As the curtain comes down on the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, we would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Beavis Morgan sponsored Ollie Jackson and the AmD with Cobra Exhausts team on a successful season, which saw some great achievements, plenty of challenges, but always positive spirits throughout.
Ending the season on a high, the team achieved another two points scoring finishes at Brands Hatch this past weekend.
Ollie impressed in qualifying to put his Audi S3 in 18th spot on the grid for the opening race and ran just outside the points-scoring positions throughout, eventually crossing the line in 17th spot.
Despite being shuffled back to 20th in the midfield battles of race two, Ollie fought back well through the closing laps to secure a points scoring finish on the final lap, with 15th place leaving him well set for the season finale.
Quickly making up places at the start of race three, Ollie climbed as high as eleventh with an impressive performance on track, and crossed the line in twelfth as the chequered flag dropped to secure another points scoring finish.
Ollie’s team-mate Sam Smelt qualified 28th in the sister Audi and opened up race day with a 25th place finish in race one.
A strong drive in race two saw Sam break into the top 20 and left him optimistic about his chances of breaking into the points for the first time in the final race of the season.
It looked like an elusive points finish was there for the taking when Sam made a fantastic start, but having been forced to the outside on the run through Graham Hill Bend, he was then hung out to dry at Surtees and slipped back down the order.
It meant he ended his rookie campaign with a 26th place finish.
Ollie Jackson, #48 AmD with Cobra Exhausts Audi S3, says: “We’ve had a good weekend to end the season, which was important after the bad luck we faced in recent events. We performed strongly all weekend and after a solid result in race two, it was great to be as competitive as we were in race three and we could easily have had a top ten.
“We’ve ended the year on a high and, whilst it has been a mixed season, it has certainly had more highs than it has lows. As a team, we have worked hard to get as much as we could from the Audi and I think we have done a good job to maximise the package we have in a very competitive field.
“I’m proud of everything we have achieved on track.”
Shaun Hollamby, AmD with Cobra Exhausts team principal, adds: “It’s been a good weekend for us with the Audis and a solid end to the year. Both drivers have shown good pace on track and Ollie’s performance in the final race in particular was fantastic – he really showed what he can do in a highly competitive field.”
Well done once again to Ollie and the team. There is plenty to be motivated about as you head into the off-season and we look forward to seeing you back on the track again for the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.
From all of us at your proud sponsor, Beavis Morgan.
[Photo credit: Marc Waller]