Mat joins BTCC's history boys

Thu 28th May 2009 Warwickshire racing driver Mat Jackson has entered the British Touring Car Championship’s record books thanks to his position as one of 2009’s top drivers.

For the first time in BTCC history, Britain’s biggest motor racing series has seen the first seven races won by seven different drivers – and Mat is among them. The 27 year-old Racing Silverline driver took his RML-run Chevrolet Lacetti to victory last month at Thruxton, reinforcing his position as one of the series’ leading racers.

This weekend Mat will compete in round four of the championship, at Cheshire circuit Oulton Park, the scene of some of his best victories. The track holds special memories for the Henley-In-Arden-based driver, as he claimed his first BTCC win there in 2007. Ironically, he took that win by withstanding severe pressure from rival Jason Plato – now his team-mate at Racing Silverline.

“That first win still means a lot to me,” says Mat, “and it gives me a great feeling going back to Oulton Park... only now Jason and me are both in the same team! I actually also had a really big accident there racing in the Renault Clio Cup in 2000. I wrote the car off after a coming-together with Martin Johnson... and he’s racing in the BTCC now too!”

Considered something of a specialist around the undulating track, Mat also won at the North West venue in 2005 and 2006, while racing in the SEAT Cupra series, of which he was crowned champion. He hopes that this great record will propel him to further wins this weekend and is confident about the car’s performance.

“I think the Chevrolet can potentially be very strong there,” he says. “It’s quite a technical circuit and we are getting there with the handling. The brakes on the car are very good and Oulton is known as a heavy circuit on the brakes, so that bodes well. I’m hoping to iron out some of the creases and take another step forward: I’ve still only done two race meetings in the Chevrolet.”

Mat, who is backed by Paul Castle Consultancy, Auto Windscreens and Pinnacle Transportation, currently stands eighth overall in the series with a solid 37 points, despite missing the opening round.