Gordon 'Flash' Shedden secured a podium finish in some of the most challenging conditions seen in the recent history of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship at Croft.

The Scottish driver picked up a third place in the opening race, which had to be abandoned due to the wet conditions, and looked set to challenge for victory in race two before being involved in an accident that forced him to retire. However he recovered to score more points in race three and heads into the BTCC's summer break in seventh place in the drivers' standings.

Team-mate Tom 'Sonic' Chilton was forced out of race one after being caught out by standing water and then struggled with his tyres in race two before a storming drive through the field in his Honda Civic saw him finish just off the podium in the final race of the weekend. He lies tenth in the drivers' championship.

Team Halfords continues to hold a strong third in the teams' standings and will look to strengthen its championship challenge when racing resumes following the BTCC's mid-season break.

Race one:

Flash produced a stunning performance in qualifying to take second on the grid, despite losing all his times when his Honda Civic failed the ride height test. It meant the Scot had just one lap in which to set his qualifying time, and despite huge pressure, he took his place on the front row of the grid.

Flash quickly moved into the lead when the first race kicked off with a fine move at the opening corner, before coming under pressure from the BMW of Mat Jackson in challenging wet conditions. Jackson managed to battle ahead of Flash on lap three at the Jim Clark Esses but the race was then red-flagged following an accident involving Stephen Jelley and Alan Taylor. In the time it took for the incident to be cleared up, the rain started to get heavier and track conditions worsened but Gordon took the lead on the first lap of the restart before outbraking himself at the final hairpin and losing position to Colin Turkington and Matt Neal. The race was then red-flagged due to the dangerous conditions and the result declared, leaving Flash with a third place finish.

Team-mate Sonic had made up two places from his eighth place on the grid on the first start but was one of three drivers to be caught out by standing water at Tower on the restart and he was forced to retire when his Honda Civic became stuck in the gravel on the outside of the circuit.

Race two:

At the start of race two, Flash managed to get ahead of Neal on the run to the first corner to move into second place behind Turkington and was well placed in the opening laps behind the BMW man in his quest for a second win victory of the season. However, on lap three, Neal tried a move down the inside at Tower but contact between the two saw Flash go off into the barriers on the outside of the corner, damaging the front of his Civic and putting him into retirement.

From the back of the field after his race one DNF, Sonic made a fine start to the second race and had climbed into the top 15 by the time team-mate Gordon was forced to retire. However, as the race went on, Tom started to struggle with the front tyres on his car, and he had to settle for 14th place at the finish.

Race three:

The final race saw both drivers produce storming drives through the field to secure solid points finishes, despite being forced to start towards the back of the grid.

Starting right at the back, Flash continued to be one of the quickest drivers on the track and made stunning progress through the field to get into seventh place before becoming embroiled in a lengthy battle for position with the Vauxhall of Tom Onslow-Cole. Having been unable to find a way past the Vectra, Flash secured sixth with a fine move at Sunny on the final lap to secure vital points for himself and the team in its quest to secure the teams' title.

Team-mate Sonic was one of the stars of the race as he climbed from 14th to eighth by the end of the second lap with a series of stunning overtaking moves. Showing the pace of the Honda Civic on the now dry circuit, he continued to make up places until he found himself just off the podium in fourth place. Despite struggling again for grip through the slow Complex and Hairpin at the end of the lap, Tom produced a fine defensive drive to hold off the challenge of Mat Jackson and pick up eight vital championship points.

Driver quotes:

Gordon Shedden:

"Again it was a weekend that promised a lot and didn't deliver enough for us. To qualify second was really good and we should have won the first race, but it was so wet, it was ridiculous. We needed flippers and paddles rather than wheels and tyres and I have to admit I was surprised they restarted it as you couldn't even commit to full throttle in a straight line. A podium was good but the second race was a disaster as I was taken off and it caused a lot of damage to the car. The guys did great to get me out for the third race and I can't believe how quickly they can turn these cars around. To come from dead last to finish sixth was a good last race and it was nice to get some points for the guys.

"We've had a lot of bad luck during the season so far, but we still have a very good car and an amazing team and there is no reason why we can't be going out challenging for regular wins and podiums when racing resumes after the summer break. We just need a few things to go our way."

Tom Chilton:

"The first race was the wettest race in the world! At the restart I was like a duck on a lake and went floating straight on at Tower; I just aquaplaned off the circuit and there was nothing I could do. In the second race, I climbed from 22nd to 14th but my tyres went off towards the end and I was lucky to even finish the race. I got a cracking start in the final race and made up ten places to fourth which is a hell of a job to do as everyone is so quick on the grid. Mat was all over me in the closing laps and it took all my experience to get from 14th to fourth in that race and hold the position.

"We are half way through the season now and the first half of the year hasn't gone quite to plan for me. After the summer break, everyone will turn up at Snetterton wanting to win and I got a double win there with the old Civic a few years ago - it would be nice to do it again."