Shedden boosts BTCC title hopesposted in BTCC05 | 09 | 2015
FIFER GORDON SHEDDEN boosted his British Touring Car Championship hopes when he qualified third for the first of tomorrow's triple-header at Rockingham.
The 36-year-old from Dalgety Bay, a winner last time out at Knockhill, entered the weekend just 11 points behind the Volkswagen of championship leader Jason Plato.
But while Shedden lines up third on the grid in his Honda, double champ Plato — whose car was carrying 75kg 'success' ballast — could only manage a frustrating sixth.
"It's certainly a boost to be starting ahead of Jason," 2012 champ Shedden, who delivered a banzai final lap to clock 1min 22.300secs, just 0.213s behind the Ford of polesitter Mat Jackson, said today.
Related: Shedden aims to close BTCC gap
"We've only nine races left in the season, so every grid position and point is crucial. But I've won four times here in the past, so hopefully we can manage that again in either race one or two.
"The important thing is to leave here with a good haul of points. Yeh it would terrific to lead the championship into the next round at Silverstone, but as long as I'm in the mix for the title when we get to the finale at Brands, I'll be happy."
Jackson, who edged out the Volkswagen of Aron Smith, smashed the 2013 lap record set by Plato by clocking 1:22.087s. It was Jackson's first pole since 2009, when he drove a Chevrolet.
Dalkeith youngster, 18-year-old Aiden Moffat, built on his third place at Knockhill by qualifying his Mercedes eighth, immediately ahead of past champs Colin Turkington (VW) and Andrew Jordan (MG).
UPDATE: Shedden was subsequently issued a four place grid penalty for a pitlane procedural infringement during qualifying.
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Jim McGill