Mat Jackson on front row at Oulton Park

Sat 30th May 2009 Warwickshire’s motor racing star Mat Jackson will start the first of tomorrow’s [Sunday’s] three HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship races at Oulton Park from the front row of the grid.

The Racing Silverline driver, a specialist around the Cheshire circuit, headed the timesheets in his Chevrolet Lacetti for much of the 30-minute qualifying session, but was pipped by team-mate Jason Plato in the closing stages. However, Mat’s lap time of 1m27.597s - which was quicker than the lap record ­- secured him second place and means that the pair’s RML-run Racing Silverline team has locked-out the front row for the first time this season.

“It’s mega,” said Mat, who is based in Henley-In-Arden. “It’s great for Racing Silverline, it’s great for Jason and it’s great for myself! Everybody in the team has worked so hard to get this programme up and running. Both Jason and myself have taken wins already this season, so let’s hope for some more here at Oulton Park.”

It was Mat’s best qualifying performance yet in the Lacetti and comes at the track where he scored his first-ever BTCC victory, back in 2007. The 27-year-old had steadily built up his performance during the day, claiming 13th in the first practice and fifth in the second practice. The temperatures in Cheshire have been high and so is Mat’s confidence ahead of raceday.

“Qualifying hasn’t been our strongest point so far this season but now we’re on the front foot, not the back foot,” he said. “We are in a strong position as a team and we’ve got the best slot for the first race tomorrow. We’ve just got to work together and hopefully we can get a one-two for Racing Silverline.”