Shedden aiming for home glory at Knockhill
Gordon Shedden heads to his home circuit this weekend at Knockhill, Fife in Scotland, and the leading Honda driver is looking forward to the confidence boost that the home crowd brings.
Shedden lies second in the points standings, eight points behind Mat Jackson and just two ahead of Honda team-mate Matt Neal as the championship sets off for its only round outside of England on the calendar.
“The fans at my home circuit are amazing,” said Shedden. “You can see their reaction when you are doing well. The paddock is so open that the crowd really feels like it is part of the event, which gives this round a unique atmosphere.”
“The huge backing doesn’t give me any more speed, because in this championship you have to drive flat out to get the most out of every race, but it certainly is a confidence boost.”
The Scotman is keeping his eye on the title however, confessing that he may aim for points over a risky victory as he aims to be the first Scottish British Touring Car Champion since John Cleland in 1995.
“To keep up the championship challenge, you need strong finishes everywhere and it might be more sensible for me to bank a decent finish rather than go for broke, even if it is my home circuit. At the end of the day, this is just another building block towards my aim of winning the overall title.”
Shedden’s two-time BTCC champion team-mate Matt Neal is carrying an injury with him to Knockhill after a martial arts accident less than three weeks ago
“I am sure that once the adrenaline kicks in, I will be as competitive as usual despite what has happened to my hand,” said Neal.
Honda will also be aiming to maintain their lead in the manufacturers-constructors championship this weekend. Team Dynamics/Honda have a 44 point lead over Chevrolet/RML in the standings, who are hotly tipped to be strong at the circuit after the Cruze finished on the podium in every race last year and also saw Alex MacDowall take the second of only three Chevrolet pole positions in the 2010 season.
