“For sure it would have been the icing on the cake if we could have wrapped up the independents' as well, but at the end of the day to come away with second in the main championship was I think a great achievement by everyone in the team.

“We came away from [Brands Hatch] with just over 40 points, which I think was pretty impressive really. If only we could have done that at a few more meetings over the season it would have been a different story, but then I'm sure everybody has their own story to tell don't they…”

Far from looking back, though, Jackson is now very much focussed on 2009, when there are rumours of increased BMW works support to bolster his challenge for glory – and when SEAT, the manufacturer that helped to propel him into the BTCC in the first place in the guise of the SEAT Cupra Cup UK, will no longer be on the starting grid in an official capacity.

“SEAT's withdrawal is obviously a shame for the BTCC,” the seven-time race-winner mused. “I'm sure there will be some other manufacturers looking to come into touring cars, but for me for sure we had some good times with SEAT. We were both runner-up and champion in the SEAT Cupra Cup UK, and without the likes of that championship we wouldn't be where we are today.

“They offered the largest prize in British motorsport to the champion, and we were fortunate enough to win that championship which really gave us the boost to move on. It was a shock to everybody, I think, when they decided they were going to leave, but I'm sure they've got their reasons and they're moving on to different things.

“It's obviously the time of year now when you hear a lot of interesting rumours flying around, but we're hopefully going to come back again next year and we can only go one better. We've just got to focus at this point in the year to improve everything and come back even stronger, hit the ground running and come out fighting for the main championship in 2009. This is where the hard work starts…”

To read Jackson's latest exclusive column on Crash.net, click here

by Russell Atkins