Andrew Jordan refused to let himself think about the championship despite a strong Saturday performance at Brands Hatch.
The championship leader by 34 points heading into the season finale, Jordan qualified third on the grid in the 30-minute session while his nearest rival Matt Neal ended the session in the barriers.
The Eurotech Honda driver shook off the handicap of carrying 45kg of success ballast to reach the second row of the grid for Sunday’s first of three title-deciding races, out-qualified only by the two MG6s of KX Momentum Racing‘s Jason Plato and Sam Tordoff.
Jordan, who claimed the Independent championship title at the Kent circuit last season, was also helped by the misfortune of his nearest rival Neal, the works Honda Civic driver starting 16th after crashing heavily at Paddock Hill Bend.
“I’m very happy with that”, a satisfied Jordan told theCheckeredFlag.co.uk afterwards. “Carrying maximum weight and to be the top Honda, I’m very, very happy with how it has gone. It’s one day down and just another one to go.
“It’s the heaviest car in the pit lane but it’s been quick all day – wet or dry – so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Jordan will share the second row with another championship rival, Gordon Shedden, and kept his cards close to his chest afterwards with the threat of rain on Sunday still in the balance.
“I’ll get excited when I’m crowned champion! “It’s not worth it yet. We’ve put ourselves in a good position, but a lot can’t happen yet.
“I think it’s going to rain, but that doesn’t really change our approach – we know what we have got to do. I don’t even care if it rains, If we can get it done by race two then I’ll be really happy and then we can get excited.”
His main rival Neal says he fully intends to race on Sunday despite suffering bruising from the steering wheel in the impact, Honda stating after qualifying that the sub-frame of the Civic needs replacing, but should be fixed in time as the team work into the night to rebuild the #2 car.
Jordan would win the championship in race one if:
– He wins and Neal and Shedden finish sixth or lower
– He finishes second and Neal and Shedden finish 10th or lower
– He finishes third, Neal and Shedden finish lower than 12th, and Plato or Turkington fail to win
