Hughes plans two MGs for '09
Jason Hughes says his Team KWR squad plans to run two MG ZSs in 2009’s HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship and believes he can achieve regular top ten finishes with what will be an eight-year-old car.
Hughes, whose ZS is the oldest car on the grid – it first raced in 2002 – managed two outright points finishes in 2008.
He told btcc.net: “The plan is definitely two cars. We’ll have newer suspension from Ohlins – I’ve still been running on ’02 suspension – Judd has told us it can squeeze a bit more power from the engines and of course the older BTC-spec cars like the MG have been given a 25kg weight break. It’s got to be better.”
And Hughes, currently looking to expand his ‘arrive-n-drive’ karting business to a new site which will offer outdoor and indoor circuits, says he sees no reason to trade in his MG for a newer model.
The 39-year-old from Preston said: “I think the fact we have the oldest car on the grid and it’s an MG causes quite a stir. We’ve got more of a following now than we’ve ever had.
“We looked at buying newer Super 2000 machinery but we know the MG inside out and we’ve got the improvements coming for 2009 so it makes sense to stick with it.
“My number one goal will be to finally stand on the BTCC podium whether it’s with a top three outright or a victory in the Independents. I think that’s a realistic target. If it all comes together I don’t see why we can’t be regularly in the top ten and even the top six.”
Looking back on 2008, Hughes takes great pride in the effort put in by his crew as the levels of competition in the BTCC grew in front of an ever-increasing audience.
He added: “This season was frustrating at times. We were limited on budget so it was a bit of a make-do year and it was more competitive out there – there were 16 or 18 cars all capable of being in the top ten at each meeting. To do it twice I thought was a really good achievement with what we were running on.
“At Oulton Park we really showed what we can be capable of. We qualified just outside the top ten and I was dicing with the likes of Robert Collard and Stephen Jelley in the newer BMWs.
“Up until Croft, the mid-way point of the season, I was also the only driver apart from Fabrizio (Giovanardi) and Colin (Turkington) to finish every race which was really good going. We did a really competent job.”
Jason Hughes says his Team KWR squad plans to run two MG ZSs in 2009’s HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship and believes he can achieve regular top ten finishes with what will be an eight-year-old car.
Hughes, whose ZS is the oldest car on the grid – it first raced in 2002 – managed two outright points finishes in 2008.
He told btcc.net: “The plan is definitely two cars. We’ll have newer suspension from Ohlins – I’ve still been running on ’02 suspension – Judd has told us it can squeeze a bit more power from the engines and of course the older BTC-spec cars like the MG have been given a 25kg weight break. It’s got to be better.”
And Hughes, currently looking to expand his ‘arrive-n-drive’ karting business to a new site which will offer outdoor and indoor circuits, says he sees no reason to trade in his MG for a newer model.
The 39-year-old from Preston said: “I think the fact we have the oldest car on the grid and it’s an MG causes quite a stir. We’ve got more of a following now than we’ve ever had.
“We looked at buying newer Super 2000 machinery but we know the MG inside out and we’ve got the improvements coming for 2009 so it makes sense to stick with it.
“My number one goal will be to finally stand on the BTCC podium whether it’s with a top three outright or a victory in the Independents. I think that’s a realistic target. If it all comes together I don’t see why we can’t be regularly in the top ten and even the top six.”
Looking back on 2008, Hughes takes great pride in the effort put in by his crew as the levels of competition in the BTCC grew in front of an ever-increasing audience.
He added: “This season was frustrating at times. We were limited on budget so it was a bit of a make-do year and it was more competitive out there – there were 16 or 18 cars all capable of being in the top ten at each meeting. To do it twice I thought was a really good achievement with what we were running on.
“At Oulton Park we really showed what we can be capable of. We qualified just outside the top ten and I was dicing with the likes of Robert Collard and Stephen Jelley in the newer BMWs.
“Up until Croft, the mid-way point of the season, I was also the only driver apart from Fabrizio (Giovanardi) and Colin (Turkington) to finish every race which was really good going. We did a really competent job.”
