Newsham wins, Shedden smokesposted in BTCC26 | 08 | 2012
TWO WEEKS AFTER his Honda Racing Civic spectacularly went up in flames at Snetterton, Gordon 'Flash' Shedden's British Touring Car Championship hopes went up in smoke at Knockhill.
After finishing third in the opening two races of the triple-header behind the BMWs of Rob Collard and Tom Onslow-Cole, fast-charging Shedden was eyeing victory in race three.
But just minutes after the 33-year-old from Dalgety Bay — who had established a five-point lead over his Honda team-mate Matt Neal in the title fight — started the race, disaster struck.
Forced on to the grass to avoid an incident at the foot of the climb leading to the chicane, the ventilation ducts on his car became blocked.
As the temperature of his car's engine soared, he was forced into the pits. But as his crew pulled the clumps of grass from the front of his car, it was clear the damage was already terminal as smoke began to billow from the engine bay.
"Frustrating," a clearly disappointed Shedden, bidding to become the first Scot to win the BTCC title since Galashiels' John Cleland in 1995, said.
See more official photos from the BTCC action at Knockhill
"I don't know what I have to do to open a healthy lead in the championship. Two weeks ago I lost points after finishing third at Snetterton because of a technical issue: now this.
"It just seems that every time I manage to get my nose in front in the championship race, fate deals me a hand which wrestles everything away from me.
"But we'll regroup in time for the next triple-header at Rockingham in four week. We've nine races left, and a heck of a lot of points are up for grabs, so I'm not ruling anything out."
While Shedden was forced to sit and watch the action from the pitwall, Neal rubbed further salt into the wound by finishing third behind the Vauxhall of winner, Inverness-based Dave Newsham.
The result re-established the 10-point lead defending champ Neal had over Shedden as they entered the weekend.
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As Shedden was left to contemplate what might have been, Newsham, the Welsh-born Lancastrian who now lives in Inverness, was delighted.
"Two weeks ago at Snetterton I claimed the first win of my BTCC career," Newsham said, "and now I've won on my home circuit. It doesn't get much better than that.
"Team ES Racing is one of the smallest outfits in the paddock, and to win two races back-to-back is just fantastic for everyone involved.
"We gambled on a set-up we'd never tried before, but we knew we had to do something because we'd had a disaster of a second race. It's pretty awesome."
It was a disappointing day for Jason Plato. The double champ from Oxford started the opening race from pole position, but his MG was punted off into the gravel by the Ford of Aron Smith on the second lap. Eleventh in the second race was then followed by a retirement in race three.
There was success though for two other Scots. Kirkcaldy 25-year-old Rory Butcher powered his Celtic Speed car to second in the Porsche Carrera Cup, and Charlie Robertson, the 15-year-old from Aberfoyle, won both races in the Ginetta Junior Championship to take a four-point lead in the title race.
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Jim McGill