Mat Jackson hoping history repeats

Thu 30th July 2009 Warwickshire’s Mat Jackson is hoping that history will repeat itself at Snetterton this weekend [1-2 August], as the Norfolk track was the scene of a dominant victory by the HiQ British Touring Car Championship star last season.

Then driving a family-prepared BMW, Mat passed the pole sitter at the start and led every lap to take a fantastic victory on his way to second overall in the final BTCC standings. Now driving an RML-run Racing Silverline Chevrolet Lacetti, he heads east to Norfolk in high spirits following his recovery from a serious bout of gastroenteritis. The illness led to him briefly being hospitalised and missing two of the three races last time out at Croft, in June.

“I’m back to full fitness and raring to go,” says the 28-year-old. “I had a rough time at Croft – there’s nothing worse than seeing the car ready and not being able to go out. But I wouldn’t have done myself any favours if I’d tried racing when I was that ill. It took a few weeks until I was back up to full strength, but now I can’t wait to hit the track.”

Mat has suffered a raft of bad luck this season, but he believes that the Racing Silverline team will be full of confidence as it enters the second half of the season, with a major sponsor announcement due over the weekend.

“I had a strong win at Snetterton last year and I intend to do the same on Sunday,” says Mat, who is based in Henley-In-Arden. “In fact, my Racing Silverline team-mate Jason Plato took a couple of victories at Snetterton last year too, so this should be a strong event for us. The circuit’s high-speed characteristics should play into the hands of the Lacetti and I’m sure its strong engine will do us proud.”