Shedden wins at the 'Rockposted in BTCC18 | 09 | 2011

FIFER GORDON SHEDDEN heads to Brands Hatch in a fortnight sharing the lead in the British Touring Car Championship after winning at Rockingham.

The 32-year-old from Dalgety Bay left the Northamptonshire circuit tied with his Honda Racing team-mate Matt Neal, and 24 points ahead of the Chevrolet of defending champ Jason Plato.

While the Oxford driver won race one from pole position, Shedden stormed through from sixth on the grid in the day's second race to win by 0.380 ahead of Frank Wrathall's Toyota.

"The car was absolutely awesome," Shedden, who finished sixth in the opener despite carrying 45kg of success ballast, admitted. "Getting rid of the 45kg in the second race definitely made a big, big difference.

See more photos of Gordon Shedden at Rockingham today

"I genuinely didn't think we'd get a race win this weekend. I thought we'd really struggle with the extra weight, So to actually do it makes it even more special."

But there was disappointment for the Scot in the day's final reverse grid race, won by Vauxhall's James Nash.

Having been drawn 10th on the grid, Shedden had battled through to seventh on lap four when his Honda was rammed by the BMW of Nick Foster.

"That essentially wrecked my race," a deeply disappointed Shedden, who eventually finished 21st, said afterwards. "I think the overtaking attempt was rather over optimistic.

"The impact broke the rear suspension on my Civic and left me struggling to get to the end of the race. It's not how I wanted to finish the weekend.

"But now we have to regroup and head to Brands Hatch for the penultimate round knowing we still have every chance of lifting the championship."

Fifer Gordon Shedden confirmed at Honda for 2012

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Jim McGill