Boardman upset with Shedden after clash

Tom Boardman and Gordon Shedden both believed the other was at fault after the two made contact with two laps to go, with Shedden finishing sixth and Boardman forced to retire.

Shedden had started from 22nd after crashing off in free practice, and drove through the field up without much resistance until he caught Paul O’Neill in the Tech-Speed Chevrolet Cruze. After a battle for a few laps, Shedden was able to pass O’Neill and closed down on the Special Tuning Racing SEAT for his final pass of the race.

The Honda Racing Team driver believed Boardman defended his line too aggressively.

“Tom just weaves about all over the place, when he’s lost the edge off his front tyres, which he obviously had, he defends like his life depends on it,” said Shedden.

“When he tried to turn himself across the front of my car coming though Clearways, if I’d have kept my foot in I’d have put him in the pit lane. So I came out of it to give him half a chance, and he goes straight back into defending like a lunatic and weaving about all over the place.”

“He’s got to learn when to give up the corner and make do with what he’s got. His car was capable of finishing one place behind mine, but he’s tried to be a hero and he’s not finished at all”.

Boardman believed the Honda was too heavy handed, and explained he was within his rights to defend his position from Shedden.

“I was having a really good fight with MacDowall, and just couldn’t get past Alex,” said Boardman.

“That was the problem as ’cause I was trying to get past him all the time I was just overheating my front tyres, and that’s what set the race really.”

“Then I could see Shedden behind, catching, didn’t think nothing of it, as there’s only two laps to go. I had to defend as much as possible, and he’s just come in, he’s obviously been very frustrated of his weekend so far and he’s just given me some good shoves and just pushed me wide and broke my steering arm.”

“If he wants to get past me and he’s faster just go round the outside, or make a good move up the inside, but not by pushing me, he just cost me some good points there, so yeah, he won’t be on my Christmas card list.”

Boardman will now start 18th for race two and will need to put on a similar drive to get into the points for race two.

Shedden will start from sixth, just behind the Chevrolet of Alex MacDowall, and is aiming for steady points after a rough start to his weekend.

“It’ll be nice to start a little bit nearer the front, but people at the front have got good pace we’ve just got to try and be able to match them. Obviously they’re picking up a bit of ballast, so it’s going to be an interesting race two that’s for sure.”