Honda Fan Cup Finale 2 – Victory by a tenth by Horizon’s finest

After a brief hiatus and to much fanfare, the Honda Fan Cup returned to Forza Horizon 5 to cap off October’s community calendar, providing some top-tier racing and a slick, professional-grade production to boot.

The event really showcased Horizon and it’s US competitors at it’s best, and having seen and experienced both sides of the fence it’s one we can all come to appreciate, from being a casual player to Horizon aficionado – especially when competing for a cut of $10,000.

Honda Cup Finale 1’s action, recap: Horizon 5 Embraces Esports

Hikari brings the Heat

Race 1 took us to Tierra Prospera Circuit, a staple of Horizon 5 known for it’s harsh left-hander at Turn 3, the sweeping changes in elevation and the final sector requiring drivers to push the limits and carry their momentum through to round off the lap. K1Z Hikari was quick to capitalise on a great starting position and immediately claimed pole position, with returning players like LogikJ and established community figures like K1Z Gray tussling for the podium spot, only for DragonK37, another returning favourite, to swoop in for the second position and demote LogikJ down to seventh. Hikari from there had zero trouble keeping up their momentum, placing 2nd on the following race before being dropped down to sixth for Race 3.

Coolmikey, or ‘Wallmikey’?

Race 3 took the drivers to the Sierra Verde Sprint, a sprawling uphill made known for its aggressive double hairpin heading to the final downhill rush, a set piece one particular driver used to unique effect. While it looked like smooth sailing and a tight battle between LogikJ and DragonK37 for the win, C00LMIKEY used the walls to rocket past the competition and gain a temporary – though ill-fated – lead on the race. Lacking the speed on the exit of the section, it was still DragonK37 taking the win and C00LMIKEY settling for 3rd, later being dropped to last position for contravening the rules. The Chat wasted no time in dubbing the moment the point C00LMIKEY became Wallmikey, a name he took in good spirits.

Victory by a tenth

By the time the final, seventh race came, the stage was set for a grand finale. The top 4 drivers (DragonK37, Gray, Hikari and LogikJ) were only separated by 10 points, so everything rode on Chihuahua Circuit. A tight, undulating circuit overlooking Mexico’s Canyon region, it was in fact giron228 who made quick work of the field and established themself as a frontrunner heading into the round, so all eyes were on DragonK37 and Hikari.

With just seconds to go and feather268 disrupting the field with a strong 2nd place, the battling championship protagonists took it to the line with less than a tenth separating the two, the atmosphere in the audience taking the moment from tense to electrifying:

With DragonK37 once again sweeping the finale and taking home another $2,500, quickly proving themselves as one of the fastest Horizon drivers in the US, the battle wasn’t even over, as Gray and Hikari were left tied for second. A tie that only got settled after the fact with race times, and one only cleared by 179 milliseconds. Gray eventually took home the silver with a Total Time of 24:11.084, with Hikari just being pipped at 24:11.263.

The Honda Fan Cup returns next month with Halo Infinite, but that is by no means the end of Horizon 5 coverage. As many events plan to expand to new territory and only grow, such as Horizon’s 1 Hour of Racing announcing their latest ventures and Season 3, there’s no shortage of action within the playground of Horizon.

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