Handy Andy

by Ian Gallagher

Watching his wild celebrations on the slowing-down lap after Oulton Park’s third race, it didn’t take a genius to work out just how much a maiden BTCC podium meant to Andrew Jordan.

With sidelined dad Mike watching on from the pitwall, Andrew drove a fantastic race to hold off scores of faster cars and cross the line in 3rd place.

His Team Eurotech Honda Integra is no longer a new bit of kit, so the youngster had to wring every last ounce of performance from it while under huge pressure from first Gordon Shedden, then Adam Jones and Mat Jackson.

And as Tim Harvey pointed out in relation to Andrew’s driving at Thruxton - who says modern day touring cars aren’t exciting to watch? Using all of his rallycross skills, Jordan Jnr is regularly hanging the tail of his Integra out due to his relentless driving style. It may have caught him out a few times this season, but that is all part of the learning process.

Afterwards what did Andrew have to say of his first-ever BTCC podium? “It’s definitely the biggest day of my career so far. To do it at this level and be up on that podium is amazing. I’m not normally speechless, but I am now. There’s a lot of emotion in it.

“I ran a bit wide at the hairpin and Adam got past me and then Mat Jackson was right on me for the last couple of laps”, he continued. Had it not been for the one small mistake, brought about as a result of tyre wear from that more aggressive rally cross-style of driving, Jordan would have been one step higher on the podium.

Nonetheless, Andrew was far from disappointed with being on the podium. “I’m just so pleased with finishing third and being on the overall podium.”

For a driver who was fast without setting the world alight in Clios last year, his step up to the top level of British saloon car racing has been mightily impressive.

Whether it is at the wheel of an Integra or a Civic remains to be seen, but it wouldn’t be a big surprise to see another of the Jordan family on the top of a BTCC podium sometime soon.