Team JCT600 with GardX man Sam Tordoff is contesting his fourth full season in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship and the multiple race-winner is mounting his biggest title challenge yet.

The Yorkshireman scored victories in each of his first two years with the manufacturer-backed MG squad, before his switch to BMW machinery in 2015. Further successes followed in his maiden campaign with West Surrey Racing, but his speed and consistency during the 2016 season so far sees the talented Yorkshireman hold a nine-point lead in the current standings.

A stellar afternoon at Oulton Park in June cemented Tordoff’s championship credentials, with a win and two-second place finishes moving him to the summit.

Tordoff has remained in the top two ever since, with a strong outing at Knockhill last time out handing him an extended advantage over Matt Neal and his WSR stablemate Rob Collard.

“We’ve had a good run but I’m sure Rockingham will be an extremely tough challenge,” said Tordoff. “It was important that we took points at the circuits which really suited the BMW, which we did, and next weekend will be no different in terms of our approach.

“We need to just keep scoring points consistently as that’s what winning championships is all about. We’re fast, the car’s good and we’re good on weight. I’m feeling strong but there’s a long way to go.”

If Tordoff is to win a first BTCC title then he will have to hold off Collard’s challenge from within his own team, whilst Halfords Yuasa Racing remains ever-strong through Neal and Gordon Shedden.

The Motorbase Performance Fords of Mat Jackson and Andrew Jordan are also among the contenders, as are Subaru’s super duo of Colin Turkington and Jason Plato, plus a host of others.

Topping the Drivers’ standings at this stage of the season, with the light at the end of the tunnel beginning to appear, is tantalising. It’s also a sign of how well all the components vital to a title charge have been married together by WSR and Tordoff over an ultra-competitive season so far.

“To be leading the championship with three rounds to go is more than I could have expected and is a real credit to everyone at Team JCT600 with GardX,” said Tordoff.

“The WSR-prepared BMW has performed fabulously, carried ballast well and given me the opportunity to take good points everywhere – even when it seemed like that might not be possible.

“I’d rather be nine points ahead than behind, but it’s a slender gap and I know that one slip-up could have a big consequence.

“Maximising every points opportunity is key and we’ll see where we are come Sunday night. It sounds like the oldest cliché in the book, but we really do have to take things race by race.”