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Series boss Alan Gow praises BTCC title rivals

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Series boss Alan Gow was full of praise for title rivals Gordon Shedden and Sam Tordoff following the dramatic conclusion to the BTCC title battle at Brands Hatch.

WSR driver Tordoff went into the season finale with an eleven point lead in the title race over Honda rival Shedden, with a further six drivers still in mathematical contention for the crown.

It ultimately came down to a straight fight between the pair in the final race of the weekend after Shedden brought the gap down to two points, and a podium finish was good enough to ensure the Scot successfully defended his title, with Tordoff left to settle for second spot.

Whilst full of praise for Shedden’s achievement in becoming a three-time champion, Gow was quick to admit that Tordoff was equally as deserving of the title having raised his game during the 2016 campaign.

“It’s been a fantastic year and to go down to the final race once again is incredible,” he said. “If you look at any of the numbers from this season – race winners, championship contenders, crowds on TV and at the circuit – you can see how good this year has been and everyone has loved it.

“Both Sam and Gordon have driven superbly throughout the season, but someone has to win it, and my congratulations go to Gordon and all the other winners. I spoke to Sam after the final race and commiserated him, as he would have been just as deserving as champion as Gordon is.

“In that last race, Sam just didn’t have a car that was as good as Gordon’s and that made the difference. But Sam has been superb this season and has driven with real maturity. He’s been a new Sam Tordoff.”

Gow added that he hoped that the 2017 season would prove to be even more dramatic, even if he was unsure how to top the drama seen across the past twelve months.

“I have no idea how we’ll top this year, but then again we say the same thing at the end of each season and it always works out,” he said. “We never rest on our laurels and the plan is always to come back bigger and better next season.”