2015 BTCC - Rockingham: First season's victory for Mat Jackson

Mat Jackson in Motorbase Performance’s Ford Focus ST took his first BTCC win of the season today at Rockingham. Jackson started from pole and defended his position until the end of the race. There was a lot of drama behind his back, however Gordon Shedden (Honda Yuasa) finished second. After facing a post-qualifying grid penalty yesterday he was moved to starting position 7. A blistering start in his Honda Civic Type R left him third at the end of the opening lap, and the Scotsman went one better with a clean move by Aron Smith (Team BMR) in the Lap 4. Shedden also set the fastest lap and will start from pole in Race 2 at Rockingham.

Smith had to defend his third for the remainder of the race from Jack Goff’s MG and Matt Neal’s Honda. At the end Smith finished third and Goff was fourth, while Matt Neal had a puncture in the last lap and fell to 8th.

Championship leader Jason Plato (Team BMR) started from fifth on the grid, but his race was ruined before the end of the first lap. He was hit from behind by Tom Ingram’s Toyota, who had been tapped himself by Josh Cook’s Chevrolet. Plato limped back to the pits for repairs and although he lost three laps in the process, his team did a stellar job to get him back on-track. He finished 27th but was able to set the 13th fastest lap time, so it will be his starting place for Race 2.