Fifer Gordon Shedden had to content himself with third on the grid for the first of tomorrow’s British Touring Car Championship triple-header at Thruxton after Vauxhall’s Tom Onslow-Cole secured his second pole position in succession.
The young English driver, celebrating his 21st birthday this weekend, topped the timesheets with a best time of 1min 17.165s – an average speed 109.91mph – to beat Vauxhall team-mate and defending champion Fabrizio Giovanardi, the reigning champion by 0.260s.
Shedden meanwhile survived a scare at the end of qualifying when all his times were initially disallowed after his Team Halfords Honda Civic failed a ride height check.
Thankfully his best time, just 0.351s behind Onlsow-Cole, was reinstated when officials agreed this was due to his car’s floor having been damaged in a minor excursion with the kerbs.
“I was a bit nervous for a while,” the 29-year-old from Dalgety Bay, current;y fourth in the championship behind Giovanardi, admitted, “but we knew within the team the car’s height was correct when we started qualifying.
“Now I have to capitalise on the good luck and score at least a number of podium finishes.”
At the same circuit, there was better news for fellow Fifer Jonathan Adam. The Kirkcaldy racer qualified his car on pole position for the first round of the Seat Cupra Championship after clocking 1min 18.899s to ease out Daniel Welch by 0.014s.
JM