GORDON SHEDDEN produced three impressive drives to make his best start to a British Touring Car Championship in seven years at the weekend.

The Dalgety Bay racer claimed fourth, second and sixth-place finishes in the opening round at Brands Hatch to give him 40 points.

Shedden said the opening round has been "terrible" in previous years - he had zero points after two races in 2013 - but was pleased to begin his quest for a second BTCC title in his new Honda Civic Tourer. Flash had scored 30 by the end of race two this year and despite starting in fifth for the final race of the weekend, he took another 10 points with a sixth place finish.

Shedden said, "It was really close. Around there it's easy to follow but difficult to make a pass so there aren't that many overtaking opportunities without being quite aggressive.

"Knowing how my luck has been over the last six years, when I've had an uncanny knack of scoring no points, I said to myself 'just get it to the end and score some points'. That was my key this weekend and that's what I've done.

"A fourth and a second is the best start in touring cars I've had for about seven years. This is day one with our new Honda Civic Tourer and we can be on the podium. Everyone else had better watch out as the year goes on." The next round in the championship will take place at Donnington Park on 19th and 20th April. It will return to Knockhill in August.