Mat Jackson left Croft in fine form after last weekends triple header of British Touring Car Championship races as his Motorbase Performance team finish the first half of the campaign atop the Independents standings in both categories.
Jackson’s team-mate, 2013 champion Andrew Jordan, extended his advantage in the Drivers category to a margin of 27 points ahead of Tom Ingram, with Jackson a further 8 points adrift. Similarly, Motorbase lead Ingram’s Speedworks Motorsport outfit by 55 markers heading into the summer break.
The weekend at Croft was a mixed bag for Jackson. After qualifying ninth, some 0.6 seconds slower than pole-sitter Colin Turkington, the former series runner-up was able to better his position marginally to cross the line 8th in the first contest. He improved similarly to 6th in race two, before a clash with Aiden Moffat’s Mercedes A-Class forced Jackson into retirement from race three.
Commenting after the dust had settled around the 2.13 mile Yorkshire circuit, Jackson was upbeat about the team’s performance and believes that in flashes the Kent-based squad demonstrated it’s potential.
“I think it’s been a positive weekend all told.” summarised Jackson.
“In the first race, it was difficult on the hard tyre as the safety car came out a few teams and it took away any benefit there may have been in terms of drop off. Race two was good as we showed the pace in the car to be second best of the front wheel drive cars and then in race three, we just made the wrong call.”
“We thought that it could stop raining and in the opening two laps, the car felt okay but then when the rain got heavier, there was nothing I could do.”
“It’s unfortunate that when I ran off, I got collected but these things happen.”
However, despite his misfortune, Jackson was quick to put the results in the wider context of the championship.
“There are more positives than negatives to take away from the weekend and as a team, we’ve increased our lead in the Independents championship which is pleasing ahead of the summer break.”
The BTCC now embarks on it’s annual summer break, with racing set to resume around the Snetterton 300 circuit on the last weekend of July.