Halfords Racing with Cataclean and Team Dynamics experienced a challenging weekend at Snetterton.
Qualifying
It was heartbreak in qualifying after Gordon claimed his first pole of the season, only for it to be snatched away when his rear wing was judged to be one degree out from tolerance. Pole became 28th place on the grid, while the 11th place that Dan had secured thanks to a sterling late effort became 10th place.
Race 1
Dan made a strong start to race 1, climbing several places up the grid, before an overtaking manoeuvre forced him wide and he dropped down the order to a 13th place finish. Gordon showed his typical determination and overtaking prowess by charging up through the pack and claiming the final points-paying position of 15th by the race’s end.
Race 2
Race 2 was a little disappointing for both drivers, although points were still on the cards as the sun beat down. Gordon claimed a hard-fought 11th position, while Dan grabbed the final points on offer in 15th.
Race 3
The final race of the day brought the best results for the team, as a great drive by Gordon saw him finish in third and on the podium for the first time in 2021. Dan also put in a strong performance and added valuable points to his total with a 10th place finish.
Reactions from the drivers
Dan Rowbottom: “[It was] a tricky weekend for me. The car felt great, but I just couldn’t get the results we deserved. Around here once you get stuck in the train, it is very difficult to make any moves. Race 1 you could see as soon as I got pushed out wide it opened the door for everyone else to come through. But I managed to gain some much-needed points over the weekend and come away leading the Jack Sears Trophy, so overall I’m happy with the weekend.”
Gordon Shedden: “That was a frustrating day after qualifying on pole. It’s always difficult to make your way through traffic here, but I gave it my all and managed to grab a podium out of race 3. I was thinking of challenging for 2nd position, but preferred to get the points in the bank, which has now helped me break into the top 10 in the Drivers’ Championship. The car felt strong all weekend so I’m really looking forward to Brands Hatch now in two weeks’ time, where we generally run well.”
Driver standings
| Position | Driver | Points |
| 1 | Ash SUTTON | 80 |
| 2 | Tom INGRAM | 78 |
| 3 | Colin TURKINGTON | 75 |
| 4 | Josh COOK | 60 |
| 5 | Jake HILL | 57 |
| 6 | Rory BUTCHER | 47 |
| 7 | Stephen JELLEY | 46 |
| 8 | Jason PLATO | 38 |
| 9 | Ollie JACKSON | 36 |
| 10 | Gordon SHEDDEN | 35 |
| 11 | Adam MORGAN | 34 |
| 12 | Tom OLIPHANT | 34 |
| 13 | Jack GOFF | 33 |
| 14 | Dan ROWBOTTOM | 32 |
| 15 | Dan CAMMISH | 30 |
| 16 | Dan LLOYD | 29 |
| 17 | Aiden MOFFAT | 21 |
| 18 | Chris SMILEY | 15 |
| 19 | Aron TAYLOR-SMITH | 8 |
| 20 | Tom CHILTON | 5 |
| 21 | Sam OSBORNE | 4 |
| 22 | Carl BOARDLEY | 4 |
| 23 | Sam SMELT | 2 |
| 24 | Jade EDWARDS | 1 |
| 25 | Senna PROCTOR | 0 |
| 26 | Jessica HAWKINS | 0 |
| 27 | Nicolas HAMILTON | 0 |
| 28 | Andy NEATE | 0 |
| 29 | Rick PARFITT | 0 |
| 30 | Glynn GEDDIE | 0 |
| 31 | Jack BUTEL | 0 |