Airwaves Racing are hopeful of a repeat of their memorable visit to Silverstone last season, Mat Jackson looking for his first win of the year after a strong showing at Rockingham last time out.
Jackson famously took the Airwaves team’s NGTC-specification Ford Focus to its first victory during last year’s visit to the 1.6 mile National circuit, charging from 17th to first in race two to produce memorable celebratory scenes in park ferme afterwards.
Jackson hopes that Silverstone will again suit the Ford Focus this weekend, saying: “Off the back of our success at Rockingham I am very much looking forward to getting back out on track at Silverstone this weekend.
“It’s a circuit where the Focus can stretch its legs, and it’s been very good to us in the past couple of years – most notably where we sealed our first win in the current NGTC Focus last year – so I am hoping of similar joy this time around.”
Jackson went back to front for 2012 victory (Photo: btcc.net)
This weekend will also be Tom Onslow-Cole‘s second meeting with the Kent-based Motorbase squad, the former Team HARD driver collecting a best finish of ninth place at Rockingham. Onslow-Cole has had success in a Ford for Team AON in the past, and believes that this weekend is one at which he can fight for podiums.
“Silverstone has always been a good track for me in the past”, said Onslow-Cole. “I came very close to being the only person to ever score maximum points in the BTCC there a couple of years ago – it’s one that I enjoy driving and the racing is so close it always makes for an exciting race day.
“Rockingham was a difficult introduction to the car in one of the least desirable conditions you’d want really. The Focus is very close to where it needs to be; but we’ve made a few tweaks to the car ahead of this weekend and I’m confident that we’ll be able to run at the front.”
In contrast, Aron Smith comes off the back of two challenging meetings at Knockhill and Rockingham that have netted him just a solitary top 10 finish in the last six races. It is however a circuit which the Irishman reached the podium during last year’s visit to Silverstone, and Smith hopes that history can repeat itself this weekend.
“Silverstone last year was a break through weekend for me, getting my first podium was a dream come true and certainly is a weekend that I’ll never forget”, Smith enthused. “We saw just how strong the NGTC focus was in the Mat’s hand around Silverstone so the whole team is heading there full of confidence.”
In contrast, the team’s fourth driver, Liam Griffin, is now out of contention for the Jack Sears Trophy championship after mechanical dramas coupled with Lea Wood‘s Rockingham treble put the Vauxhall driver out of reach, Griffin saying: “Rockingham was a huge disappointment; to concede a championship in that way with three DNF’s was gutting.
“I’m glad I’ve pushed Lea Wood as far as I could – without a doubt he’s a worthy champion and it’s just a shame I didn’t get the chance to make him earn it a little bit more! Hopefully we’ll have a bit more fun at Silverstone this weekend and we can add a couple more Jack Sears Trophy’s to the collection!”
