Jordan Slipstreams Past Tordoff For Race One Win

BMW Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan won Round 7 of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship after eventually getting the better of pole-sitter Sam Tordoff.

Jordan blasted his new BMW 3 Series off the line and past Halfords Yuasa Racing's Dan Cammish, whilst Tordoff's Honda Civic Type R comfortably held on to the lead. Reigning champion Colin Turkington looked to get by Cammish too but was eventually squeezed out at the first chicane.

The top four held station for almost the entire race until Tordoff's AmD-run Civic wiggled slightly through Church on lap 13 of 16. Jordan eyed his chance and comfortably slipped by, although it later transpired that Tordoff's car was suffering from power steering problems.

Jordan eased away in the closing laps to claim his second win of the season, bouncing back brilliantly from his heavy accident at Donington Park last time out. The multiple-car shunt, which took place during the opener at the Leicestershire circuit, forced Jordan out of the remainder of the race day and also meant his West Surrey Racing squad had to rebuild his Bavarian machine in time for Thruxton.

"It was a credit to BMW and WSR because the car was in a sorry state as we all know after Donington Park," said a jubilant Jordan. "That's how we do it! I love Thruxton, WSR and this new BMW 3 Series. I could see Sam (Tordoff) was struggling with his tyres a bit, as was I, so I was a bit cautious in the chase. I saw he had a bit of a moment through Church and that was that. I had to try and get clear of him then get back in line to brake for the chicane.

"It was then just about keeping it clean, making no mistakes and thinking about spraying some champagne. The aim here's to be top points-scorer this weekend. What a comeback so far!"

Tordoff had to fend off the attentions of Cammish and Turkington until the finish but the Yorkshireman held on to take his first podium of 2019, as did Honda's Cammish.

"We had a battery problem," confirmed Tordoff. "I was leading the race comfortably and minding my own business, then a warning light for the battery came on. I turned off my fan and lights and then the warning came back and impacted the power steering. That was our win for the taking. I will take second, we're fast, so I'll go again."

"The car's somewhere in the window," said podium man Cammish. "We think it's a bit smaller than we'd like at the moment and we pick up a bit of understeer. You need a good front end and the commitment. Let's go back to the drawing board and go from here. I'm happy to be spraying some champagne."

Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance's Rory Butcher ended up taking a lonely fifth place finish, although he had initially tussled with the Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall of Jason Plato.

Veterans Matt Neal and Rob Collard eventually got the better of Adrian Flux Subaru Racing's Ash Sutton as the trio ended up seventh, eighth and ninth respectively. Sutton's Subaru tapped Neal's Honda sideways mid-race at the final chicane, but the latter held on well to complete the move.

The TradePriceCars.com Audi S3 of Jake Hill completed the top ten.

2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Round 7 – Thruxton Circuit

1 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing 16 laps
2 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance +1.339s
3 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +1.690s
4 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +2.267s
5 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance +3.574s
6 Jason PLATO (GBR) Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing +5.595s
7 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +6.933s
8 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing +8.308s
9 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +10.584s
10 Jake HILL (GBR) TradePriceCars.com +13.181s
11 Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +13.672s
12 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Team Toyota GB with Ginsters +14.243s
13 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +18.387s
14 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Racing +18.914s
15 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +20.981s
16 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +21.324s
17 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +21.824s
18 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +22.192s
19 Daniel ROWBOTTOM (GBR) Cataclean Racing with Ciceley Motorsport +22.732s
20 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +23.527s
21 Jack GOFF (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +24.302s
22 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +25.186s
23 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +27.494s
24 Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) ROKiT Racing with Motorbase +37.493s
25 Rob SMITH (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +41.175s
26 Michael CREES (GBR) GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct +45.665s
27 Mark BLUNDELL (GBR) TradePriceCars.com +51.906s
28 Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +52.188s
29 Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +59.277s
30 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct +2 laps

19th May 2019