Mat Jackson
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| Mat Jackson | |
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| 2008 BTCC driver | |
| Nationality |  |
| Nickname | The Peoples Champion |
| Car # | 7 |
| Team | BMW Dealer Team UK |
| Car | BMW 320si E90 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 3 |
| Podium finishes | 11 |
| Poles | 1 |
| Fastest laps | 2 |
| Debut season | 2001 |
| Best championship result | 7th in 2007 |
| 2008 position | 3rd (102 points) |
Mat Jackson (born June 10, 1981 in Henley-in-Arden) is an English racing driver.
For 2007 he and his family-ran team contested the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) in the BMW used by Andy Priaulx to win the 2006 World Touring Car Championship season. In 2008 he continued in the British Touring Car Championship, racing in an updated BMW, which Priaulx used to win the 2007 World Touring Car Championship season. Jackson's team's name has also changed, with him now receiving help from BMW Dealer Team UK. He has also made an appearance on BBC's Top Gear, racing a motorhome.
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[edit] Early Racing Career
He started racing in karts in his teens, before finishing 4th in the 2000 Renault Clio Cup, his first attempt at tin-top racing. For 2001 he moved to the production class of the British Touring Car Championship with the GR team's Ford Focus, finishing 4th in his class. He struggled for funding in subsequent years, and was something of a forgotten man when he entered the Seat Cupra Championship in 2005 with a family-run team. He was a revelation however, finishing as series runner-up, with a series-high 8 race wins, and a tally of 8 poles and 8 fastest laps. After being considered by SEAT for a BTCC drive [1], he remained in Cupras for 2006, taking the championship lead after a double victory at the season opener. A string of 9 wins in the first 12 races made him strong championship favourite, and he went on to clinch the title.
[edit] BTCC 2007
Jackson was a frontrunner in the 2007 BTCC season, clinching many podium places before his first victory at Oulton Park in race three [2]. Thruxton did not go well for him, a crash and an engine failure leaving him with no points [3]. His home round at Donington saw him start 4th and briefly lead race one, before fading down the order as the wet conditions did not suit his rear-wheel drive BMW [4]. At the second Brands Hatch meeting he made a wild overtaking move at the first turn and spun, triggering an 11-car pile-up, leaving two drivers in hospital [5]. At the final rounds at Thruxton, Jackson showed some superb pace and put in a superb drive to win the final race of the series. While everyone was focusing on the Giovanardi v Plato title battle, Jackson sneaked inside Tom Coronel at the start of the third race and wowed everyone with his pace and superb defensive driving. He managed to hold Team RAC driver Colin Turkington behind him, and managed to gain a lead and win his second BTCC race of the season and of his career.
[edit] BTCC 2008
At the first round at Brands Hatch, Jackson started at the pole position and led for over 3/4 of the race until rain started to fall and he lost grip in his RWD BMW. He was overtaken by VX Racing driver Fabrizio Giovanardi shortly before the end and had to settle for second place. In the second race he battled for a good fourth place, and in the third race he fought his way through the field for a brilliant second place finish behind the Team RAC BMW 320si of Colin Turkington.
At Rockingham, Jackson started the weekend with a disappointing 10th on the grid but managed to fight his way up to 6th place. The second race was arguably the best of his BTCC career so far, with a brilliant start he quickly took the lead after mistakes by Seat Sport UK driver Darren Turner and Giovanardi, and recorded his third career victory to date. In the third race, which was delayed by rain, Jackson managed to fight his way up to second behind Turkington, despite his RWD BMW 320si slipping in the conditions. All was going well, with Jackson closely following Turkington, until an ambitious overtaking move around the outside resulted in him being pushed out wide and into the gravel trap. Jackson recorded a DNF and lost his chance of taking the championship lead.
After a good showing at the first two meetings of the season, Jackson followed it up with a horrendous meeting at rounds 7, 8 and 9 at Donington Park. After qualifying a horrid 14th on the grid for the first race, Jackson drove brilliantly through the field, quickly making his way up to an incredible 5th place. His speed and possible top 5 finish was ruined though, as when Team Halfords driver Tom Chilton challenged him for position, Chilton drove his Civic Type R straight into the back of Jackson, resulting in both of them ending up in the Old Hall gravel trap and out of the race. The DNF in the first race meant Jackson started near the back of the grid for the second, but he didn't let this hinder him as he showed the BMW's raw pace and his own aggressive driving style to battle his way up to an impressive 11th place, just outside the points. In the third race, he wasn't able to show this pace as much, but still managed to get his first points of the weekend with a solid 8th place finish.
Following the poor showings at Rockingham and Donington Park, Jackson really needed a solid performance at the next meeting at Thruxton and duly delivered a good performance in all 3 races. After qualifying poorly for the second round in succession, Jackson started race one a lowly 12th on the grid. Jackson battled hard throughout the race and managed to bring the car home in a great 6th place. This was improved after Seat Sport UK driver Jason Plato was disqualified after the race from third place, promoting Jackson to 5th position overall and 2nd in the independents. Jackson started from 5th in th second race and worked hard to try and improve his position. As people were suffering punctures around him, Jackson managed to preserve his tires well and managed to finish in another good 5th place and 2nd to Colin Turkington in the independents again. The third race was Jackson best though. With the top 9 positions being reversed for the grid, Jackson remained in 5th on the grid. After a good start, Jackson stayed in the top 5 throughout the race, battling with the likes of Team Eurotech's Andrew Jordan, Fabrizio Giovanardi, Jason Plato and Matt Neal. He got lucky 4 laps from the end when Giovanardi and Jordan collided,with Jordan retiring and Jackson being able to move up to 2nd position. Despite tough pressure from defending champion Giovanardi in the last few laps, Jackson managed to hold on for a terrific 2nd place and a win in the independents.
Jackson followed his good performances at Thruxton with a hugely eventful but successful trip to Croft. After qualifying a decent 7th on the grid, race 1 was hugely eventful. The weather was atrocious, pouring rain causing there to be rivers and puddles all over the track, which caused the racing to be very entertaining but dangerous. From the start, Jackson flew into an early lead, but the race had to be red flagged after an accident between Team RAC driver Stephen Jelley and Robertshaw Racing driver Alan Taylor caused an injury to a marshal. After a break to allow injuries to be treated, the racing started again but the weather had become worse. Jackson restarted 2nd on the grid but flew into the lead at the first corner. Unfortunately though his success became his downfall when he was the first to enter the treacherous Tower corner, which resulted in him locking his brakes and going straight on. He went through the gravel trap but managed to return to the pack in a lowly 18th place. He stayed there though as another red flag was brought out and the race stopped because of the conditions making the racing too dangerous. In race 2, Jackson did one of the best drives of his life and of BTCC history. Starting 18th on the grid, Jackson managed to gain many places with a lightning start. He then dispatched car after car, particulary at Clearvaux corner, moving up the order towards the front. He managed to move up to a terrific 2nd place by ovetaking VX Racing's Matt Neal and came very close to catching the leader Colin Turkington, eventually finishing only 0.101 seconds behind Turkington. Jackson received all the plaudits after the race for a amazing drive, overtaking 17 cars in 16 laps and showing great speed, aggresion and overtaking technique. Jackson started race 3 6th on the grid and after another great start was challenging for the 2nd place going into the first corner. He got nudged out wide by Team Eurotech'a Mike Jordan going into corner resulting in him going through the gravel and dropping down a few places. With cars colliding and going off around him Jackson was able to steadily work his way back up a few places, despite colliding with Seat Sport UK driver Darren Turner resulting in Turner going into the gravel and out of the race. Jackson managed to work his way up to 5th place in the end for a solid points finish and 2nd in the independents class.
[edit] External links
- Mat Jackson's Official site
- British Touring Car Championship Official Website
- Profile from btcc:action
- Career BTCC Results
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