Honda Yuasa Racing’s Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal admit they are looking forward to this weekend’s British Touring Car Championship races at Rockingham in Corby, with the duo having both been victorious at the circuit in the past.
Title contender Shedden remains 23 points adrift of championship leader Colin Turkington heading into the weekend’s races and with almost a third of the season left to run he admits that there’s still a long way to go in terms of the championship.
“We’ve simply got to keep at it, push as hard as we can and absolutely maximise every available opportunity,” said Shedden. “The championship can very quickly turn on its head, and you just never know what’s going to happen. There’s almost a third of the season remaining and still plenty of racing left to be done.
“Although Knockhill wasn’t ultimately the weekend we had been hoping for, we still scored points in all three races – and when the BTCC is as competitive as it is this year, that’s the kind of consistency that championships are built on. It’s crucial to stay in the mix even when you don’t have the outright pace.“
Shedden has tasted victory at Rockingham on four previous occasions – in 2012, 2011 and 2008 – and the venue was crucial in helping him to clinch his maiden title in 2012, when he scored two wins at the ‘Rock.
“The nature of the Rockingham layout has provided some pretty exciting racing over the years, and it has been reasonably kind to us in the past,“ admitted Shedden. “It’s a totally different prospect to Snetterton and Knockhill and it has some pretty quick corners and high-speed sections – which is where the Civic Tourer truly excels.”
For Neal, taking his first win of the season last time out at Knockhill has proven to be a huge relief. The former triple champion has won four times previously at the Northamptonshire circuit – in 2003, 2008 and 2010 – and admits to being a fan of the circuit.
“It was nice to get the monkey off my back in the Civic Tourer at Knockhill, and I’m looking forward to Rockingham,” admitted Neal. “I love the circuit, and being Midlands-based, it’s a fairly local track for me so I do receive a lot of support there from family and friends, which always helps you find that extra tenth-of-a-second.
“The racing is invariably close and pretty wild, which can only be good for the fans, and getting the car well hooked-up through Turns Four, Five and Six is a real test. The banking will certainly be a challenge if it’s wet, and in the technical infield section, the Civic Tourer should really come into its own. Hopefully, Rockingham will be a happy hunting-ground for us.”
Honda Yuasa Racing’s Technical Director Barry Plowman adds that the layout of the Rockingham circuit presents a uinuqe challenge with its twisty infield section contrasting with the high-speed straights and banked turn one.
“With its distinct blend of flat-out banking and the tight, twisty infield, Rockingham presents a unique challenge and a real test of set-up compromise,“ explained Plowman. “It will be important to hit the ground running from FP1 on Saturday morning, and three strong points-scoring finishes for both drivers on race day will be vital as the tension mounts in the title fight.”