Reigning Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Champion Gordon Shedden has set-up an incredible title showdown at Brands Hatch after the Scotsman claimed victory in a thrilling finale at Silverstone.
Team JCT600 with GardX driver Rob Collard blasted his BMW into the lead off the line, as his rear-wheel drive machine launched by Shedden's Honda Civic on the run down to turn one.
Shedden would not be denied, however, as the Halfords Yuasa Racing man produced a stunning move on the second tour. As Collard braked into Maggotts, Shedden stormed down the outside and back into the lead. He went on to extend his advantage and claim his fourth win of the season.
Mat Jackson relegated Collard further down the order on lap three, but the latter was able to stem the flow thereafter.
The Subarus of Colin Turkington and Jason Plato got the better of Tom Ingram's Toyota in the battle for fourth, but two of the three would suffer late heartache. A mechanical issue stopped Ingram's Toyota in its tracks, while Plato limped home in 12th with a puncture. So it was Turkington who claimed fourth to keep his title credentials firmly intact.
Championship challengers Matt Neal and Sam Tordoff were next in the order, after the former had carved his way through the order with a number of stellar moves through Maggotts and Becketts. When Neal's Honda cruised onto the back of Tordoff's BMW there was little resistance from the WSR man, as the points leader determined that discretion was the better part of valour.
The MGs of Ash Sutton and Josh Cook bounced back from their earlier disappointment to score top ten finishes, as they sandwiched the duelling Andrew Jordan and Aiden Moffat in seventh and tenth respectively.
The impressive Rob Austin and Adam Morgan were denied good results after a puncture curtailed the Handy Motorsport Toyota while the WIX Racing man was handed a drive through penalty for exceeding track limits.
Tordoff leads the standings from the Honda duo of Shedden and Neal, but incredibly the title will be contested by an unprecedented eight drivers on the final day of the season at Brands Hatch in two weeks time. Collard, Jackson, Jordan, Turkington and Plato are the other drivers all in contention to claim the most coveted prize in British motor sport.
2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 27 – Silverstone:
1 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 21m54.766s (98.81 mph)
2 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +0.668s
3 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +1.087s
4 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +2.009s
5 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +2.426s
6 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +2.586s+
7 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +5.399s
8 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +7.119s
9 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +7.914s
10 Ash SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +9.275s
11 Jack GOFF (GBR) Team IHG Rewards Club +9.290s
12 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +9.291s
13 Hunter ABBOTT (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +9.518s
14 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +11.619s
15 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +12.044s
16 Michael EPPS (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +17.184s
17 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD Tuning.com +17.262s
18 Alex MARTIN (GBR) Dextra Racing +20.244s
19 Mark HOWARD (GBR) BKR +24.714s
20 Tony GILHAM (GBR) TLC/RCIB Insurance Racing +25.798s
21 James COLE (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +26.044s
22 Stewart LINES (GBR) Maximum Motorsport +26.805s
23 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +27.819s
24 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +28.855s
25 Dan WELCH (GBR) Goodestone Racing +38.231s
26 Kelvin FLETCHER (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +2 laps
DNF Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +4 laps
DNF Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +7 laps
DNF Martin DEPPER (GBR) Eurotech Racing +7 laps
DNF Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR +15 laps
