Donington Park BTCC: Gordon Shedden denies Frank Wrathall pole
Reigning champion Gordon Shedden took pole for the Donington Park round of the British Touring Car Championship
The works Honda Civic driver was third fastest after the first runs, behind practice pacesetter Andrew Jordan's Eurotech Civic and MG's Jason Plato.
Frank Wrathall's Dynojet Toyota Avensis then moved to the top with a surprise 1m10.123s, which stood as the benchmark heading into the closing moments of the session.
"I was absolutely out of control on that lap," admitted Wrathall. "That lap felt so good."
But with six minutes to go, Shedden recorded 1m10.074s to secure pole.
Aron Smith's Ford Focus then went off at the chicane, bringing a premature end to the session and preventing any further improvements.
Jordan, running with 36kg of success ballast, ended up third, while Matt Neal's late 1m10.215s effort made it three Civics in the top four.
Double champion Plato was fifth, from the impressive Ciceley Racing Toyota of Adam Morgan. Sam Tordoff's MG was seventh, less than half a second behind the polesitter.
Colin Turkington managed 1m10.595s, quicker than the 2012 pole, to qualify WSR's new NGTC BMW in eighth.
James Kaye again set the pace in the S2000 class for the Jack Sears Trophy, well clear of a close battle for second.
Focus drivers David Nye, Liam Griffin and Lea Wood's Vauxhall Vectra were covered by a tenth.
Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap 1. Gordon Shedden Honda 1m10.074s 2. Frank Wrathall Dynojet Toyota 1m10.123s + 0.049s 3. Andrew Jordan Eurotech Honda 1m10.181s + 0.107s 4. Matt Neal Honda 1m10.215s + 0.141s 5. Jason Plato MG 1m10.358s + 0.284s 6. Adam Morgan Ciceley Toyota 1m10.493s + 0.419s 7. Sam Tordoff MG 1m10.561s + 0.487s 8. Colin Turkington WSR BMW 1m10.595s + 0.521s 9. Dave Newsham Speedworks Toyota 1m10.905s + 0.831s 10. Jeff Smith Eurotech Honda 1m11.020s + 0.946s 11. Tom Onslow-Cole HARD VW 1m11.117s + 1.043s 12. Rob Collard WSR BMW 1m11.156s + 1.082s 13. Mat Jackson Motorbase Ford 1m11.158s + 1.084s 14. Ollie Jackson Speedworks Toyota 1m11.320s + 1.246s 15. Daniel Welch Welch Proton 1m11.344s + 1.270s 16. Aron Smith Motorbase Ford 1m11.412s + 1.338s 17. Will Bratt Austin Audi 1m11.555s + 1.481s 18. Rob Austin Austin Audi 1m11.581s + 1.507s 19. Jack Goff HARD Vauxhall 1m11.582s + 1.508s 20. James Kaye AmD VW* 1m11.867s + 1.793s 21. Nick Foster WSR BMW 1m12.216s + 2.142s 22. David Nye Welch Ford* 1m12.552s + 2.478s 23. Liam Griffin Motorbase Ford* 1m12.591s + 2.517s 24. Lea Wood Wood Vauxhall* 1m12.628s + 2.554s 25. Joe Girling Finesse Chevrolet* 1m12.920s + 2.846s 26. James Cole HARD Vauxhall 1m13.611s + 3.537s 27. Warren Scott BMR SEAT* 1m22.641s + 12.567s * S2000
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