If you wish to go circuit racing, there are usually a number of important steps: Choose a category or race collection, select your automobile, after which enlist the assistance of knowledgeable or roll up your sleeves and construct or rebuild it your self inside the ruleset.
Today, many go for the previous, as race retailers carry a wealth of expertise to the desk – and motorsport will be prohibitively costly. But, there’s a devoted group who burn the midnight oil of their garages, sacrificing money and time to chase their racing desires. Josh Lawton is one among them.
I’ve been following Josh on social media for a number of years now, and over this time, his twin expertise as a driver and automobile builder has been evident. A ballsy lap of the Nürburgring in his different automobile – a turbocharged EK Honda Civic – was a specific spotlight.
Ultimately, Josh discovered that monitor days weren’t sufficient to fulfill his aggressive spirit. So, together with his father’s assist, they determined to construct a correct race automobile.
The Civic – an EG hatchback – now competes within the Traditional Touring Automotive Racing Championship collection, particularly within the Thunder Saloons. The essential necessities for this class are that the automobile should have been produced earlier than 2011 and initially seat 4.
This leads to various rivals – from supercharged E46 BMW M3s to ex-Australian V8 Supercars. Towards factory-built sports activities automobiles, you may suppose a home-built Civic can be out of its depth, however that’s not the case.
Given Josh’s long-standing love for Hondas – fueled by his father gifting him an EG Civic shell to work on collectively at 14 – the Honda selection was a no brainer.
By 16, Josh knew his profession can be within the automotive world. He initially certified as a pipe welder, which outfitted him with essential fabrication expertise. Every part else has been handed down from his father.
The EG Civic underwent a big weight discount earlier than receiving a complete weld-in roll cage, tube-frame entrance finish (which included relocating the OEM shock towers), and FRP doorways with polycarbonate home windows.
To maintain tempo with the competitors, Josh made some strategic changes. One was upgrading to 18-inch wheels – 11 inches vast up entrance and 10.5 inches within the rear – wrapped in slicks. By working Michelin medium compounds on the entrance and Yokohama gentle compounds out again, Josh says the automobile is far more manageable than working medium compounds throughout.
With a purpose to accommodate the vast wheels and tyres, the Civic encompasses a full carbon fibre entrance finish and added bolt-on rear fenders.
Over three years of racing and growth, the automobile’s aero package deal has advanced considerably, drawing inspiration from two Australian EGs – JDMyard’s time assault automobile and Jordan Cox’s Improved Manufacturing class Civic – in addition to using basic aerodynamic ideas.
The aggressive carbon entrance splitter, flat ground, and vortex-generating facet skirts – crafted in-house – result in a big rear diffuser and gooseneck wing.
Whereas none of those aero additions have been wind tunnel examined, Josh’s software of their fundamental ideas and steady on-track testing have resulted in a cohesive, well-balanced package deal. The adage ‘if it appears proper, it in all probability is true’ rings true right here.
Stopping energy comes from 340mm 2-piece rotors, clamped by Brembo callipers sourced from a Renault Megane and paired with Pagid RST5 pads up entrance. On the rear, OEM callipers are deemed enough.
Yellowspeed coilovers with 20kg/mm entrance and 16kg/mm rear springs could seem stiff, however after experimenting with varied setups, Josh has discovered this mix to be the candy spot for circuit racing.
Below the hood, the Civic boasts a 2.4L Honda Ok-series engine – with some added increase. Sourced from a Honda Accord, the K24A3 engine options cast rods, a K20 oil pump, an upgraded consumption cam, and stronger valve springs. The Rotrex C38-91 supercharger forces compressed air by way of a sizeable Treadstone Efficiency intercooler and 70mm throttle physique, whereas a 4-2-1 exhaust manifold and full 3-inch exhaust system handle the exhaust stream.
To face up to the rigours of racing, the K20 5-speed gearbox has been fitted with Gear-X semi-helical gears, a KAAZ 1.5-way plate limited-slip differential, and a Hybrid Racing shifter and cables.
Inside, the Civic is stripped right down to its naked bones, with little greater than a race seat and driver controls inside the roll cage. The electronics package deal features a Hondata KPro4 that Josh tuned himself, which connects to an ECUMaster ADU7 show and a PMU16 energy administration unit. In crafting the motorsport-spec loom, Josh obtained invaluable help from a buddy at Fulcrum Motorsport.
By this level, you might have realised that it is a real privateer effort, with Josh and his household enterprise virtually each facet of the construct themselves. Whereas discussing the construct, Josh shared, “A part of the joys is the automobile growth as a lot because the racing. It brings an additional sense of accomplishment.”
In the course of the Manufacturers Hatch Supertourer occasion this yr, the Thunder Saloon races stood out as a spotlight. After a convincing win in an earlier race, Josh revealed his Civic was experiencing engine points. Adopting a ‘checkers or wreckers’ mindset, he pushed on after a temporary off to struggle again by way of the sector and declare third place. It was a surprising drive.
To date, Josh has competed in 10 Thunder Saloons races, securing seven podiums, together with 5 wins. He’s additionally set lap data for Thunder Saloons at each monitor he’s visited, suggesting his trophy cupboard could quickly want an improve.
The following time you’re at a race occasion that includes help races, don’t overlook them. Take a stroll by way of the pits, discover the drivers like Josh who pour their hearts into their very own automobiles, and hold a watch out for them on monitor – they simply is likely to be the spotlight of your day.
Chaydon Ford
Instagram: chaycore
