The last triple race weekend at Rockingham was one of teh best so far this year in the British Touring Car Championships.

Gordon Shedden, Sam Tordoff and Aron Smith scored a win apiece at Rockingham on 28 August, with the latter’s victory making it a record 12 different winners from eight different marques in the 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

The title picture was further shaped during the three races with Tordoff leaving the Northamptonshire circuit just five points clear of triple champion Matt Neal in the overall standings.

Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Shedden secured a lights-to-flag victory in the opener, after fending off fellow front-row starter Mat Jackson in the early stages.

Jackson soon fell back into the clutches of the Subarus, however, after both Jason Plato and Colin Turkington blasted by Josh Cook’s MG off the line.

An incident on the opening lap led to a brief safety car period, but reigning champion Shedden produced a stellar restart before gradually pulling away from the chasing pack. The Honda Civic Type R took the chequered flag with Shedden having completed the perfect pole position, fastest lap and race win treble.

Jackson delivered a textbook defensive drive to keep Silverline Subaru BMR Racing duo Plato and Turkington at bay to second, whilst the MGs of Josh Cook and Ashley Sutton recovered from relatively slow starts to finish close behind. Post-race, however, Turkington was penalised and demoted to fifth by officials for gaining an unfair advantage in his tussle with Sutton.

Team JCT600 with GardX driver Tordoff won the second contest with an impressive performance.

Tordoff had earlier fought back from 28th on the race one grid to finish tenth, and he continued his surge through the order by picking his way past several rivals in the early stages of the second bout.

Running in third place by mid-distance, Tordoff then cruised up behind the Motorbase Performance duo of Andrew Jordan and Mat Jackson. He disposed of Jordan with consummate ease before repeating the trick by Jackson on lap nine.

The ballast-laden Ford of Jackson couldn’t hang on to second either as he was first relegated by team-mate Jordan, with West Surrey Racing’s Rob Collard following suit in the closing stages.

Sutton took another top five finish for MG Racing RCIB Insurance, although his stablemate Josh Cook was caught up in unfortunate first lap drama – contact between the MG6 and Plato’s Levorg forcing both cars out of contention.

Neal maintained his consistent championship challenge with sixth, ahead of Aron Smith – the BKR man enjoying one his most competitive meetings of the season.

Smith then made it an incredible 12 different winners in the 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – a record number in the illustrious 59-season history of the series – after the Irishman soaked up race-long pressure to win the final encounter.

The VW driver had to contend with three safety car periods and two double champions in his rear mirrors, but he dealt with every challenge superbly on his way to a first ever victory for the fledgling Team BKR outfit.

Neal and Jackson initially pressured Smith off the line, but the pair would later succumb to the charging Shedden and Turkington – both running the medium Dunlop SportMaxx compound.

The Team JCT600 with GardX BMW of Collard also looked to be a contender but he couldn’t keep pace with Shedden’s charge, as the Honda man disposed of Sutton, Jackson and team-mate Neal in quick succession.

Turkington was busy scything his Subaru through the order from 16th on the grid and when the dust settled during a third and final safety car period the Ulsterman found himself in a podium position.

The battle between Shedden and Turkington over the final three-lap shootout aided Smith’s cause with the trio eventually crossing the finish line separated by just half a second.

Neal and Jackson held on to fourth and fifth respectively while Collard had to settle for sixth.

Tordoff failed to score in the finale but the Yorkshireman maintained his standings lead, albeit by a reduced five point margin. Honda’s Neal and Shedden are next up in the order with Motorbase’s Jackson also closing in. Collard and Turkington have drifted slightly after mixed results although the top 13 drivers all have a mathematical chance of winning the title.

WSR/BMW remain the leading Manufacturers’ although Halfords Yuasa Racing has returned to the top of the Teams’ table.

Motorbase Performance has surged into an unassailable points lead in the Independent Teams’ standings, with Jordan topping team-mate Jackson in the Independent Drivers’ championship.

Ashley Sutton further extended his advantage over Michael Epps in the Jack Sears Trophy.

Two events remain on the 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship calendar with the penultimate weekend taking place at Silverstone in three weeks time (17/18 September).

Gordon Shedden said: "I’m dead chuffed with that weekend. I broke the slipstream to the guys behind in race one and then focussed on keeping everything nice and smooth. In race two, I was on a bit of a hiding to nothing on the hard tyres with maximum ballast, and I really had to get my elbows out at the end because I wasn’t going very fast at all by then! It would have been nice to win race three, but Aron (Smith) drove really well and didn’t make any real mistakes and it would have required a fairly monumental lunge to try to get past. Then when Colin (Turkington) caught up during the final safety car period, I had to keep an eye on my mirrors too because he clearly had some good pace. Still, points make prizes as they say and we’ve closed back up to the top of the championship table. We will keep working hard and fighting to the very end."

Sam Tordoff said: "It’s been a fabulous day, and a great recovery from free practice and qualifying. I made a mistake in FP1 which left us unprepared going into qualifying and that was reflected in the result. We took a bit of a gamble with the set-up for race one and it turned out to be an inspired decision that paid dividends. We made the car even better for race two, and I think that was the first time in a long time that we’ve seen the BMW’s true pace. All credit to the WSR guys – for us to only lose a handful of points in the championship having started today 28^th on the grid is incredible."

Aron Smith said: "It was unbelievable. We were down in the dumps a little bit after qualifying in the wet yesterday – we struggled a bit. Hats off to everyone at BKR today. They made it happen. They made it all come alive. The safety cars did give me a bit of a run for my money! Every time I saw a car go off I knew I’d have to be right on it at another restart. Luckily I was. Then, when I saw Colin Turkington at the back of Gordon Shedden, I was happier. I knew he’d have his hands full there. I’m absolutely over the moon, this was what we all needed."

Mat Jackson said: "Race two was a good race for us, obviously. The Subaru didn’t look as if it had the legs through the corners but in traction they definitely had the advantage that comes with the rear-wheel drive. Every lap he (Jason Plato) was within striking distance of going up the inside at turn two but he couldn’t quite make it past. That was a good result for us as a team really and it's certainly been a good weekend for our championship challenge."

Matt Neal said: "Rockingham is always a tough challenge physically, and in truth, we weren’t too sure what to expect coming here but we kept our heads down, plugged away and came away with a solid bagful of points. The first two races were pretty heavy going, but when I got some clear air, the car felt really strong. ‘Flash’ warned me that I would be up against it on the hard tyres in race three, so I was over-the-moon to finish fourth – I really didn’t anticipate being able to hang on as well as that. To come away with both of us firmly in the thick of the title fight is a great outcome. The pressure is mounting in the championship now with just two weekends to go and Silverstone could be a tricky one for us, but believe me, we’ll be giving it everything we’ve got."

2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 22 – Rockingham:

1 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 26:36.324 (78.75 mph)

2 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +2.561s

3 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +2.869s

4 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +3.165s

5 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +8.741s

6 Ash SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +12.144s

7 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +14.072s

8 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +18.224s

9 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +23.899s

10 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +24.168s

2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 23 – Rockingham:

1 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX 22m44.838s (81.87 mph)

2 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +2.886s

3 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +3.085s

4 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +6.863s

5 Ash SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +15.027s

6 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +18.661s

7 Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR +21.341s

8 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +22.624s

9 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +25.489s

10 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +28.536s

2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 24 – Rockingham:

1 Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR 29m49.905s (74.13 mph)

2 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.400s

3 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.572s

4 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +3.491s

5 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +4.519s

6 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +4.936s

7 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +5.686s

8 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +6.227s

9 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +10.578s

10 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +10.899s

Three winners, three different teams and three different cars, thats the first three rounds of the BTCC

Tom Ingram, Gordon Shedden and Adam Morgan share the spoils at Brands Hatch

The 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship commenced in fine style at Brands Hatch with a trio of different drivers celebrating victory from the three fast and furious races.

Tom Ingram, Gordon Shedden and Adam Morgan all tasted champagne on the top step of the podium, but it was Matt Neal who left the Kent circuit with the championship lead.

Ingram set a scorching lap record during qualifying on Saturday, taking a maiden pole position in the process, and the 22-year-old duly backed up his pace with an impressive lights-to-flag victory in the season opener.

Reigning champion Shedden inherited the lead and ultimately the win in the second contest, after contact between Ingram and West Surrey Racing’s Rob Collard sent them both spiralling out of contention.

Race three produced another lead change when pole-sitter Sam Tordoff had to give up top spot to the hard charging Morgan. Tordoff and WSR team-mate Jack Goff kept Morgan’s Mercedes honest throughout, but the WIX Racing star held on for his third career victory.

The day kicked off under glorious spring sunshine as tens of thousands of fans flocked to the world famous motor sport venue. The spectators were immediately entertained as Ingram and Speedworks Motorsport’s first ever BTCC victory received rapturous applause from the huge crowd.

While the race was frenetic further down the order, the top three contenders in Ingram, Honda’s Shedden and his team-mate Neal remained steady throughout. A slowing backmarker and a mid-race safety car spell proved to be the only issues for Ingram, but the young charger dealt with both interruptions with consummate ease.

MG’s young duo continued to belie their relative inexperience by finishing fourth and fifth, with debutant Ashley Sutton getting the better of Josh Cook.

The Halfords Yuasa Racing boys improved further in the second bout by scoring Honda’s first one-two of the season, as Shedden headed Neal.

Ingram’s Toyota had maintained the lead off the line while Collard’s BMW blitzed from sixth on the grid into second before the 32 cars reached Paddock Hill Bend for the first time.

Collard immediately set about attacking Ingram and the duo touched at Paddock on the second tour before more forceful contact at Druids sent the BMW into a spin. Ingram continued for half a lap but then slowed with damage, which was caused as a result of the earlier incident.

Honda inherited the top two positions and never looked back while Aron Smith completed the podium order in his VW – the first rostrum for new squad BKR.

Morgan celebrated victory in race three around the 1.2-mile Indy circuit after holding off a near race-long threat from the WSR duo of Tordoff and Goff.

WIX Racing’s Morgan slotted in behind pole-sitter Tordoff and the soft Dunlop SportMaxx tyre-shod Mercedes crawled all over the back of the BMW on the opening lap. Morgan eyed his opportunity on lap two and darted past Tordoff on the run down to Paddock Hill Bend.

The closing stages were tense as Tordoff and Goff hauled their BMWs back towards Morgan's Mercedes. The Lancashireman kept his powder dry, however, and saw off several attacks to take the win.

Three-time champion Neal may not have won any of the three opening rounds but used all his experience and guile to bag more points than his rivals with strong second, third and fifth-place finishes.

He currently leads the standings from stablemate Shedden, while race three winner Morgan lies third, just six points off the championship summit. Aron Smith and Andrew Jordan enjoyed solid outings and line up in joint fourth.

Honda leads the Manufacturers/Constructors’ table from WSR and MG respectively, whilst debutants Subaru are fourth. The Japanese marque produced a hugely impressive effort just to ready its four Levorgs in time for the meeting, and the Team BMR-run squad was rewarded as Jason Plato and Colin Turkington scored points in races two and three respectively.

Halfords Yuasa Racing top the Teams’ standings, while Aron Smith and BKR lead both Independents’ tables. Impressive debutant Ashley Sutton heads the Jack Sears Trophy.

Rounds 4, 5 and 6 of the 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship will take place at Donington Park on 16/17 April.

Tom Ingram said: "This is what all the hard work over the winter was for. With the way we finished last season, we knew we had a good package underneath us, and Speedworks Motorsport are such a fantastic bunch of guys – this result is for all of them. When I saw the team celebrating as I climbed out of the car afterwards, it brought a tear to my eye, and the emotion just goes to show how much this first victory means to us. It’s unbelievable."

Gordon Shedden said: "It’s been a good weekend, with a couple of podiums for me including a win, a big points haul and Matt and myself sitting first and second in the Drivers’ classification. The Honda Civic Type R is clearly very fast, and there’s still more to come from it as we are learning all the time. We didn’t take any risks in race one and perhaps went a little bit too soft on the set-up. I think my car was actually slightly better with the ballast on-board in race two, which wasn’t at all what we had expected, and I got bullied a little bit in the early part of race three and then picked up the puncture. Still, no complaints – it’s been a very strong weekend for us."

Adam Morgan said: "It’s been an unbelievable finish to the weekend. Our pace was reasonable in races one and two, and then obviously the reverse grid played out in our favour. I was certain I was going to be down in third by the first corner with two BMWs around me, but I got probably the best start of my life and managed to hold off Jack [Goff]. I knew I needed to get past Sam [Tordoff] as soon as possible because the rear-wheel drive cars take a bit longer to warm up their tyres, and after that it was a case of managing the gap. The whole team has done a superb job – the new engineers and all the mechanics have been brilliant. To leave Brands Hatch third in the points is a great way to start the season."

Matt Neal said: "It’s been a fantastic weekend and a cracking day today for the team. What a way to welcome Halfords back to the grid and to repay Yuasa’s loyal support. I’m over-the-moon – dead chuffed. We probably went a bit too safe with the car due to the conditions in race one, and race two got a bit sketchy at times; ‘Flash’ and I were settled in third and fourth when it all kicked off ahead of us between the two leaders, and then there was oil down on the track at Graham Hill Bend later on. We scored more solid points in race three, and to come away from Brands leading the championship is just the perfect start."

Aron Smith said: "I’m over the moon with the way this weekend has gone. Three weeks ago, these cars were sat in a shed not going racing. The work that both BKR and Team BMR have put in to get us to this point has just been phenomenal, and I really can’t thank everyone enough – particularly Warren Scott. It’s no exaggeration to say that without him, we would not be here. He’s done an amazing job. Everybody at BKR is so enthusiastic, and that excitement is infectious."

2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Brands Hatch Indy

Race 1

1. Tom INGRAM (Speedworks Motorsport): 27 Laps
2. Gordon SHEDDEN (Halfords Yuasa Racing): +2.284s
3. Matt NEAL (Halfords Yuasa Racing): +3.925s
4. Ashley SUTTON (MG Racing RCIB Insurance): +6.070s
5. Josh COOK (MG Racing RCIB Insurance): +6.423s
6. Robert COLLARD (Team JCT600 with GardX): +7.908s

Race 2

1. Gordon SHEDDEN (Halfords Yuasa Racing): 26 Laps
2. Matt NEAL (Halfords Yuasa Racing): +0.848s
3. Aron SMITH (BKR): +3.132s
4. Andrew JORDAN (Motorbase Performance): +4.165s
5. Mat JACKSON (Motorbase Performance): +7.176s
6. Ashley SUTTON (MG Racing RCIB Insurance): +8.647s

Race 3

1. Adam MORGAN (WIX Racing): 27 Laps
2. Sam TORDOFF (Team JCT600 with GardX): +0.136s
3. Jack GOFF (Team IHG Rewards Club): +0.449s
4. Andrew JORDAN (Motorbase Performance): +3.832s
5. Matt NEAL (Halfords Yuasa Racing): +3.869s
6. Robert COLLARD (Team JCT600 with GardX): +4.192s

Click here for the final classification from the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races at Brands Hatch.

Penalties

Race one:

Ollie Jackson received an official reprimand and two penalty points on his licence for an incident involving Hunter Abbott

Race two:

Alex Martin received a £500 fine and three penalty points on his licence for an incident involving Mark Howard

Race three: 

Tom Ingram received a £500 fine and three penalty points on his licence for an incident involving Jake Hill

Ashely Sutton received an official reprimand and two penalty points on his licence for an incident involving Rob Austin