Thruxton challenge for John Guest Racing

One of the most challenging tracks in Britain comes next for Mike and Andrew Jordan in the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship.Rounds 10, 11 and 12 of the 2008 BTCC will feature at the high-speed Thruxton circuit in Hampshire this weekend (17/18 May), and Andrew heads to Thruxton determined to add to his fantastic pair of Independent Trophy wins at Donington last time out.It has already been a great season for Mike (50) and Andrew (18) as they team up in the pair of Honda Integras from John Guest Racing and they know that Thruxton should be another strong track for them. While Andrew was the star of the day at Donington, Mike knows that an overall podium finish is within reach at one of his favourite tracks.For Andrew, who will celebrate his 19th birthday a few days after the Thruxton races, the latest round at Donington was a very significant day.Leading BTCC journalist Matt James was among those to recognise the scale of Andrew's performance at Donington. Reporting in Motorsport News, James said: "This was the weekend that showed Jordan Jnr has every intention of fighting for the class crown on his own merit."Andrew was rightly jubilant at the end of the Donington weekend and believes that he can carry that form on to Thruxton. "I had a mega day at Donington to get two Independents' wins. Our race pace has been right there all the time," said Andrew. "I feel very confident and now we're going to one of my favourite circuits at Thruxton. I think we'll be able to work well together in qualifying and I'm sure we'll be quick there."But Mike is also determined to be in the thick of the leading pack at Thruxton, a circuit where he has shone in a range of very different cars. "Qualifying is always incredibly important in the BTCC and at Thruxton, more than anywhere, you'll see the drivers in the two car teams working together to tow each other around in qualifying," he said. But the biggest factor for everyone in the BTCC is tyre performance at a track that is notoriously tough on tyres. "Thruxton is all about being very consistent on the tyres and the front left does a massive amount of work," said Mike. "It's always a tyre compromise and the set-up you run in qualifying will certainly be changed for the race. It is all about tyre management."After qualifying at Thruxton on Saturday, the first of three BTCC races will start at 11am on Sunday. All of the action will be broadcast on ITV4, with a programme running from 12.30pm to 5.30pm, with live coverage of the second and third races of the day.

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