Shedden bags last-gasp winposted in BTCC31 | 07 | 2016
DOUBLE CHAMP GORDON SHEDDEN kickstarted his 2016 British Touring Car Championship title hopes with a dramatic last-gasp win in the day’s final race at Snetterton.
Having finished the opening race second, after starting from his first pole position for three years, the 37-year-old from Auchterarder then found his Honda Civic Type R used as something of a pinball in the second race. The defending BTCC champ eventually finished 10th.
But that set up a dramatic final race, which had to be red-flagged within seconds after contact between Mark Howard, Alex Martin, Mat Jackson and Hunter Abbott sent the latter’s Chevrolet Cruze into a barrel roll.
Abbott’s Power Maxed Racing machine spiralled over the barrier and into a television gantry, leaving a cameraman and several drivers shaken but thankfully unharmed.
On the restart, which saw the race distance reduced from 12 laps to 10, Shedden was a man on a mission.
As Jason Plato chased his first win of the season in his Subaru, Rob Collard muscled his way past the two-time champion on lap two before Jackson and Shedden followed suit one lap later. Third became second for Shedden when Jackson’s Ford slowed with a problem on the Bentley Straight.
The Honda Civic Type R began reeling in Collard at a rate of knots and was right on his tail coming into the final lap. Shedden fired the #52 machine down the inside of the Team JCT600 with GardX BMW and the duo ran side-by-side for what seemed like an eternity.
Collard eventually had to give up the challenge and settle for second, as Shedden stormed to an outstanding victory.
“First of all, I was glad to see everyone walk away from the massive accident at the start of race three,” Shedden, whose next BTCC outing is at Knockhill on August 13/14, said.
“For me, obviously, that was a fantastic win. Three laps from the end, I began to think I might be able to catch Collard and my car just came alive.
“With two laps to go, I felt sure I could have a go and that a win might be on the cards and then it all happened on the last lap, when it was bumper-to-bumper until we reached the chequered flag.
“I braked really nice and late into the hairpin and normally that’s more of a BMW move but we made it work. We were both slipping and sliding in there but I got up the inside. I’m delighted to get the result, it was a stunning one for the team and myself.
“It was fair racing, and I hope we gave the crowds a thrilling end to the day. I couldn’t be happier. It has put me back in contention in fourth in the championship and I will be heading to my home event at Knockhill in two weeks’ time on a real high.”
Former Knockhill race instructor, and double BTCC champ Colin Turkington powered his Subaru to victory in race one, with Jackson took the win in race two in his Ford.
Dalkeith’s Aiden Moffat took a day’s best finish in the third race, bringing his Mercedes home eight.
Collard heads to Fife in a fortnigh leading the championship by three points ahead of Tordoff, with Shedden’s team-mate, three-time champ Matt Neal a further three points adrift.
Shedden will start his home triple-header at Knockhill having slashed the gap in the title race to just 26pts behind Collard.
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Jim McGill