PERSHORE team Halfords Yuasa Racing star Gordon Shedden kept firmly in touch of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship title with a second-place finish in the final race at his home track of Knockhill.

Team-mate Matt Neal also drove his way into the points in two of the three rounds to keep within touching distance of the top three.

A frenetic qualifying session saw triple champion Shedden disappointed with ninth place in his Honda Civic Type R while Neal was 21st.

Championship leader Shedden, who dropped to third after the meet, was hampered by 75kg of success ballast in round 19 and battled around the short, tight track to 11th.

Fellow three-time title winner Neal charged up to ninth.

In race two Neal was tapped out of a dramatic battle for eighth by Josh Price while Shedden kept up the challenge with a solid sixth.

The Scotland trip ended on a high for local hero Shedden as he took to the podium with a third consecutive crown still in sight ahead of Rockingham on August 26 and 27.

Neal finished with a valiant fightback to take eighth for sixth in the standings.

Team BMW’s Colin Turkington moved to the top after scoring a podium hat-trick.

Adrian Flux Subaru Racing stars Jason Plato and Ash Sutton claimed a win apiece while Speedworks Motorsport’s Tom Ingram claimed the final encounter.

Shedden said: “This is my home track and we obviously came here with hopes of a win and sending the fans home happy but with the tricky qualifying session and ballast in the car it was about getting as many points as possible to keep my championship challenge on course.

“It was good to end the day with a podium and second spot.”

Neal said: “Despite a poor qualifying session and the knock in the second race I did have an enjoyable weekend driving through the field in two of the three races. It’s always a real scrap.

“The car felt quick but we were always on the back foot with the advantage of the rear-wheel drive cars and a fightback through the midfield. There’s a long way to go and we are in a good position.”

Handy Motorsport and Evesham driver Rob Austin endured a race meeting to forget in Fife.

With problematic qualifying and race one set-up issues badly impacting the start, alternator failure in the second contest and a robust finale limited Austin to a best finish of 20th.

Slipping to 11th in the overall standings Austin retained a top-four placing in the Independents Trophy.

“It’s gutting to be honest,” said the dejected driver who qualified and finished 23rd in the opener.

“Any faults up to this point this season have been mine and I feel bad saying anything that might point to the team.

“I’m good around Knockhill and I was straight on it but we succeed and fail as a team.

“We have some great people at Handy Motorsport. We’ll pick ourselves up and be back stronger for Rockingham.”

DRIVERS’ STANDINGS

1 Colin Turkington 265, 2. Ashley Sutton 261, 3 Shedden 253, 4 Rob Collard 248, 5 Tom Ingram 204, 6 Neal 172.