Mike Jordan was a proud and relieved father after a tense final meeting at Brands Hatch, which ended with his son claiming an emotional maiden British Touring Car Championship title.
Andrew Jordan survived a damp and chaotic weekend at Brands Hatch’s GP circuit to emerge as the 2013 BTCC champion, beating last year’s title winner Gordon Shedden to the honours by just seven points.
After a long and hard season, Jordan’s father Mike was left beaming after his son claimed not just back-to-back Independent titles, but the overall championship prize in a memorable sixth season in the BTCC.
“I’m very proud yes!” said Andrew’s smiling father to TheCheckeredFlag.co.uk afterwards. “That’s the highest thing you could achieve in the British Touring Car Championship.
“But to win it as a privateer team, and with Andrew being still at a relatively young age as well is fantastic, so I’m absolutely over the moon.”
The championship was sealed with a fine drive in the third and final race of the day at the Kent venue, Jordan recovering from the rear of the field to ninth after a race two collision with Matt Neal put him out of the second encounter and set up a tense finale for the Pirtek Racing squad.
“Today, I felt quite confident”, concluded Jordan senior after the frenetic final weekend. “I did feel confident going into it that he could do it. It was a bit nervy after race two but it all paid off in the end.”
Mike – a former race winner himself in the BTCC with the Independent Eurotech squad – added that Andrew’s title-winning season was reward to the 24-year-old’s speed behind the wheel, but admitted that a consistent season featuring just one non-finish was the deciding difference in his 2013 season.
“He’s always been fast ever since the very first time he came into it, but he just needed to try and smooth it all out a little bit which he’s done this year.
“In fact I think that he’s increased his speed, but he’s lifted his whole game.”
