Mat Jackson surpassed 250 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races during last weekend’s sixth meeting of the 2014 season at Snetterton, the Airwaves Racing man collecting his 54th podium visit having made his debut back in 2001.
Jackson narrowly missed out on victory in his 251st race to Aron Smith during a thrilling third encounter in Norfolk at the 300 circuit, the 33-year-old having made his debut 13 years prior racing a production class Ford Focus under the GR Motorsport squad.
After picking up one win in the class during 2001, Jackson overcame budget struggles to compete successfully in support championships to the series on the TOCA package, becoming 2006 SEAT Cupra Championship champion after winning 19 races in just 36 outings over two seasons before his switch back to BTCC a year later.
His 2007 return to the series was this time at top level with his family-run Jacksons M.Sport squad, racing an ex-Andy Priaulx World Touring Car Championship BMW 320si. His first win came that season during the fifth meeting of the season at Oulton Park in the third race of a rain-affected weekend, a win Jackson remembers very well.
“It’s gone so quickly”, Jackson told The Checkered Flag after his 251st race at Snetterton on Sunday. “Obviously my first win was one of the favourites – its always the most memorable and you never forget that.”
(Photo Credit: btcc.net)
Jackson picked up five wins the following season on his path to second in the overall championship behind current team-mate Fabrizio Giovanardi, before switching to RML and Chevrolet for 2009. This was another season to savour for Jackson, collecting eight podiums in succession during the latter rounds of the year.
A return to Motorbase has since been his destination from 2010 to this day in both BMW and Ford machinery, Jackson currently sitting on 19 wins in the BTCC including a famous charge from the back at Silverstone in 2012 to give David Bartrum‘s team’s in-house-built NGTC Ford Focus ST it’s first win – Jackson proving one of the team’s most treasured assets according to Bartrum himself.
Jackson further commented: “There’s been some great times, such as when I was with Chevrolet; winning eight podiums on the trot is still a record to today. That was good times back then. There’s been good times, and there’s been miserable times as well – but there’s been plenty to look back on.”
The Ford driver has finished as runner-up in the Independents Championship three times also, and currently lies sixth in the points in 2014 after his third podium finish of the season.
BMR Racing‘s Smith, who edged Jackson to victory in race three at Snetterton, praised his rival by telling TCF: “I know Mat is a great driver, and he always has been. When the car is right around him, then he’s unbeatable on his day.”
Jackson impressed with RML in 2009 (Photo: PSP Images)
Mat Jackson after 250 BTCC races:
BTCC Wins |
19 (+1 Production Class win) |
BTCC Podiums |
54 (+8 Production Class podiums) |
Best Championship finish |
2nd (2008) |
Best Independent Championship finish |
2nd (2007, 2008, 2011) |
Lowest Championship result |
8th (2013) |
Teams Raced For So Far |
4 (GR Motorsport/Jacksons M.Sport/Motorbase/RML) |
