us up to a telehandler and dragged the Civic out so Jeremy could put in another lap to get the requisite three before handing over to Phil. As we’d received ‘mechanical assistance’ to get out of the gravel trap, none of our subsequent lap times counted, so we were plum last on the grid!

“Not to be deterred, Phil took the start and had overtaken five cars before the first corner as he set off to make up places. During his hour-long stint, Phill got us up to an incredible 2nd in class by the time of the change-over. Keeping it consistent and battling fading tyres and diminishing fuel, Jeremy had a good battle for position with the fast Mazda MX-5 in our class and brought the Civic home in 2nd for our first podium and trophy of the season! Finally a good result where car and drivers had combined well,

“Our travels took us to Croft circuit next – the first time Jeremy had been to the new layout, having last raced there on the rallycross circuit over 20 years ago! A fresh pair of SR-11 front pads and it was into a free practice session to iron out any issues and do a bit of set up work followed by a good qualifying in P2 in class behind the all-conquering Audi TT that is dominating this class, but in front of the MX-5 we are battling with.

“Jeremy took the start and actually overtook the Audi into turn 1, but was soon back down to 2nd as the rocket ship Audi took off and joined the battle with the cars in the classes above. Keeping an eye on the Mazda’s pit board, Jeremy could see the gap increasing as he pulled away and settled into a nice rhythm. The Civic then threw its latest curveball by losing 3rd gear as Jeremy came out of the complex towards the final hairpin after 20 minutes. Despite this – and a couple of excursions – he managed to maintain 2nd in class and hand over to Phil with a very useful buffer. Phil duly maintained and then extended the gap before a late safety car which – this time – played into our hands and increased the gap to the Mazda. We crossed the line for another P2 and another trophy, plus a front left tyre down to the cords!”

“Back to Donington and back with MSV for the double header weekend of Trackday Trophy and Trackday Championship. For the first time this season, Jeremy was entered in the TDC and duly strapped on a set of the control Toyo R888R tyres for the wet/very wet qualifying session. Driving on these tyres in the wet for the first time, the Civic Jeremy kept his head and didn’t push things too hard, to come in mid-grid. 

“The race started even wetter and after a reasonable start, Jeremy was battling in a group of cars when one – another MX-5 – spun in front and into the path of an evasive-action taking Jeremy who had nowhere to go, slamming into the spinning Mazda and sustaining considerable damage to the front left of the car. 

“It’ll take some time to repair the Civic, but the aim is to be back out this season, at the very least for the season-ending Birkett Relay, but hopefully for a couple more events before that.

“Big thanks to ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ for the support again this season – we may not get through as many sets of pads as we’d have liked to due to our enforced absence for a while, but the SR-11//Bluestuff combo has been one thing we haven’t had to worry about in this challenging season!â€�

“As an amateur racer, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ RP-1 brake pads have enhanced the performance of my 2003 Porsche Boxster S through the consistency of the brake pedal under heavy braking. The quality of the brakes allows high stopping power into the corners and late braking on the back straightaway at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The pads perform phenomenally on the track and the street.”

“These brakes have an amazing bite with limited noise on and off the track. You wouldn’t know the magnitude of the brake’s capabilities on the streets. The brakes are incognito when cruising on the roads and lively on the track.

“I would highly recommend these to those who want brakes that can be used as a daily driver while converting them to track brakes with limited effort and ease. While braking on the track, my brakes are heavily worked with limited pad wear. They can take the heat and maintain a consistent pedal feel after multiple track sessions.�

“The best way to explain this year was ‘taxing’.  We had our plate full with having to rebuild from the fire at the end of last year. With some Emtron, ECUMasters, and Turbosmart coming on board, we were able to totally re-do the engine management and wiring of the car.  It was a task to say the least and we haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of what is possible.  With the total revamp of the electronics, we were able to install a BMW-based Bosch MK60 ABS unit in the car. This REALLY helped utilise the SR-21 pads in ways we couldn’t confidently do before.

“With development on the rest of the car, we really started to show our speed near the end of the season, even setting a new Street Modified overall record at Road America with a 2:16.3 (beating the overall record by over a second and the AWD record by over 5 seconds!)”

“We finished the season in 4th overall and a clear path to get back to the top.  Off-season development plans include:

 – Changing over to ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ’s GD STI-based STI Apollo Brake Kit.
 – New sequential transmission options (pending rules dispute currently underway).
 – Cutting edge new approach for using electronic wastegates and blow-off valves to drastically help response by utilising our new electronics package.
 – New aerodynamics development. Side skirts and diffuser to start.
 – Cosmetic improvements and potentially a new livery.

“All in all, exciting stuff. None of this would be possible without ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ’s support.  With the changes we have in mind and a MUCH better understanding of our new systems in the car we plan to challenge for the championship again and anything less than records and victories is coming up short…â€�