Shedden Steals Front Row Starts in SEAT Cupra Finale

28 August 2004

Gordon Shedden will start both of tomorrow’s Holiday Inn SEAT Cupra Championship races from the front row of the grid, having qualified 2nd and 1st  for Rounds 11 and 12 respectively.

Having come 0.088 seconds off Oli Wilkinson’s best time in the first session, Gordon snatched pole away from 19-year old Ben Winrow in the closing moments of the second session to grab the top spot in his Scottish Sun / Tracker / BT Broadband Yahoo! Leon Cupra R.

Gordon said: “The car handles very well around Donington and I’ve been fast all day without taking any risks at all. I’m starting both of tomorrow’s races from the front row of the grid, and although it won’t make up for not winning the title, I’m aiming to finish the season on a  high with two race wins.”

Holiday Inn SEAT Cupra Championship leader James Pickford made no mistakes in his Haribo / Vivaldi Leon Cupra R and qualified a safe 3rdand 5th to start alongside (in Round 11) and behind (in Round 12) his nearest title challenger Tom Boardman.  There are two hard races to survive tomorrow and the battle for the Championship-winning prize of a  works touring car drive next year with SEAT Sport UK is still to play for, but if James finishes the races in positions he’s qualified, he will be crowned 2004 SEAT Cupra Champion.

Ben Winrow held pole position for Round 12 of the 2004 Holiday Inn SEAT Cupra Championship until Shedden went 0.252 seconds quicker. It was a fantastic performance by the youngest driver in the series, and now he’ll start the final round of this year’s SEAT Cupra Championship from the front row of the grid in his Telemecanique Leon Cupra R.

Ben said: “Pole doesn’t matter – what’s more important is that I’ve only done two flying laps in qualifying and my tyres are in top condition for tomorrow’s race. I’d rather qualify in second having done two laps than be on pole and have put lots more laps on my tyres like Gordon has done. I never go well in qualifying - it’s all about racing for me, so everything is looking good for tomorrow.”

See series calendar for SEAT Cupra Championship 2004

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