Gordon Shedden took a popular win in front of his home fans in the final race at Knockhill. After passing early leader Mike Jordan, Shedden and his Team Halfords teammate Matt Neal shared the lead for much of the race. Behind them, Jason Plato finished on the third step of the podium to extend his championship lead to nine points going into the final three races of the season.

Starting on pole position, Mike Jordan led away from the grid, with Matt Neal getting the jump on second-place starter Adam Jones. Aside from that change it was grid order among the leading pack, until Gordon Shedden managed to pass Jason Plato at the hairpin. On the following lap, Shedden moved up to third when he passed Adam Jones at the Carlube corner.

Behind the leading trio, Fabrizio Giovanardi tried a pass on Plato and Jones at the hairpin on lap two. It nearly backfired for the Italian after he found himself bumping across the grass on the exit from the corner, but he was able to regain control of the Vectra. A couple of laps later, Giovanardi was able to make the same move stick on Jones to go fifth.

Meanwhile, at the front, Matt Neal led the race after passing Mike Jordan at Carlube. Jordan lost two more places a couple of laps later, when both Shedden and Plato passed the Integra at Scotsman.

At the halfway point in the race, it was Neal leading from Shedden and Plato. Mike Jordan was fourth, making him the meat in a championship rivals sandwich. After their coming together last time out at Brands Hatch, there was no way Mike Jordan was going to make it easy for Giovanardi to find a way past.

Giovanardi tried lap after lap to find a way past Jordan, but the ballast-free Honda Integra was quick enough to stay ahead out of the Real Radio hairpin. The one time that Giovanardi got his nose alongside, the door was shut very firmly by Jordan, who moved right across the track in front of the Vectra.

Not content with having one car between himself and rival Giovanardi, Jason Plato was climbing all over the back of Gordon Shedden’s Honda Civic. However, on lap 16 of 24, Shedden squeezed past his teammate Matt Neal to move into the lead of the race, much to the delight of the crowd. Plato continued to challenge Neal, and Jordan and Giovanardi closed up on the SEAT at times, but there were no further changes in the race order.

A delighted Gordon Shedden said, “That was fantastic. It’s been trials and tribulations today, so it’s absolutely awesome to win.”

The final order was Shedden winning from Neal and Plato. Jordan was fourth, with Giovanardi fifth. Colin Turkington finished sixth, with Darren Turner seventh. Adam Jones, Mat Jackson and Tom Onslow-Cole rounded out the top ten.

Heading to Thruxton in October, Jason Plato’s championship lead is now nine points. It’s a circuit that should suit the Vectra, so Giovanardi’s challenge is still very much alive. Especially given that when the series visited the Hampshire circuit earlier in year, Giovanardi outscored Plato by…nine points!