Four top 10s for Jordans at Croft
On a day when the British weather made life incredibly difficult for the BTCC teams and drivers, Mike and Andrew Jordan bagged four top 10 finishes from six race starts in the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship at Croft on Sunday (1 June).But for the over-enthusiastic driving of others, Mike was certainly on target for an overall podium finish in the third race, while Andrew twice battled from the back of the grid to finish in the top 10 in a hectic afternoon for John Guest Racing.During qualifying, held in warm sunshine on Saturday, Mike posted 11th fastest time, which was just seven-tenths of a second away from pole and put him ahead of Fabrizio Giovanardi on the grid. However, gearbox problems left Andrew without a flying lap and he would start at the back of the grid for the opening race.Sunday dawned very wet and the first race ran in some of the worst conditions seen in the BTCC with standing water all around the North Yorkshire track. After two safety cars and a red flag, the race was halted after only four racing laps. In that time, Andrew had tigered his way through to tenth place, showing remarkable car control as other more experienced drivers were caught out."The conditions for the first race were horrendous," confirmed Mike, who was up to sixth when the race was finally halted. "When they started it, the track was okay. But when we went again, I was on the radio on the sighting lap saying to my guys that I really didn't think they should re-start the race. There was so much standing water, so I was pleased when it was stopped. We were struggling to keep up with the safety car."After a delay in racing, the second BTCC race started in better conditions and Mike was in the thick of the leading pack, fighting for fifth place with Giovanardi. On one lap they were side-by-side past the pits and into the first corner. "I sat it out with him round the outside at Clervaux, skipped through the gravel and then sat it out with him through the next corner. Just as I needed it to turn across his nose at the chicane my car was understeering and I had to miss the chicane."That meant allowing Giovanardi back through, but the Italian pushed Jordan wide in the process and Adam Jones was able to nip through to take sixth place. Despite a very high-speed spin at Barcroft, Andrew was battling for a top 10 finish when an electrical drama struck. "I had a misfire and then it died," he said of the battery problem that forced him to retire.Mike drew pole for the third race, and settled into third place on the opening lap, waiting for his tyres to reach optimum temperature. "I'd made two great starts before that, but the third one was average and Rob Collard made a great start and came round me at Clervaux. Mat Jackson tried to follow and didn't quite make it. The car was really snappy for the first couple of laps, but then the rear tyres came in and it was mega."Unfortunately as Mike closed the gap to Collard and Adam Jones, the SEAT driver tried a brave move at Sunny and tipped Collard's BMW sideways. As it came back across the track, contact was unavoidable and Mike's Honda took a whack on a rear corner. He battled on for a couple of laps, but there was clearly suspension damage and he eventually retired to the pits.Meanwhile, having started at the back of the grid after his retirement from race two, Andrew battled through to take tenth place. "We salvaged an okay result from two bad grid positions," said Andrew of his day.