Gordon Shedden has won todays second Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race, held in soaking wet conditions.
Yuasa Honda Racing Team ace Shedden took over at the front when Andrew Jordan (Pirtek Racing Honda Civic) threw away the lead when he slithered straight on at the hairpin as the race re-started after a safety car period. He would recover to finish seventh
In the end Shedden led home team-mate Matt Neal as they gave the factory Honda team a dream 1-2 resultalso the squads first victory since Croft in the middle of June.
Notably Shedden sportingly backed off a few laps from home to allow Neal to lead over the line for a bonus pointits that bonus point that keeps Neal ahead of Shedden in the title battle going into this afternoons third race
Finishing third was Jason Plato in his KX Momentum Racing MG6. Plato had won this mornings first race to close to within 23 points of championship leader Neal but is now 26 adrift.
Shedden, who now has seven wins in 2012, commented: "That's a big relief. It's mine and the team's first win for what seems like ages. Even better we've done it in real style and of course it's a massive result in terms of the championship."
Neal, driving with a broken hand, added: "I couldn't have caught Gordon so thanks to him for winding it off and letting me through for a lap. We work as a team and hopefully I'll get the chance to repay the favour before the season is out. I reckoned the wet would mean I could take it easier on the hand but no chance!"
Plato added: "The pace wasn't quite there to live with the Hondas in those conditions and with the maximum ballast in my car. Third place is still a very good result, though. It'll be important to keep as close to them as possible in the third race so we still leave today having taken points off them overall."
Redstone Racing Ford Focus duo Mat Jackson and Aron Smith were fourth and sixth, sandwiching Frank Wrathalls Dynojet Toyota Avensis in fifth. Smith was one of the races star performers as he fought his way through from the back of the grid
Another was Ollie Jackson, a superb eighth in the AmD Tuning.com teams VW Golf. Adam Morgan (Speedworks Toyota Avensis) took a strong ninth ahead of Nick Foster (eBay Motors BMW). Having challenged for the lead at the first bend thanks to a demon start from sixth, Fosters team-mate Robert Collard tumbled to a disappointed 11th with rear-end damage to his car, notably after earlier contact with Smith and Morgan.
On his debut, Howard Fuller again impressed hugely with 12th place and more points, right behind Collard, in Team HARD.s Honda Civic.
The race proved one to forget for the Team ES Racing.com squadChris James needed a pit stop to cure failing headlights and then lost more time with a spin, while Dave Newsham was 15th after an off of his own. That was after hed already got into a tangle with Platos and Jordans team-mates Andy Neate and Jeff Smith at the hairpin. Neate then span off for good at the next bend, Yentwood, to trigger the safety car period.
Will Bratt joined Neate in retirement when his RAR Audi A4 slithered off the track at the hairpin when hed just fought his way into 13th.
For full race results click on this link: http:/www.btcc.net/html/raceresults_detail.php?race_id=94&season_id=55
