Podium start for Shedden at Brandsposted in BTCC30 | 03 | 2014

    FIFER GORDON SHEDDEN delivered his best start to the British Touring Car Championship for seven years with three impressive drives in the opening triple-header at Brands Hatch.

    Traditionally, the 1.2-mile Indy layout at the Kent circuit has proved to be something of a nemesis for the 35-year-old former champ from Dalgety Bay. But today Shedden delivered a fourth, a second and sixth-place finish in his Honda Civic Tourer.

    "It's no secret that I always seem to have struggled on the short Indy circuit at Brands," Shedden (pictured) admitted, "but I came into this weekend determined to leave with a good haul of points."

    And 12 months after failing to score in the opening two races of the season, this year Shedden had already pocketed 30 championship points by the time the chequered flag fell at the end of race two.

    "I was pleased with the way things unfolded in the opening race, and it was great to be able to put Andrew (Jordan) under a lot of pressure in the second race," Shedden, who finished just 0.505secs behind Jordan in race two, continued.

    "Sure I would have loved to have won it. The car felt really good, but I just didn't have enough to pass Andy.

    Related: Gordon Shedden starts fifth in BTCC opener

    "And I didn't want to take any risks, knowing what my Brands Hatch Indy circuit luck is like: I was determined to get to the end on that one.

    "A fourth and a second: it's the best start in touring cars I've had for about seven year. The circuit lends itself to some very close racing, but it's very difficult to pass: and to pass cleanly is even more difficult."

    Starting from fifth on the reverse grid in the day's final race, Shedden's Honda struggled towards the end of the 27-lap race on the soft-compound Dunlop tyres, and he had to content himself with sixth.

    "My key this weekend was always to get some points on the board early-on, and that's what I've done," a relieved Shedden admitted.

    "So, yeh, I'm happy. Our time will come: we will win races in the new Civic Tourer.

    Both the opening two races were won by the Honda Civic hatchback of defending champ Andrew Jordan.

    In race one, the Honda driver held off a sustained challenge from the MG of former champ Jason Plato to win by 0.536s, with Shedden's Honda team-mate Matt Neal third.

    Jordan again led from start-to-finish in race two. fending off Shedden, who in turn fought off the BMW of former Knockhill race instructor Colin Turkington.

    And it was the former champ from Northern Ireland who won the day's final race, to rack up the 25th of his career. Neal and Plato completed the podium positions.

    Jordan, who finished a distant 13th in the closing race, takes a two-point championship lead over Neal into the next round at Donington in three weeks.

    With Turkington third, one point adrift of Neal, Shedden is fourth, just seven points off the lead.

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    Jim McGill

     

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