Gordon Shedden has won a dramatic opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race at Croft by just 0.035s from Robert Collard.

Collard’s WSR BMW crossed the line half on the grass as he unsuccessfully tried to pass Shedden’s Honda Racing Team Honda Civic in a sprint from the last bend to the chequered flag. But Scottish ace Shedden held on by a nose for his first victory of 2010. He also set the race’s fastest lap for a bonus point.

Shedden told btcc.net: “I knew he was coming and it was a case of defending into the final hairpin and then trying to second-guess where he might have a go on the exit. At least I gave him half a car’s width but I wasn’t going to let that one go…”

Collard added: “I went wide into the hairpin to get a run on him and he kept left to block me off so I went to his right. I felt it was a bit unfair on Gordon’s part but in his position I may well have done the same. The crowds probably enjoyed that one!”

Finishing third was Silverline Chevrolet’s Jason Plato and fourth Honda Racing Team's Matt Neal but Tom Chilton, who’d started from pole position in his Team Aon Ford Focus, was down in 18th after pitting to replace a punctured tyre. The result has had a significant effect on the standings heading into the second of today’s three races at the North Yorks track: Neal continues to lead from Plato by just six points with Shedden up from sixth to third.