Brands Hatch Truck Racing & Fireworks

For Bonfire night 2023 we booked something a little different. The final race event of the year at Brands Hatch is the truck racing and as this always falls around Bonfire night they finish the day off with a firework display. From previous years pictures it has always looked like an amazing day and something I have had on my radar for a few years. We were dead lucky with the weather because despite it being cold, we had no rain which is a miracle given the torrential downpours and flood warnings which had been in place all week long.

Luckily Brandon and Holly had no football, but unfortunately Josh had to miss a rugby match as we left home around 10am to get to Brands Hatch for 11. There was a whole day of racing planned including Legends, junior saloons, pick-ups, trucks plus they had drift car displays and so on.

The racing was amazing and we got to see plenty of action and crashes (thankfully no one seriously hurt though). The pick-up trucks were pretty amazing, but the big trucks won for shear noise factor and the lovely smell of burnt fuel! The final truck race of the day was unfortunately abandoned 1 lap in as two trucks crashed on the hairpin and the damage to the barriers would have taken longer than what they had day light left. So the racing was over and it was on to the build up for the fireworks.

They started with a drift car demonstration and then as the sun went down, over 100 trucks with lights and musical horns adorned the whole circumference of the race track making the most amazing spectacle. The truckers looked like they were having a blast trying to out do each other with noise and musical horns etc.

At around 5:30 in the evening the firework display started at the back of the track with the trucks still decorating the track in festive fashion. The firework display was absolutely incredible and I would actually go as far as to say the best I have ever seen. The pictures just don't do any justice to the event which was a complete sell out.

One of the drift cars which would demo on the track towards the end of the day.

I love Brands Hatch and the freedom you have to walk around pretty much  the whole track to take in different perspectives.

The pick-up truck racing was amazing and probably the fastest cars on the track today.

At one point we ventured in to the middle of the track to watch them cornering around the hairpin.

The black and green one was the truck I bet on - didn't do well finishing about 8th.

The bigger trucks were impressive quick despite looking so imbalanced and unstable.

But the noise and smell from the trucks was heaven for a petrol head like me.

This monster 16 wheel recovery vehicle was called in to play a few times during the day.

Sod racing trucks around a hairpin bend.

One of the pick-ups being worked on in the pit area.

There was loads of vans and trucks on display including this award winning Mark I Transit.

And how impressive is this James Bond mural on one of the display trucks.

The other side was equally as impressive.

There was a fairground there to keep Holly from getting bored with just watching the racing.

Out of all the trucks there - this military looking beast was my personal favourite.

Another of the pick-ups in the pit area with substantial fiber glass damage to the front.

Not even Holly smiling for pictures anymore.

As the sun started to set probably one of the clearest rainbows I have ever seen graces the skyline.

Then the real spectacle started as the lit up trucks filled the track ahead of the firework display.

Records were broken as over 100 rigs filled the track lighting it up very festively.

The noise of their horns and the light show was mesmerizing at times.

As far as you can see down the home straight was completely filled with trucks.

And once all in place it was time for the fireworks to start.

Pictures really don't capture how amazing the firework display was.

The display must have gone on for a good 20+ minutes continuously and was well worth the money.

Some of the big rockets were like missiles and physically shook the ground under your feet with the sonic boom.

Just amazing watching the fireworks of the track lit up by 100's of trucks.

Kids not interested in pictures (for their blog) - so me and the Tina trying to keep warm during the display. Amazing day out and would highly recommend.