Andrew Jordan and the Pirtek Racing team secured their first victory of the 2013 British Touring Car Championship as the 2012 Independents’ Championship closed to within 5 points of the Championship lead.
Having set the third fastest time in qualifying despite carrying 36 kilos of success ballast for arriving second in the Championship, Jordan believes that he was on for Pole Position.
“It should have been pole,” explains Jordan, who lost time at the final chicane on his best lap.
“To qualify a tenth of a second, with a mistake, off Shedden when we had 36 kg was very good: it was excellent to have the pace to be up there with the weight we had on.”
Lining up third on the grid for the first race of the day, Jordan brought home the #77 Pirtek Racing Honda Civic home second behind Gordon Shedden in the works Honda Civic and he finished 0.426s behind the Scotsman.
“The car was fantastic,” added Jordan.
“To run with 36kg and get as close to Gordon as that was amazing. Even with our weight we caught him towards the end but couldn’t really make a gap anywhere. This is a really good result for the team.
“The guys have worked very hard and things are going really well for us at the moment. Consistency is the key and you’ve got to keep focussed on the big picture.”
Having taken second in the opening race of the weekend, Jordan then went one better as he took his first victory of the season in the second race, his fifth BTCC victory.
He took the lead from race one victor Shedden at Redgate and never looked back as he pulled away while the others diced behind him.
“That was the best race I’ve ever driven,” he said after the race.
“I had to do quite a big move on Shedden into Redgate. Then he and Plato were battling and that allowed me to go clear but still look after my tyres in case Plato got clear. The car was superb.”
After his race two victory, Jordan headed into the final race one point behind in the Championship standings but with the handicap of starting 10th and with maximum success ballast on board the Honda Civic.
An off track excursion early in the race meant that Jordan had to pit but he fought his way back to finish 13th overall and took the point for fastest lap which leaves him 5 points off the Championship lead heading to Thruxton.
“I got grass in the radiator and I couldn’t continue because the engine temperature was going up,” explains Jordan.
“We got back up to 13th and we still got the fastest lap in the race, even with 45kg of ballast. I wanted to get a top six, which I think was on the cards. But we still managed to close the gap to Plato to just five points,” he concluded.
Team-mate Jeff Smith secured a brace of top ten finishes plus an 11th place finish in the three races at Donington as well as his first ever race fastest lap in the second race.