Team-mate wrecks Scot's BTCC doubleposted in BTCC05 | 06 | 2011
FIFER GORDON SHEDDEN bagged a win and a second place in today's triple-header in the British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park. But the day was dominated by the last-corner collision between Shedden and his Honda team-mate Matt Neal which denied the Scot victory in the day's second race.
Shedden (pictured), the 31-year-old from Dalgety Bay, had dominated the opening race from pole position after opting for a mix of slick tyres on the front of his Honda Racing Civic and wets on the rear as the rainy conditions at the Cheshire circuit changed.
Starting from pole again for the second race, the Scot had comfortably opened a 14-second lead and appeared well on course to his third win of the year when the appearance of the Safety Car bunched the field up.
Once the race restarted, Shedden led his team-mate over the closing three laps and was on course for a solid Honda 1-2.
Inexplicably, Neal — who ironically heads to the next round at Croft near Darlington leading the championship by two points from his team-mate — chose to make a last-minute plunge down the inside of the Scot's car at the final right-hand corner.
Unable to stop, Neal's impetus took Shedden's car off with him into the gravel opening the door for defending champ Jason Plato to take a fortuitous win in his Chevrolet.
While Neal was left pounding his steering wheel in frustration at his embarrassing mistake, Shedden somehow managed to keep his Honda going and recovered to finish sixth. While the Scot was naturally livid, Neal, just as understandably, was quick to hold his hands up.
"That was a dumb move," the double BTCC champ admitted once the dust had settled and words had been exchanged in private.
"It was dumb for me, for Gordon and for Honda racing. I've apologised to Gordon and the team. At the time, going for it seemed the right thing to do, but in hindsight it was a dumb move.
"I'm mortified for the team and have actually told Gordon if he wants to take me round the back of the truck and take a swipe at me he's welcome — I deserve it." Shedden though was professionally philosophical about the accident.
"There's no point jumping up and down about it," the Scot, who finished second behind the Ford of Mat Jackson in the day's final race, said. "It is what it is. It's happened and we just have to get on with it. We're allowed to race, it's just tricky in those conditions.
"I'd opened up a healthy lead before the Safety Car appeared, and on the restart I thought all I had to do was bring the car home, especially with just the final corner to go and my team-mate behind me.
"Don't get me wrong; I'm not doing cartwheels about what happened. But that's motor racing. These things happen and we just have to get on with it." Earlier, Shedden was delighted with his second win of the season in Race 1, but admitted it had an element of luck.
"How difficult was it to make the decision on tyres when we were on the grid and we didn't know if the rain was going to get any harder or not," he explained. "All I was thinking was 'it's very slippery, but I don't think it's slicks, and I don't think I can make a set of wets last the full race distance.
"So, to be honest, going for slicks on the front and wets on the back was a gamble, and this time it worked out for me; but it was a big risk. But it was my decison, and boy am I glad it worked out right."
At the same circuit, Shedden's brother-in-law, Dunfermline's Rory Butcher, won the Porsche Carrera Cup Pro-Am1 race. The 24-year-old, driving his St Cyrus-based Celtic Speed car, also finished fifth overall to seal his best performance in his rookie season.
"That was awesome," Butcher, son of Knockhill owner Derek, admitted. "The guys in the team had the car set-up perfectly for me and it was just a brilliant race. Pro-Am1 win, and fifth overall is just about as good as it can get."
CLICK HERE to see more images of Gordon Shedden racing at Oulton Park today
BTCC Championship — Drivers' standings after Oulton Park:
1. Matt Neal (Honda) 103
2. Gordon Shedden (Honda) 101
3. Mat Jackson (Ford) 96
4. James Nash Vauxhall) 95
5. Jason Plato (Chevrolet) 91
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Jim McGill