Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan is ready to defend his Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship title when the 2014 championship bursts into action at Brands Hatch (29/30 March).The 2013 season ended in spectacular style in front of a huge TV audience as Andrew claimed the biggest prize in British motor racing at a rain-soaked Brands Hatch. His overall BTCC title came after an incredible campaign in the Pirtek Honda Civic when he finished 29 out of 30 races and won six times in a stellar season. It was an incredible season for the Pirtek squad, which also netted the Independent Teams’ title and the Independent Drivers’ title for the second season.Over the winter, Andrew collected a range of awards, including the Autosport ‘National Driver of the Year’, the British Racing Drivers’ Club John Cobb Trophy for the ‘best performance by a British driver’ and ‘driver of the year’ from the Guild of Motoring Writers. To complete an incredible haul of accolades, the Pirtek Racing team earned the BRDC’s Colin Chapman Trophy for ‘team spirit performance of the season’.Now, however, it is time to go racing again and the 2014 BTCC is shaping up to be even better than 2013. Andrew is one of no less than seven former champions on the grid and with a sell-out field of 32 cars, the action is going to be sensational. The prestige of the BTCC has seldom been higher and the return of former champions Alain Menu and Fabrizio Giovanardi shows just how competitive it is going to be.To get the title defence off to a stunning start, Andrew and Pirtek Racing topped the times in the only official pre-season test ahead of the new season at Donington Park. “It was a little bit frustrating,” said Andrew. “It’s always nice to end up quickest, but it wasn’t really a proper day because of the weather and we had quite a lot to try out that we haven’t been able to do. It means that we’ve still got some unanswered questions going to Brands Hatch, but we know we’ve just got to get on with it. “It was a busy day, and the amount of people there just shows what the championship is like at the moment. There’s a real buzz about it. I’m proud to have the number one on my car and I’m looking forward to the excitement starting at Brands Hatch.”After qualifying on Saturday 29 March at 15.40, the first of three BTCC races will be at 11.45 on Sunday, with race two at 14.15 and race three at 17.00. All three races will be broadcast on ITV4. Qualifying will be broadcast live at www.itv.com and live results from the weekend will be available at www.tsl-timing.com