The Airwaves Racing run Motorbase Performance team head to Thruxton for rounds 7, 8 and 9 of the 2013 British Touring Car Championship looking to get their season back on track.
After a testing start to the season at Brands Hatch and Donington Park, the team hope that the changes made to the NGTC Ford Focuses will move them up the field and back into contention.
“After a pretty tough first two rounds we’re headed to Thruxton with some cautious optimism,” Oly Collins, team manager for Motorbase Performance said.
“We suffered a few issues at Donington which were out of our control but we feel sure that’s behind us now. There has been a lot of work done on set up and we now go into this weekend with increased confidence.
“This is where our season starts and we’re looking for some solid results which we can build on.”
Mat Jackson is a former race winner for the team at Thruxton, having secured victories in the last 2 years in the S2000 Ford Focus and he was part of the teams’ first ever 1-2 finish in 2010, when the team ran BMW 320si’s for himself and Steven Kane.
Having never run the NGTC car at the Hampshire circuit, all eyes will be on the tyre degradation of the cars.
“Since Donington we’ve gone back to basics to try and find the pace in the car,” explains Jackson, who is currently 10th in the Championship.
“We’re basically starting again from scratch from what we’ve learnt so far and trying a completely different set-up to move try and move forward.
“Thruxton will be pivotal for us this season; we need to get some solid points this weekend to get back in the fight for the championship and our fortunes have to change!”
Irishman Aron Smith is one place ahead of Jackson in the Championship standings having picked up a brace of top 10 finishes at Donington Park. He also challenged up at the front of the field in the final race before slipping back down the order.
“Donington was a step in the right direction for us and we’ve started to get our heads around the car especially in race trim.
“I’ve always loved Thruxton; it’s the track on the calendar that I count down the days in anticipation! The track is the fastest in the UK and one of those tracks that every lap is on the edge, from what I’ve learnt at Donington our car was strong through the high speed sections which will suit Thruxton. I’m hoping that this weekend will be the start of our championship!”
Liam Griffin will be looking to extend his advantage in the Jack Sears Trophy at Thruxton, after a troubled weekend in the East Midlands where he failed to finish either of the final two races.
Thruxton is where the Addison Lee Motorbase driver secured his best BTCC race start position to date – he qualified 9th for race one last year – and he is looking forward to returning to the Hampshire circuit.
“Thruxton is one of my favourite circuits and the place where I have had my best ever qualifying,” explains Griffin. “The races didn’t quite go to plan last year but it is somewhere that I am looking forward to going back to.
“It was a disappointing weekend last time out with technical issues denying the chance for any more silverware but we think we have found the problem so fingers crossed.
“The championship is shaping up nicely and it should be another competitive weekend,” he concludes.