BMW Dealer Team UK driver Mat Jackson celebrated getting his BTCC campaign back on track today with a second place finish and a brace of fifth places at Thruxton circuit for rounds 10 - 12 of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship and as a result, he now lies fifth in the Championship standings and second in the Independents' Trophy.
The Accident Exchange-backed driver scored his best result of the day in the final 16-lap race at the ultra demanding Hampshire track. Starting from fifth on the grid the 26-year-old demonstrated a flawless start in his BMW 320si race car and immediately gained a place, however Mat was soon passed by Darren Turner and a seven-lap battle ensued with Mat running a mere 0.1s behind the SEAT driver as he reeled off a succession of inch-perfect laps. Jackson kept the pressure on and finally profited as Turner was forced to return to the pits with a front left puncture. As the race progressed the pace increased and by lap 12 the BMW driver was running in third moving up to second a lap later, when Fabrizio Giovandi and Mike Jordan came together at the Club chicane. Jackson moved ahead into second, a position he was to hold until the chequered flag.
Earlier in the day, Jackson started the opening race from 12th on the grid from where he executed perfect start. By the end of lap four he was running in eighth, stealing another place four laps later as he profited from a battle for sixth between Tom Chilton and Darren Turner; Jackson passed Chilton on the exit of the Complex and claimed seventh. Mat then set about hunting down Turner. The BMW demonstrated its power around the 2.3-mile track as Jackson put in an inspiring move on Turner on the penultimate lap, taking the outside line in the first part of the Complex and crossing the line in sixth, however this was not the final outcome as a revised grid gave Jackson a fifth place start for race two as Jason Plato failed the ride height.
Race Two witnessed a frantic start and Jackson was soon side by side with Stephen Jelly as they tussled for fifth on the opening tour. Jelly then went wide and Jackson was then elbowed aside by Neal resulting in Jackson returning demoting him to sixth. The safety car was then deployed, calming the pack for the next three laps. Mat was soon back in the action challenging Turner for fifth after the front-running pack re-shuffled on lap eleven. Despite valiant attempts to pass Turner, Jackson was kept firmly at bay and looked to finish in sixth place until the race leader, and defending Champion Giovanardi suffered a puncture on the final lap resulting in Jackson coming home in fifth.
Jackson commented: "It has been a tough weekend but we got a good podium result in the end and come away with three point scoring rounds, which is what it is all about. It was especially good to get a result here after Donington, we may not have had the fastest outright car out there today but the BMW was definitely one of the most consistent and that in the end scores the points which is good for everyone.."
Team Principal Chris Tee commented, "It all turned out well in the end. Everyone has work very hard and Mat drove three superb races and the car performed the best it could at this harsh track. The three good results has now put us back on target with the Championship."
Race One Result T Onslow-Cole (Vauxhall) C Turkington (BMW 32si) F Giovanardi (Vauxhall) M Neal (Vauxhall) M Jackson (BMW) D Turner (SEAT) T Chilton (Honda) A Jones (SEAT)
Race Two Result T Onslow Cole (Vauxhall) C Turkington (BMW) M Neal (Vauxhall) D Turner (SEAT) M Jackson (BMW) A Jones (SEAT) J Plato (SEAT) G Shedden (Honda)
Race Three Result J Plato (SEAT) M Jackson (BMW) F Giovanardi (Vauxhall) M Neal (Vauxhall) A Jones (SEAT) C Turkington (BMW) T Onslow-Cole (Vauxhall) M Jordan (Honda)
Championship Standings - Top Ten 1 F Giovanardi (Vauxhall) 114 2. J Plato (Seat) 96 3. T Onslow Cole (Vauxhall) 93 4.M Neal (Vauxhall) 90 5. M Jackson (BMW) 83 6. D Turner (SEAT) 75 7. G Shedden (Honda) 67 8. 10. C Turkington (BMW) 63 9. A Jones (SEAT) 49 T Chilton (Honda) 41
