Shedden reflects on tough weekendposted in BTCC15 | 08 | 2016

    GORDON SHEDDEN WAS left reflecting on what might have been after the dust settled on what was, ultimately, a frustrating Knockhill round of the British Touring Car Championship.

    The defending champion, who entered the weekend trailing the then championship leader Rob Collard by just 26 points, had been hopeful of leaving is home circuit with a good haul of points and having closed the gap.

    But having struggled with a turbo boost leak in his Honda Civic Type R during Saturday’s qualifying, which saw him start the opening race from a disappointing 11th, Shedden could only manage two ninths and a fourth.

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    The 37-year-old from Auchterarder heads into the next round at Rockingham in a fortnight trailing the BMW of new championship leader Sam Tordoff by 40 points.

    “It’s been tough,” Shedden, whose weekend wasn’t helped when team-mate Matt Neal won the day’s second race, easing him into second in the championship, said.

    “Obviously it’s not been the ideal weekend, but we’ll be throwing everything at the championship over the closing race weekends to win the title again.

    Related:

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    Shedden ready for "ballistic BTCC weekend"

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    “The dice never really rolled my way this weekend, right from qualifying. The first two races involved some typically tight Knockhill battling, and then the reversed grid worked against me with a couple of quick cars on soft tyres ahead.

    “I pushed as hard as possible and the Honda Civic Type R was quick, allowing us to make decent progress at the start, but we just couldn’t keep up in a straight line which prevented us from attacking into the corners, so that was mightily frustrating.

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    “With Knockhill being my home track, I’d obviously hoped for more but we salvaged the best we could and we’re very much still in the hunt. We’ve clearly got some work to do, but we’ll head to Rockingham next fighting for results and with everything to play for.”

    Related: Scotland gets 2017 British Rally Championship round

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    Jim McGill

     

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