Jack Goff: “I’m confident I’ll have the best package on the grid”

New West Surrey Racing signing Jack Goff is confident his new team will provide him with the best package on the BTCC grid in 2016, as he prepares to tackle rear-wheel drive touring car machinery for the first time.

Goff has teamed up with Dick Bennetts’ squad after one year with Triple Eight Racing, with the deal being announced at the Autosport International Show at the Birmingham NEC this morning.

The BRDC rising star, who took his maiden BTCC win at Snetterton last season, fills the seat departed by Andy Priaulx after his move to Ford’s fledgling World Endurance Championship programme.

“Last year was a big step up for me with the MG Triple Eight team, and I’m really confident this year WSR will give me the best package on the grid,” said Goff to TouringCarTimes.

“The car was great last year but they’ve really improved it over the winter. The things they’ve done to it should make it even more of a title contender. It’s a really exciting place to be and I can’t wait to get started.”

Handling rear-wheel drive is something new for Goff to adapt to, racing the BMW 125i M-Sport taken to championship glory by Colin Turkington in 2014.

“I’ve never driven a rear-wheel drive touring car before. All of my saloon car racing has been front-wheel drive, but I have been doing some Lotus racing for the last three or four years so I do have some rear-wheel drive experience,” said Goff.

“The Lotus is rear-engined and rear-wheel drive, and this is front-engined and rear-wheel drive, but I think we’ll be OK. We’ve got our best testing plan we’ve ever had to date, so that’s going to help us massively.

“Rather than going into the first round totally blind, we should be close to the front at the start. Andy [Priaulx] popped it on pole last year, so there’s some pressure!

“I’m confident we can get some great results and come away with a trophy at the end of the first weekend.”

One of Goff’s trademarks has been his brightly-liveried cars with a multitude of personal sponsors. And while he is now backed by IHG Rewards Club as Priaulx was last year, he is retaining the support of the sponsors who have helped him to date.

He said: “I have to say a massive thanks to the people who have supported me over the last six or seven years of my career to get me to this position. I haven’t spoken to Dick Bennetts yet about the trailer we’re going to be towing around for the rest of the year!

“It’s lovely to have IHG Rewards Club backing me on the car, but we still have our private support behind us and they will still be backing me. I hope we can still have a nice big crowd at the track and a big cheer if we get on the top step of the podium.”