Mat Jackson and Motorbase Performance sent their messages of support to the injured Luke Davenport, on a weekend where the team picked up a maiden win of the 2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season at Croft.
2008 BTCC runner-up Jackson climbed to ninth in the Drivers’ Championship after the team’s strongest weekend of the season, grabbing a first victory in the final race in North Yorkshire to add to a race one podium finish.
The Ford Focus ST driver had previously enjoyed a best result of fifth in the season-opening meeting at Brands Hatch, Jackson saying that the Motorbase package showed significant improvements in performance heading into the summer break.
“The car has moved on massively from Oulton Park”, said Jackson, who sits 86 points adrift of the series lead. “The boys have worked really hard and the results this weekend have shown that. It’s great to be back up there and challenging for wins. From the word go the car was quick, free practice and qualifying showed great pace and P3 put us in the right place for the first race.
“To perform so strongly here against the rear wheel drive cars is fantastic. We can go away from here happy with our performance and hopefully build on this for the second half of the season.”
Jackson’s attention shifted to the condition of team-mate Davenport, injured in a multi-car qualifying accident at Barcroft on a wet Saturday. The rookie has since undergone numerous successful operations on his leg and pelvis but remains in an induced coma, Motorbase confirming in a statement that there are ‘no signs of any injuries to his head, neck or spine’.
Jackson added “obviously our attention is focussed on Luke and his family. It’s never nice to see any driver involved in that kind of incident but when it’s your teammate it brings it even closer to home. We just hope that he comes out of it ok and is back with us and in a race car soon.”
Team Principal David Bartrum echoed Jackson’s message, adding “our thoughts from this weekend are with Luke and his family. What happened to him, Jeff and Aron is an unfortunate part of motorsport. It’s been difficult for everyone involved but they were looked after very well and they’re in the best capable hands.
“Luke has quite a journey ahead of him to get back where he needs to be, but the show must go on and he would want that and when he’s fit and well we’ll be playing him all the videos and he’ll be more determined to get back out there. Today’s results were the tonic that everyone needed. It’s been a difficult day for the team dealing with the emotions of podiums and race wins which is what we all come racing for but that’s balanced with the guilt of feeling that Luke should have been celebrating with us.”
