21/08/2026
🏁 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT AT SKEGNESS 🏁
Last night, two of our sponsored drivers, Max Harding and our very own Strikes Social Bar Manager, Josh Malt #121, lined up for the biggest race of the season at Skegness Stadium: the Modstox National Championship Final. 🏆
Getting two Strikes Social sponsored cars into a 25 car National Final, both starting right towards the sharp end of the grid, was something we were incredibly proud to see.
🔥 MAX HARDING: POLE POSITION
Max has had the sort of season most drivers could only dream of.
In a grid packed with seriously talented drivers, Max has racked up more race wins than anybody else, earning himself pole position for the National Championship Final.
That alone tells you just how strong his season has been.
He came into the National in brilliant form too, with another race win at the previous meeting and podium finishes to back it up.
When the green flag dropped last night, Max was right in the fight at the front. Unfortunately, getting involved in a proper little dogfight for the podium places cost him the opportunity to go after the win, but he still brought the car home in a fantastic 3rd place in the National Championship. 🥉
In a full contact formula where absolutely anything can happen, standing on the podium in the biggest race of the year is still a massive achievement.
💬 Max Harding:
"Obviously I went there wanting to win it. Starting on pole after the season we've had, you know you've got a genuine chance and I was determined to give it everything. It got pretty lively fighting for the podium places and unfortunately it didn't quite fall our way, but that's racing.
Third in the National Championship is still something I'm really proud of and we've had an unbelievable season so far.
Now the focus turns to winning the Silver Roof. That's another massive championship to win and, with the position we're in after the season we've had, it's definitely there for us to take. We just need to keep doing what we've been doing, keep picking up the results and hopefully we'll have another roof to show for it by the end of the season!
I can't thank everyone who helps with the car, supports me and sponsors me enough. There's still plenty of racing left, so we'll keep pushing."
And looking at the season Max is having, you'd certainly say that Silver Roof is his for the taking. 👀🥈
🔴 JOSH MALT #121: 5TH ON THE GRID
Then we've got our very own Bar Manager, Josh.
This is Josh's first ever season racing anything.
No previous oval racing. No years spent working his way through different formulas.
And last night he lined up 5th on the grid for the National Championship Final.
That's a pretty mega achievement in itself.
Josh also came into the meeting as one of the most in form drivers on the grid. At his previous meeting he managed to win two of the four races, while still finishing on the podium in the others.
So between Max and Josh, our two lads arrived at Skegness with race wins behind them and probably about as much confidence and form as you could ask for going into the biggest meeting of the year.
Things didn't quite fall Josh's way in the final either, but he kept himself in the fight and brought the #121 home in a very respectable 6th place out of 25 cars.
For somebody who hadn't raced anything before this season, finishing 6th in a National Championship Final in a full contact formula isn't bad going at all. 👏
💬 Josh Malt:
"If you'd told me at the start of the year that I'd be starting 5th in the National Championship Final, I probably wouldn't have believed you! I've never raced anything before this season, so I'm still learning every single time I go out there.
After winning two races at the previous meeting I went into Skegness feeling really confident. Obviously you always want to finish higher, but 6th out of 25 cars in the biggest race of the year is something I'm massively proud of.
Having the Strikes Social name on the car makes it even more special for me because it's obviously such a big part of my life away from racing too. The support I've had from everyone has been brilliant and I'm absolutely loving it.
Next up is Buxton on Bank Holiday Monday, which is going to be a bit different because my younger brother is hiring a car and racing alongside me for the first time. So I think Mum and Dad thought having one son out there was stressful enough... now Darren and Lorraine have got two of us to worry about! 😂
I can't wait for it though. It should be a brilliant day and hopefully we can both keep the cars pointing the right way!"
We can already imagine Darren and Lorraine watching two Malt brothers going into Turn 1 together... 😂
Good luck with that one!
Some of you might actually recognise both Max and Josh's cars too...
Earlier this year, Max and Josh had their cars on display in Rugby Central for Bike Fest, giving people the chance to get up close, have a look around and even climb inside.
Although watching people trying to climb back out again was probably the best entertainment. 😂
And one of the nicest parts of the Skegness weekend actually happened away from the racing.
Josh bumped into some Strikes Social customers who were on holiday in Skegness.
They'd seen that there was a race meeting on at Skegness Stadium and decided to go along and see what oval racing was all about.
They didn't really know much about the sport and certainly had no idea that someone from their hometown, never mind the Bar Manager from somewhere they visit back in Rugby, was going to be racing in the National Championship!
For Josh, seeing familiar faces from Rugby standing at a race track all the way over in Skegness was a brilliant surprise.
And for them, what started as simply going along to see what this oval racing thing was all about suddenly gave them somebody local to cheer on!
That's one of the great things about oval racing. You can turn up not really knowing what to expect and very quickly find yourself hooked on the noise, the contact and 25 cars all fighting for the same bit of track. 😅🏁
So although the National Championship trophy didn't quite come back to Rugby with our lads this time, we couldn't be prouder of what Max and Josh have achieved so far this season.
🥉 Max Harding: 3rd in the National Championship
🏁 Josh Malt #121: 6th in the National Championship
🔥 Two Strikes Social sponsored cars inside the top six.
Not a bad night's work.
And there is still plenty left to fight for.
🥈 Max has his sights firmly set on the Silver Roof.
👬 Josh will be joined on track by his younger brother at Buxton.
😬 Darren and Lorraine's stress levels are about to double.
Massive congratulations to both lads on everything you've achieved so far this year.
➡️ Next stop: Buxton Raceway on Bank Holiday Monday!
Good luck boys. Go give it another go. 🏁❤️
STRIKES SOCIAL x MODSTOX
