Brighton Speed Trials: Haywards Heath tuning specialist wins big

QS Tuning, a business that specialises in upgrading German VW Audi cars, is based in Bridge Road.

It won Fastest Car of the Day, Fastest in Class, Fastest VW/Audi and Fastest Club Member with its modified 2017 Audi R8.

Haywards Heath resident Alex Collins, 23, was behind the wheel and said it was a ‘really good day’ with crowds and drivers enjoying the upbeat atmosphere in Madeira Drive.

“It’s such a historic event too,” said Alex, adding that the action-packed contest has been going for more than 100 years.

“I remember as an eight or nine year old going to it with my Grandad and looking round all the cars and thinking ‘wow, this is amazing’,” he said.

Last Saturday was Alex’s first time racing in the trials, and the first time for the company, and he said the experience of winning was fantastic.

“I’ve done loads of racing before with the car,” he said, adding that the race itself was not nerve-wracking but he was a little worried about making a mistake in front of hundreds of people.

“But I trust the car and I trust the work we’ve done on the car,” he said.

He went on to say that QS Tuning had added a twin turbo kit to the Audi, which had given it just under 1300 horsepower.

It did a quarter mile at 159.7mph, Alex said, explaining that the car’s top speed is just over 210mph.

The trophies are now in QS Tuning’s reception and Alex said the company has about 25 trophies in total from various events.

The Brighton Speed Trials features more than 150 cars lining up to take a timed run down Madeira Drive every year.

It is now the oldest event in the racing calendar and the first race was held in July, 1905, after Sir Harry Preston convinced Brighton council to tarmac the road between the Palace Pier and Black Rock for the event.

Visit www.brightonandhovemotorclub.co.uk to find out more.

QS Tuning has been performance tuning vehicles from Ur-quattros to RS6s for the past 20 years. Visit www.qstuning.com.