Reigning constructor/manufacturer champions, Triple Eight Racing, have signed BRDC SuperStar Jack Goff to a one-year race deal to compete alongside 2013 BTCC Champion Andrew Jordan in the 2015 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) in a second works-supported MG6.
The Briton, 23, made his series debut in 2013 after clinching the 2012 Clio Cup UK crown and has steadily progressed taking ten top-10 finishes throughout 2014, after the tail end of his debut season showed promise with a maiden BTCC podium in the final race of the year.
“It’s a thrill to start the season in the quickest front-wheel drive car on the grid,” commented Goff. “Obviously as a kid growing up, driving for a works team is the pinnacle. I’m chuffed that we’re working with Triple Eight and MG, over the course of the past three years they’ve shown that the MG is a race winner and a championship contender.
“This is an important step in my career and I have come here expecting to win races. I know what it takes to do that, I’ve shown my ability in the Clio Cup, and now I have a BTCC car and team that will give me a platform to challenge from. There’s a really good buzz at Triple Eight; you walk around the factory and there are so many trophies and references to winning in the BTCC. Add that to having a former BTCC champion in Andrew (Jordan) in the team, it really gives me a lot of confidence for the year ahead.
The Buckinghamshire-based driver added: “This is an unforgettable moment that I owe to all of those who have supported me - my family, my friends, and of course my partners 5 Star Cases, AC Entertainment Technologies, The HSL Group & RCIB Insurance, who without their help, I wouldn’t be on the grid this year.”
Triple Eight Racing’s Founder and Managing Director, Ian Harrison believes Goff will complement Jordan well and is excited about the new line-up for the 23-times champions, who will set out to defend their 2014 Constructor/Manufacturer title won with MG.
“Jack is a young guy on a journey to become a top BTCC driver. It’s great that he is with us; he fits with what we’re trying to do. We spoke to several drivers over the off-season, but when we found out Jack was available it was clear he was the best option for us. Everybody remembers the 2013 last round at Brands with (Gordon) Shedden and we need him to try to replicate that, albeit on a regular basis.
“We’ll aim to get him working in a methodical way, aid his development as a driver and give him a car that will allow him to show what he can really do behind the wheel in a BTCC car. We need Jack to be running in the top eight all the time and becoming a regular front-runner as the season progresses to enable us to defend the manufacturers title for MG.”
Harrison continues: “We said early on that what we want is someone who fits the demographic for MG; Jack ticks the box for MG, but also for us. We want to continue to win races, take podiums and lock out front-rows in qualifying, so for us Jack is the perfect compliment to Andy. It’s a nice story for MG too; he started his racing in one of its cars, and now things have gone full circle and he is in a works MG BTCC car.”
Goff has a significant allegiance to MG and is no stranger to its devoted fan following, having begun his racing in a MG and owned seven MG road cars. The arrival at Triple Eight as a MG works-supported driver sees the Triple Eight driver go ‘pro’ with the Longbridge-based brand.
“I started my track driving with MGs in the MG Trophy Championship in the ZR and having had lots of MGs in my lifetime, I have a real soft spot for them. I spent a lot of hours working on my MG racecars in the garage! The MG brand is huge and it has one of the most devoted and passionate sets of supporters of any car manufacturer. To hopefully have the weight of that support is going to be a real bonus this season.”
MG’s head of Sales and Marketing, Matthew Cheyne was pleased with the signing, adding: “Jack is a likeable young racer who has yet to realise his full potential. We’ve seen Triple Eight aid the development of drivers of all ages, and look forward to Jack achieving new levels of track success with MG, the brand he began his career with.”
The new MG-man won’t have to wait too long for his first test in the MG6 racer either, with his Triple Eight debut scheduled this time next week (Wednesday 4th March) at the Leicestershire track, Donington Park, with a further two tests planned before the series media launch back at Donington some three weeks later.
“This year we’ve got four days of testing planned before the first race, and it will actually be the first time I’ve properly run at the media day; we’ve never really got on track at it before. I just can’t wait for my first run in the MG6; I got a taste of what to expect when I had my seat fitting recently and I’ve spoken to Andy (Jordan) too. Bring on 2015!”
The deal will see Goff’s MG feature a different livery to that of past years, and the bold new design will be unveiled at the upcoming BTCC media day on Tuesday 24th March.
To complement the announcement, at 20:00 GMT tonight, Jack will takeover the official BTCC Twitter account (@DUNLOPBTCC) for a live Twitter Chat for approximately an hour. Fans and media alike can get involved, and should submit questions directly to the @DUNLOPBTCC handle, using the hashtag #AskJack.
