Jason Hughes’ long association with touring car racing was never part of the original plan. In fact, his motorsport career began far from the saloon cars he is now best known for.

Hughes started racing motorcycles at the age of 10 and continued into his early twenties, but injuries brought that chapter to an end.

“I raced bikes from 10, right up to 20 or 22,” he explains. “I damaged my leg with the bike racing, and then after that I had a bad car accident.” With his time on two wheels over, Hughes found himself searching for a new challenge.

That search led him into car racing in the mid-1990s, thanks to connections forged through motocross. Introduced to Jason Minshaw at Demon Tweeks, Hughes made his competitive debut in Fiesta racing in 1995, competing as part of the TOCA support package. The move proved to be a natural fit, and after several seasons learning his craft, success followed.

“In ’99, I won the Fiestas,” Hughes recalls. That title opened the door to the next rung on the touring car ladder, with a move into the V6 Super Coupe category in a Vauxhall Vectra. Further experience came in Production Touring Cars with an ex-works Nissan Primera, although the programme was ultimately short-lived. “We only did four or five meetings in 2003,” Hughes says. “It was unreliable, and then they scrapped the production class.”

The turning point came later that year when two MG ZS touring cars became available. Hughes purchased one from West Surrey Racing at the end of 2003, a decision that would define the next phase of his racing career. “That was it, basically,” he explains. “We went into the BTCC with the MG and stayed there until about 2009, until the car went out of date.”

Although the MG’s competitive lifespan was limited, its popularity was anything but. The car attracted one of the most passionate fanbases of the era, something Hughes remembers fondly. “There was a massive following,” he says. “All the MG fans, the X-Power lot – it was brilliant. You’d go to Brands Hatch and there’d be 50 or maybe 100 of them all camped out together, and it was nice to have that support even as a privateer at the end of the cars life.”

Two decades on, those memories still resonate. When Hughes returned to Brands Hatch in 2025 for the Super Touring Power event, he was reunited with familiar faces from the MG faithful. “One of the lads, Jerry, who was one of the main MG supporters back in the day, was there. It was really good to see him again. You don’t realise it’s 20 years ago until you think about it. It only feels like five or six years not 20!”

The MG’s return to action in the Classic Touring Car Racing Series also allowed Hughes to share the car with a driver who has a deep personal connection to the marque – Colin Turkington. “I’ve known Colin since the Fiesta days,” Hughes explains. “The MG was his first touring car, and he’s still got his original one at home with the V6 engine in it.”

Allowing Turkington to drive the car was an easy decision. “It’s a big part of his history,” Hughes says. “And he can drive, can’t he?” he adds with a smile.
Alongside the MG, Hughes has also fulfilled a lifelong ambition by owning and racing a Super Touring car. In 2018, he acquired a Triple Eight Vauxhall Vectra – a life long held moment finally arrived. The chance to experience the pinnacle machinery of the era he grew up watching. “From when I started in ’95, Super Tourers were the ultimate,” he says. “That was always the dream.”

The experience has lived up to expectations. “They’re just totally different cars,” Hughes explains. “They’re actually easier to drive than the MG, but they’re so much quicker. Around the full Silverstone circuit, the Vectra is seven seconds a lap quicker can you believe!.”

Even today, the Super Touring car remains remarkably competitive. “We’ve matched times that Plato did back in the day,” Hughes says. “So it’s still on the ball and has plenty of life.”

With Jason Plato’s name also adorning the side of the car, the idea of seeing another BTCC legend back behind the wheel has been discussed. “We’ve talked about it,” Hughes admits. “He’s always been mega busy, but never say never.”

From his early days on bikes to his enduring presence in historic touring car racing, Jason Hughes’ story is one of perseverance, passion and a deep-rooted love for classic touring cars – one of many stories continuing to unfold in the BARC paddock.