Shedden leads title race, but WSR hold sway at Croft

The Scot, who drives for Honda Yuasa Racing, led for much of the final race of three at the North-East track, but the soft tyres on his Type R eventually deteriorated to the point where the BMW 125i M Sports of Rob Collard and Andy Priaulx were able to pass.

It was a fantastic day for WSR with a one, two, three in race one, former World Touring Car champion Priaulx (Team IHG Rewards Club) leading home JCT 600 with GardX-backed team-mates Sam Tordoff and Collard.

Bradford’s Tordoff took race two honours, a victory that allowed him to put a slight mistake in the rain in race one behind him when he led for much of the race only to open the door for Priaulx as the climax approached.

BTCC: Jeff Smith crashes out of the race at the British Touring Car Championship at Croft Circuit. Picture: STUART BOULTON.

It is Shedden, however, who heads the standings after a thrilling day in front of a packed crowd who saw him achieve his 100th BTCC podium finish.

"I've got a front-wheel drive car on softs on the podium and I am pretty chuffed with that,” he said afterwards.

"It's always so hard on tyres round here and I knew it was going to be difficult. The grip that I had early on was really good. I wasn't going fast and I thought I am not abusing the tyre in terms of how it felt. I need to make hay while the sun shines and if it's enough it's enough and if it's not it's not.

"Five laps from home it all felt okay, four laps from home it didn't."

Shedden said he would be in confident mood when the series reconvenes at Snetterton in August.

"We will go to other circuits that aren't as abrasive as this. We count this and Rockingham as the two killers on tyres and if we can get on the podium here that makes me really happy for the season ahead," he said.

Priaulx was equally as happy.

“It’s been amazing – the first win since coming back was just great, then to get second place at the last moment in race three topped it all off," he said. "I got through the whole day without any scratches too, which is a pretty big achievement! So far this year we haven’t converted our pace into results, but it’s so good to be back to winning ways. I’m still learning every weekend but we’ve broken the duck now so we’ll keep pushing on.”

Tordoff, who regards Croft as his home circuit, cannot wait for battle to be rejoined.

“It’s been a fantastic day," he said. "A win, a second and a hard-fought sixth on soft tyres is a great set of results and our position in the championship reflects this. It’s been a great home weekend and the crowds have been brilliant.

"There was pressure on us coming in, but we more than delivered as a team with three wins. I envisaged I’d be in the championship challenge, and this weekend has put us right up there. We’ll be working hard over the summer break – I’ve got fond memories of Snetterton from the last few years so I’m confident going there.”

Collard was full of praise for his team.

“This is such a great team and an amazing group of people, so to score three wins in a day is just incredible," he said. "They work so hard to produce such a good car and we can’t always show that, but today is for all the work everyone at WSR has put in.

"Gordon [Shedden] put me under a lot of pressure at the start so I let him go and gambled that his tyres would go off. Thankfully it worked and everything went to plan. It’s just been a brilliant day for all three of us.”

TIN TOPS: Action from the British Touring Car Championship at Croft Circuit. Picture: STUART BOULTON

Jason Plato, meanwhile, explained his decision to start race one in the Team BMR VW CC from the pit lane, instead of 12th where he had qualified.

“I’m pretty pleased with the weekend and where we are – we’ve only given away a handful of points at a circuit which on reflection isn’t going to be one of our strong ones this year," he said. "The gamble in race one paid off – had I gone out in 12th with maximum ballast and the soft tyre it could have ruined the weekend.

"For the second half of the year we’ve got a lot of circuits where we’re going to be very strong and only Knockhill where I think we might struggle a bit.”

Jason Plato on the start-finish straight. Pic: Matt Westcott

Shedden's Honda team-mate Matt Neal rued a luckless weekend.

"Qualifying was a good start in light of the weight we were carrying, although we had to put in an extra run on race tyres to make sure we secured the position. That obviously put another heat cycle through them, and Croft is a circuit that is renowned for being exceptionally hard on the tyres. That made the first race more difficult that it would otherwise have been, but fifth was still a pretty decent finish," he said. "The car felt better in race two, but it’s not easy to overtake around here and in race three I got up as far as seventh before the tyre performance fell away.

"Onwards and upwards, though; it’s still very close in the championship, and whilst I normally look forward to the summer break, I’m enjoying driving the Civic Type R so much that I just want the season to keep going right now!”

Plato's fellow Team BMR driver Colin Turkington said: “It’s another great weekend for Team BMR – there hasn’t been an event this year where we haven’t been quick.

"Given my track record at Croft there’s no way I was going to leave without getting on the podium! It’s so close at the top, but I was pleased with my pace all day and I think we’ve really turned a corner on my car – the balance has been really good.

"We should be quick at almost every circuit from now on, and I really feel like the car is coming to me now.”