DEFENDING champion Gordon Shedden won the final British Touring Car Championship race of the season but was unable to stop Andrew Jordan securing his maiden title.

Shedden, who drives for Pershore- based Honda Yuasa Racing, arrived at Brands Hatch 34 points adrift of Jordan and put the pressure on.

Yet, despite victory in race three, and second in the first, the Scot ended up nine points behind the Pirtek Racing ace’s Honda Civic in the final standings.

Jason Plato won the first two races in atrocious conditions to keep himself in the hunt but placed 10th in the last and finished third overall, 10 points back.

Shedden’s team-mate Matt Neal, who had an outside chance of claiming a record fourth crown, finished fourth overall, a further 24 adrift of Plato following a frustrating day.

Competing despite recent surgery to repair a broken finger, Worcestershire’s Neal was sixth in race one but an accidental collision with Jordan in the second forced him to pit with a puncture.

On resumption, his race was ended by an engine fire on the final lap, and he was 14th in the third.

Shedden said: “We’ve had our ups and downs this year, but it’s nice to sign off with a win.

“Fair play to Andy, he’s done a great job and as a team they’ve done a top job.

“We’ve got to raise our game and try and go one better next year.

“Five DNF’s was just too much, particularly when you consider that we didn’t finish that far behind in the end, but it is what it is.”

Neal added: “I’d have loved to have come away with the title in our stable — looking at Andy and Mike (Jordan) reminds me of my dad and myself when we did it, and a Honda still won which is the main thing.”

Evesham’s Rob Austin finished 11th in the standings in his WIX Racing Audi A4 after failing to finish the first two races and taking 18th in the third.

Honda Yuasa Racing won the manufacturers and overall team titles.