WORCESTERSHIRE’S Rob Austin narrowly missed out on a podium finish at the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Croft.

Austin produced a stunning drive under intense pressure in round 15 but missed out on third place by just 0.041 seconds.

After a battle with double BTCC champion Jason Plato during the second half of race three the Handy Motorsport ace looked to have done enough to secure third place.

But the superior turbo boost of Plato’s Subaru Levorg told on the sprint to the chequered flag and he snatched the final spot on the podium by fractions.

Evesham’s Austin also returned finishes of 11th in round 13 having started seventh on the grid and eighth in round 14.

He has closed to within just three points of the Independents Championship lead.

Gordon Shedden maintained his lead in the championship after fourth and fifth-placed finishes.

His Pershore-based Halfords Yuasa Racing team-mate Matt Neal salvaged fifth place in the final race of the day after a challenging meet.

The event began with a dramatic rain-interrupted qualifying which was suspended after just a few minutes when oil on the wet surface at Barcroft Corner caused 11 cars to tumble off the track.

Shedden and Neal had completed one flying lap apiece and lined up fourth and eighth respectively for round 13 of the championship.

The duo’s fortunes were mixed in the opener.

Neal moved up two places to sixth by the end of lap one but retired with damaged left-rear suspension after contact with Josh Price’s Subaru.

Shedden maintained his fourth place throughout 14 of the 15 laps but came fifth.

He finished a hard-fought fourth in the second race with Neal 18th.

The third race was to be the highlight of Neal’s meeting, scything his way from 18th to fifth.

He continued to score with a ninth place cementing his mid-season standings lead.

Austin said: “I would loved to have got on the podium and reward the boys and everyone but in the end he [Plato] out-boosted me,” he said.

“Jason drove really well. Although I lost out I enjoyed the challenge.”