Today we catch-up with Jordan Annells another in a breed of young drivers in Kent who are making their way in the motorsport world.

Jordan currently races a Ford Fiesta ST in the BRSCC Dunlop Ford Fiesta Championship which is the fastest of the four classes that compete.

We started by asking Jordan how he came to get involved in racing, as he did it a little differently to some people who move through the conventional route of karting.

Speaking about how he got into racing, he said: “My dad used to race in the 1980’s, he competed for three seasons racing a Ford Fiesta so not only has motorsport run in the family but Fiesta’s have too!

“He quit racing long before I was born as he didn’t want to force it upon me and wanted me to come about it on my own. My dad has owned his own car garage for a few decades now so cars were always a big feature in my life as I grew up, and when I started to show an interest in cars and racing one thing led to another.

“Unlike most young drivers I never really got into karting. I only started to show an interest in racing when I was 13/14 after trying a few ‘arrive and drive’ events at my local kart circuit, Buckmore Park. It came to the point where we looked to racing karts but it looked a lot of money to me, so we searched for a more suitable alternative. We then came across the 750 Motor Club SAXMAX Championship for junior drivers (14-17 year olds) and decided this was a much more cost effective and exciting way to go racing.

“The championship was for identical specification Citroen Saxo VTR’s, so the budgets were significantly smaller than most Go-Karting Championships. We did Saxmax for two years before dad’s old racing team mate got in touch saying that he was looking to sell his ST race car and would we be interested in buying it. We did a short test day in the car and I loved it, so we decided it was the next step for me.”

Jordan missed the first round of the championships due to a big crash during testing ahead of the start of the season, and Jordan explains just how it happens.

He added: “The crash in testing was at Rockingham Speedway. It was the first time I had ever visited the track and as is often the way in winter testing it rained. As the championship is so close, I was determined to make the most of the day and was pushing hard very early on.

“I carried a bit more speed than usual into the fastest corner on the track and the rear end of the car broke loose, spinning me into the wall on the outside of the track. Unfortunately this was only a few weeks before the first race weekend in the season, so the car was still being repaired.”

The crash meant that Jordan was playing catch-up when he eventually hot the grid but with the races so competitive he knew he would be mixing it up with his competitors soon enough.

“With such well supported and competitive grids there is always good racing to be had wherever you are on the circuit. The racing is tough with some very fast and experienced drivers, so in terms of learning and progressing as a driver I think it’s a brilliant field to be part of. The series is also enjoying increasing support and numbers of fans, which is great for drivers and sponsors.

“The aim at the start of the season was to finish at least top five. This is currently my fourth season of racing and every year we seem to be heading further towards the front of the field, so everyone agreed this was a realistic target. However, with such a torrid start to the season it is encouraging that I am now getting back on track and moving towards the front. The goal is to keep the momentum up for the rest of the year and break into the top ten with some strong top five finishes, then I will be content with my season.”

When pressed on what his favourite track was to race on and his favourite race of the season was so far, there were few surprises, or was there?

He said: “Brands Hatch will always be my favourite track to race at. As a circuit it is so unique and enjoyable to drive, and the fact that it’s local is a bonus.  I get a real buzz when other people are interested in the sport I enjoy so much, so having all of my friends and family come along to be a part of it is great!

“One of the best things about Brands is also that most of my sponsors are based locally to the circuit, so it makes it easier to get them involved. Being able to entertain the employees and customers of Skevington Builders Merchants, Simon Jones Superfreight and Lakeview Accountants is fun for everyone.

“My favourite race of the season was the first race we took part in at Snetterton in Norfolk. It was a boiling hot weekend and the whole team and I were just glad that the car was back together and worked without fault. I had two hard races that weekend and managed to secure solid points finishes in both. Two of the next three rounds of the season are at Brands Hatch, and I am expecting some solid results and entertaining races so hopefully the best is yet to come!”

Finally we asked Jordan what his long term aims were and where he would like to end up in his racing career.

“The BTCC is a massively exciting prospect. It is by far one of the most well supported championships in the UK, and features some of the best drivers and teams! It would be a dream come true to compete on the grid with such a high profile.

“GT racing is also something that I’m greatly interested in. Looking ahead I really just want to gain as much experience and race in as many cars as possible, but my long term goal is to compete in the BTCC and GT racing around the world.”