Double Victory Puts Jackson in the SEAT Cupra Record Book

14 August 2006

Mat Jackson (Whale Tankers/Jackson Motorsport) put himself in the SEAT Cupra record books this weekend at Snetterton, when yet another double victory brought his season's total to nine race wins, one better than his tally from the previous season. He now leads the 2006 Blaupunkt SEAT Cupra Championship by 47 points. Alan Blencowe (Triple R) finished both races second behind Jackson, to climb to second in the title race, while Jonathan Adam (Total Control Racing) and Jonathan Fildes (Asgard Taverns/Total Control Racing) each filling the third step of the podium.

The first race of the day was a wet affair, with rain returning as the Cupras took to the circuit. As the lights went out, it was Fulvio Mussi (Total Control Racing) who got the best start but Jackson was having none of it; he passed the Colchester driver around the outside of the first corner and maintained his lead until the chequered flag 16 laps later. Behind him, Alan Blencowe got in front of Jonathan Adam off the line and set about catching Mussi.

Blencowe knew he needed to get past Mussi as soon as possible to prevent Jackson opening too much of a lead and he eventually drove around the outside on the entry into The Esses, to take the inside line for the second part ofthe corner. He pulled the move off and set after Jackson, who was building a gap. Two laps later, Adam put the same move on Mussi to take third away from his former Clio sparring partner and began to reel in Blencowe and Jackson.

Behind them, Carl Breeze (Blue Chip/Edenbridge Racing) was coming under huge pressure from Neil Waterworth (Total Control Racing) for fifth, the latter trying to pass Breeze corner after corner. However Breeze, racing on his home circuit, wouldn't concede the position and the result allowed Lewis Carter (CMS Motorsport) to close up on both of them. Waterworth finally got a run on Breeze on the start/finish straight and managed to get alongside through the first corner, despite a huge sideway moment part-way through the manoeuvre.

By this point, Jonathan Fildes was catching all three and when Breeze went straight on at the chicane and Carter had to back off to avoid him, Fildes carried his speed past the pair of them and took two positions in the process. Ahead, Waterworth went straight on at the first corner into the tyre wall, promoting Fildes to fifth, behind Mussi.

Back at the front, Jackson, Blencowe and Adam were nose to tail for the last two laps but none were able to gain any advantage and went on to finish the race in that order. Second in the championship arriving at Snetterton, Ben Winrow (CMS Motorsport) had a miserable opening race, unable to find any grip and he finished last on the road.

The second race of the day was dry and saw Adam starting from pole, with Blencowe alongside. As the lights went out, Adam got his second poor start of the day and watched Blencowe and Winrow pass him into the first corner. Jackson meanwhile, had made up four places and headed into the first corner in fourth place behind Adam.

Behind them, Tim Bevan (WAAP Racing) had an incredible start and ended the first lap in sixth place, behind Fildes. However, Breeze and Waterworth were breathing hard down his neck and eventually passed him on the second lap. But in the meantime, their battle had allowed Fildes to start to edge away.

At the front, the order wasn't to remain static for long. Jackson was pushing Adam hard, who in turn was chasing Winrow. Jackson got a tow from Adam on the long back straight and out-braked him going into The Esses to take third place. One lap later, he put the same move on Winrow to move up to second, while Adam turned his attention to Winrow. Behind Adam, Fildes was closing the gap rapidly. He eventually managed to get past the Scot and had Winrow next in his sights. The young driver succumbed to the pressure and slid wide in the Bomb Hole, allowing Fildes to close right up on his tail.

Meanwhile, Breeze and Waterworth were continuing to fight, the two swapping places in as many corners. However, partway through The Esses, Waterworth hit the back of Breeze's car and spun the local driver off the circuit. He would eventually finish in eleventh place while Waterworth finished sixth on the road.

The action wasn't over yet though. Fildes had got a tow from Winrow on the back straight and took the position away on the way into The Esses. Then, at the end of the lap, he hit the dirt on the exit of the chicane and this allowed Winrow to get alongside as they crossed the start/finish line. They stayed side by side as they entered the first corner but Winrow ran wide and onto the grass, allowing Fildes to consolidate the position but to add insult to injury, Adam passed Winrow as well, to finish fourth.

At the front, Jackson had clearly been biding his time. On the penultimate lap, he got the trademark tow from Blencowe on the back straight and drove around the outside as they entered The Esses. This put him on the inside for the second section, where he squeezed past Blencowe in a demonstration of clean racing from both drivers. He maintained the position to the chequered flag, for his ninth win of the season.

Speaking from the top of the podium for the second time, Jackson said; "The first win was good but that second one was the sweetest victory, especially as I started from eighth on the grid. I got a great start, taking four places on the first lap and then set about picking those on front of me off one at a time. I went on to the loose at one point and had to close up again to Alan but it's a great result for me, the team and for Whale Tankers. It gives me a very good lead in the championship but there's no way I can be complacent – it's not over 'till it's over. We've still got to win the titlethis year and that will bring us closer to the goal of getting into a touring car."

Alan Blencowe was pleased with his weekend, despite finishing behind Jackson on both occasions; "I knew I had to make up positions as fast as possible in the first race and managed to get past Jonny Adam and Fulvio Mussi on the first lap. I realised it would be tough to get past Mat so I settled for second, knowing I was on the front row for the second race and he was six positions behind me. In race two, I did everything I could do and managed to hold him off for as long as possible. I knew I had the measure of Mat in places around the circuit but he seemed to have the advantage on the straights and he used that well. The points haul is good for the championship but I finished behind him twice, again, when I really need to be finishing in front of him."

Jonathan Adam suffered from a pair of bad starts during the day; "I had too much wheelspin at the start for the first race, in the wet, and that hampered me. By the time I got past Fulvio, Mat and Alan had started to build a gap and although I chipped away at it, I couldn't get close enough to try for position. Then, in the second race, I missed a gear at the start and then it felt as though the engine was lacking a little. The gearbox also felt a little strange but we'll have both checked so the car is ready for the next round, my home one, at Knockhill."

Jonathan Fildes was delighted to get back on the podium, after a series of uncharacteristic absences; "It's been tough recently, that's for sure. I got a good start in the second race and it's amazing how much easier that makes things; you can avoid the scrapping in the midfield and make a break. I was a little worried about the engine, as I holed the sump in the first race and the engine started to sound a bit tappety. But it held together and I'm so pleased to be back on the podium; for myself, for Asgard Taverns, Applied Signs and Edward Grogan, who has given me so much support."The next two rounds take place at Knockhill in Scotland on the weekend of September 2/3.

See series calendar for SEAT Cupra Championship 2006

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