Jordan retains indepedents lead at Silverstone
News release date: Friday 12 October 2012
Despite being pushed out of the opening race, Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan retained his lead in the Independents’ Trophy at Silverstone on Sunday (7 October) during rounds 25, 26 and 27 of the 2012 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.
Andrew and the team went to Silverstone knowing that the track layout would make things incredibly tough for the Pirtek Racing Honda Civic. The BTCC equalisation process has left the Honda struggling for straight-line speed, but able to make up some lost time in the fast corners. However, more than any other circuit in the UK, straight-line speed is vital at Silverstone.
Knowing that the weekend was all about damage limitation, Andrew qualified 11th fastest, just two-hundredths of a second behind the identical Honda Civic of Matt Neal. “With a tow we might have just snuck into the top 10,” said Andrew. “That was probably better than I thought it would be.
“We went into race day just planning to drive around and get points,” he said of the aim for Sunday. However, it all went wrong within moments of the start of racing. “I got turned round by Andy Neate on the second lap and sent straight into the gravel. He admitted it was his fault but it was a really bad start to our weekend.” Neate was later find £500 and awarded penalty points for the incident, but that was small consolation for Andrew and the team.
“In race two, I started from the back and got through to ninth,” he said. “I was surprised by that because after the first couple of laps, Matt and I were running in about 16th and 17th and I couldn’t see us making any progress. But I got past Matt and a few of the others slowed themselves up a bit and I got up to ninth at the last corner.
“That put me P2 on the grid for the last race. Nick Foster got a good start in the BMW and got away and I ran second. But then they just started picking me off. It felt like I was in a Clio Cup car down the straight. They just drove past me before Copse as they were able to pull alongside out of Woodcote. I put up as much of a fight as I could, but it was such a losing battle. I ended up seventh, which was about all we could hope for. I’ve still got a 28-point lead in the Independents’ Trophy over Rob Collard heading to Brands for the final event. If we hadn’t been taken out by Neate it would have been okay.”