For the second time this year it was the top step of the Dunlop British Touring Car Championship podium for Henley-in-Arden's Mat Jackson as he ended his sensational debut season in the championship with victory in the series's final round of 2007 at the Thruxton circuit.
Mat was joined on the podium by newly crowned outright champion Fabrizio Giovanardi. Mat had spent the first half of the race fending off Independents champion Colin Turkington until Turkington spun trying to overtake allowing Giovanardi to follow Mat home across the line. Earlier in the day, Mat had finished races one and two in seventh and fifth places before an electrifying start from third on the grid saw him get to the front for his win in race three.
His win was broadcast live on ITV1 and has also received attention in many national newspapers today.
Mat, aged 26, has finished the season seventh in the outright BTCC driver standings out of 33 drivers and just two points behind the factory SEAT team's Darren Turner in sixth. He was comfortably ahead of Giovanardi's Vauxhall team-mate Tom Chilton. Furthermore Mat narrowly finished runner-up to Turkington in the Independents championship, while the Jacksons MSport team was the top single-car crew in 2007 with fifth in the outright Teams championship and second in the Independents Teams points table with their #48 BMW 320si.
"What a fantastic way for everyone in the team to end what has been an incredible first season for us," says Mat. "People always remember your last result and winning just as we go into the off-season is really important. This really shows that our first win at Oulton Park in June wasn't a one-off wonder. We have achieved so much in our first season of competing in what is by far the most professional motor racing series in Britain and one of the very top championships in the world.
"Our budget may have been only a fraction of what some of the bigger, more established teams have but we've consistently been at the sharp end and rattled their cages. Yes, their have been some tough moments along the way, but that's all part of the learning process for the future.
"An example of that is the terrible meeting we had at Thruxton in May when we suffered set-up problems which led to a mechanical failure and three non scores. Three months on and look how we've learnt and turned that around to our advantage - we've come back to the same circuit and beaten the very best in the business."
Mat's win at Thruxton yesterday also drew applause right round the circuit from the enormous race day crowd. It is testament to Mat and his Jacksons MSport that in their first season of BTCC they have become one of the most popular teams among the public. Sponsorship for the team throughout the season has come from Whale Tankers, Paul Castle Consultants, Nick Whale BMW, Bosch Rexroth, Sinks-taps.com with trade support from Pro-Align, Maxim magazine, No Excuses, Butlers Vehicle Solutions and Alpha Tankers.
Mat adds: "The public support we've had has been astonishing - everyone we've met, young and old, has had a kind word and I've been asked to sign all sorts of things, even body parts! But it's been a pleasure. It's also great for our sponsors who have played such an important role in our successes this year. Thank you so much to everyone who's got behind us."
Final BTCC points (provisional): Drivers: 1st Fabrizio Giovanardi, 300; 2nd Jason Plato 297; 3rd Gordon Shedden 200; 7th Mat Jackson 158 etc. Independents drivers: 1st Colin Turkington, 285; 2nd Mat Jackson, 270; 3rd Mike Jordan 260 etc. Teams: 1st SEAT Sport UK 446; 2nd VX Racing 421; 3rd Team Halfords 345; 5th Jacksons MSport 155 etc. Independent teams: 1st Team RAC 363; 2nd Jacksons MSport 274; 3rd Eurotech 267 etc.
For the second time this year it was the top step of the Dunlop British Touring Car Championship podium for Henley-in-Arden's Mat Jackson as he ended his sensational debut season in the championship with victory in the series's final round of 2007 at the Thruxton circuit. 
