Gordon Shedden took back the top spot in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship with victory in a rain-affected final race of the day at Donington Park.
A torrential downpour caused chaos on the first attempt to get the final race underway. Matt Neal got the jump on BTC Norlin Racing‘s Dave Newsham at the start, but ended the first lap in the gravel at Mcleans as one of several drivers to aquaplane off the road.
Team-mate Shedden was more fortunate to recover a lurid half-spin at Craner Curves moments prior to Neal’s off, series leader Tom Ingram skating off the road at Old Hairpin along with race one winner Aiden Moffat and Rob Collard among others.
Red flags were waved to halt the race, Neal excluded from the restart for receiving outside assistance to escape the gravel trap.
Newsham held onto the advantage on the restart ahead of the fast-starting BMW of Colin Turkington, the race brought swiftly under safety car conditions after Mat Jackson tangled with Matt Simpson at the first corner.
The delay was brief, Shedden making his move for third spot on Josh Cook‘s Maximum Motorsport Ford Focus ST before challenging Turkington’s BMW for second immediately.
A late lunge under braking at the final chicane put the Scot ahead of the BMW, Shedden setting off after leader Newsham and grabbing the lead just over a lap later with a late-braking move around the outside of the Chevrolet Cruze at Redgate.
Shedden was untroubled on his way to a second victory of the season, taking back the championship lead from Ingram while Turkington found a way by Newsham exiting Coppice on lap eight for second spot.
Ashley Sutton stayed out of trouble and soon caught Newsham’s Cruze for the final podium spot, the Team BMR driver grabbing third at Coppice on lap 15. Fifth-placed Adam Morgan caught both as Newsham returned the favour at Redgate on the final lap, the Mercedes A-Class catching both by surprise on the final corner to grab third from Sutton and Newsham.
Ingram was next up after the charging Daniel Lloyd‘s attempt to overtake the Toyota driver at Craner Curves ended with the MG skating off into the gravel. Jack Goff inherited seventh for Eurotech Racing ahead of Cook, the top 10 rounded out by the second Mercedes of Moffat and the sole remaining MG of Aron Taylor-Smith.
Senna Proctor was top rookie in 11th place for Power Maxed Racing, Collard slipping back to 13th spot.
Photo: BTCC Media
