Quali nightmare for Sheddenposted in BTCC02 | 08 | 2014

FIFER GORDON SHEDDEN will start the first of tomorrow's three British Touring Car Championship races at Snetterton from a disappointing 12th on the grid.

The 35-year-old former champ from Dalgety Bay, currently second in the title race just seven points behind the BMW of former Knockhill race instructor Colin Turkington, struggled throughout the 30-minute qualifying session.

"That was tough, really tough," Shedden admitted after clambering out of his Honda Civic, having only managed a fastest lap of 1min 58.030secs, 1.535s off pole, on the 2.9-mile Norfolk track.

"It's a bit of a nightmare really. The problem is we're carrying an extra 36kg of success ballast in the car, and on this circuit it's just killing us. I wrung the neck out of the car on every lap: I just couldn't go any faster.

"We've put ourselves in a difficult position, certainly for the opening race, but all I can do is go out there and do the best I can to minimise the damage in the title race."

Double champ Jason Plato collected his second pole position of the season by clocking 1:56.495s in his MG, 0.415s ahead of Turkington, with the second MG of Sam Tordoff third, just ahead of Shedden's Honda team-mate Matt Neal in fourth.

Defending champ, Andrew Jordan, will start the opening race from 31st on the 31-car grid.

The Honda racer crashed heavily, backwards, into the barriers during the opening practice session and was taken to hospital for a check-up.

Though doctors refused to clear him as fit to drive in qualifying, following further medical checks he was given the green light to compete in Sunday's three races.

Related: Gordon Shedden bags late podium

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Jim McGill