Aron Smith and Liam Griffin at Thruxton - Photo: PSP Images
Redstone Racing are hoping for plenty to celebrate when the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship returns at Oulton Park next weekend.
The team is taking one of their Ford Focus STs to Northern Ireland on Tuesday as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations before heading to the Cheshire track, where they are looking to continue their strong start to the season.
Team manager Oly Collins said the team were heading to the North-West in a confident mood.
“We’ve made good use of the break,” he said. “As well as working on the cars back at base we've kept busy with a test at Oulton Park, plus half the team went to the Nürburgring for the British GT race and we have a promotional event with Aron on the streets of Dublin.”
The Kent-based squad top the Independent Teams and Drivers Trophy with Mat Jackson, who will be looking for more reasons to celebrate come raceday, when he turns 31.
“I am looking forward to getting back behind the wheel,” said Jackson, who took his second win of the season last time out at Thruxton. “It is a circuit that has been very good to me in the past.
“Although we have had a long break the team has been working tirelessly on the cars to bring us closer to our NGTC-spec rivals.”
The team's youngest driver, Aron Smith, who will demonstrate his Focus at Dublin’s Bavaria City Racing event, is keen to get back racing following a successful test at the track early into the six-week break.
He said: “Firstly this gap has been too long – I don’t know what to do with myself, I’m just dying to go racing again!
“The first three rounds flew by but at least the gap has given us a chance to go testing and work on my set-up for Oulton Park.
“I've never felt as confident in the car as I did coming away from the test so fingers crossed it will translate into some good results and pay dividends for the hard work the team has put in.”
Liam Griffin may not have enjoyed the smoothest of starts to the season but he is looking to start afresh following his first top ten qualifying result of the season in Hampshire.
“Despite a hefty impact at Thruxton I came away feeling that it had actually been a good weekend,” he commented. “I had my best qualifying session in ninth and finished race three in 11th, which is good progress.
“Unfortunately I haven’t been able to get out in the car since the last round but it does create a bit more eagerness that hopefully I can put to good use.”
