British Touring Cars at Knockhill

YES!   The BOYS are BACK in TOWN, 1st and 2nd of September 2007 the British Touring Cars ran their penultimate round at the Scottish home of Motor Sport, Knockhill circuit in Fife.

This year, the format changed slightly, instead of one race held on Saturday and two on Sunday, this year all three touring car races were on Sunday, with Saturday holding the Qualifying stages.

Scottish motor racing fans had a lot to cheer this year with local driver Gordon Shedden  (Flash gordon)  having his second year partnering Matt Neil in the Hallfords Team. Gordon Shedden is the business development manager at the Knockhill circuit.

For once the weather was kind to Knockhill fans and although the first two races were on a damp circuit, a dry line soon appeared and the rest of the day stayed dry.

     

     

Heat 1
SEAT driver Darren Turner won the first of the three Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship rounds at the Knockhill circuit in Scotland.

Turner, who started on pole position, saw off a determined effort from home Scottish hero Gordon Shedden’s Team Halfords Honda for his second win of 2007.  Shedden, who set the race’s fastest lap time, appeared to have overtaken Turner but their cars collided and he instantly retired with damaged suspension.

Finishing second, therefore, was Team RAC BMW driver Colin Turkington and third Turner’s team-mate Jason Plato.  The result means Plato has extended his championship lead over Vauxhall’s Fabrizio Giovanardi to ten points.



Heat 2
SEAT driver Darren Turner made it two out of two with victory in the second of today’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship rounds to add to his win in race one.

Turner again led all the way from pole position, this time fending off Colin Turkington who again finished second in his Team RAC BMW.

Third was Vauxhall driver Fabrizio Giovanardi who has cut the gap to series leader Jason Plato back down to just five points.

Plato finished the race fifth in his SEAT after being passed by local driver Gordon Shedden who came through from 12th on the grid to finish fourth.



Heat 3
Gordon Shedden has taken victory in the third of today’s three Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship rounds front of his home crowd at the Knockhill circuit in Scotland.

Shedden, from Dalgety Bay, caught and passed team-mate and reigning champion Matt Neal half way through the race to lead him home in a Team Halfords Honda 1-2 finish.  Shedden, as in races one and two, also set the fastest lap time.

Third was SEAT driver Jason Plato.  The result moves Plato nine points clear at the top of the championship ahead of Vauxhall driver Fabrizio Giovanardi who finished the race back in fifth.

It will be either Plato or Giovanardi who is crowned the 2007 BTCC Champion at Thruxton in Hampshire on 14 October.

For those readers who have never attended a race meeting, those who have never heard the powerful roar from a souped up engine.  We provide a Video selection of racing from the Knockhill circuit.

Half way through the video you will see a close-up of some Knockhill grass.  The reason for this is I was engulfed in a shower of gravel, spun up from the car tyres.