Mat Jackson holds on for race three win at Croft

Mat Jackson held off the challenge of a storming Ash Sutton to secure victory in the final race of the weekend at Croft.

Having shown the improved pace of the Motorbase Ford Focus earlier in the day with a podium finish in race one, Jackson made a strong start when the lights went out to jump into second spot behind the pole-sitting AmDTuning.com Audi of Ollie Jackson.

After an early safety car period, Jackson made his move for the lead on the third lap with a forceful move at Sunny In that saw the lead Audi get sideways and slip down the order, with the Ford then looking to break ahead at the front.

Jackson’s bid for victory was aided by Rob Austin’s Toyota backing up the pack behind, with the Subarus of Jason Plato and Ash Sutton trying to find a way through.

Plato would do his best to find a way ahead but hadn’t counted on Sutton making a move behind, with the race one winner launching a move on lap seven at the Hairpin that saw him slide through into second.

Sutton then set about chasing down the leader and by the start of the final lap was right with the Ford ahead. Going into the Complex for the final time, Sutton made his move by putting his car on the outside for the Hairpin but Jackson eased the Subaru wide onto the grass on the exit and successfully held on for his first victory of the campaign.

Sutton had to settle for second place, which capped a hat-trick of podium finishes from the weekend, with Plato managing to take third place on the final run to the line having finally overcome the challenge of a determined Austin.

The Handy Motorsport man had to settle for fourth place at the finish, with Matt Neal just behind in fifth having stormed through the pack from his dramas in race two. The three BMWs of Colin Turkington, Andrew Jordan and Rob Collard followed behind, with points leader Gordon Shedden and pole man Jackson rounding out the top ten.