Jack Goff thrilled by “surreal” victory

Jack Goff admitted he was delighted to give Team HARD a first BTCC win after a “surreal” victory in the final race of the weekend at Silverstone.

Goff had endured a tough year at the wheel of the Volkswagen CC and went into the penultimate weekend of the season with just a single top ten – and only five points finishes – to his name.

Having secured his best qualfying result of the year with 15th, Goff missed out on points with 17th in race one and then finished back in 21st in race two having gambled on a switch to wet tyres during a late safety car as rain arrived at the Northamptonshire circuit.

However, the decision then led to Goff gambling on a switch to wets at the end of the green flag lap for race three and that allowed him to romp through the field as conditions worsened to give Tony Gilham’s team an unlikely maiden victory.

“This was always going to be our strongest track and we were only a tenth or so off the top six in qualifying,” he said “Okay so that tenth is hard to find, but we were closer than we have been.

“I’d put wets on behind the safety car in race two and I was gutted when they red-flagged it as we so quick. That was then in the back of my mind for race three and on the green flag lap I thought we weren’t going to win from 21st on the same tyres as others, and it was worth a gamble.

“When the safety car came out, I thought we were screwed as I expected the quick guys to be right behind us but I just got my heads down and pushed. It shows the highs and lows of motorsport and it’s all a bit surreal.

“It means so much to me to get the win, but it means more to the team as they took a gamble on me this year and it’s nice to repay them. I got my first podium with them in the rain with the Insignia and I’m pleased to give them the first win.

“You need some luck in this game and we made our own luck with that one.”