Super Sheds Back For 07

[andrew]

rcarr said:

This may be controversial to ask this but why is Gordon Shedden called "Super Sheds"? To some he isn't super at all.

It may be controversial to ask this, but why are you such an arse Richard ?

Is your day not complete until you've posted something on a forum to try and provoke people into having an argument with you ?

Have you considered just joining a debating club or something ?

[Racemania]

Heinicke you’ve got to be grateful you’re not a dog.

Such uncontrollable ridiculous behaviour would end up with you being castrated.

Makes the most troublesome animals almost loveable ;D

Ali

[Blair]

Well to most he is Super if you look at the podium crowd when he won on Sunday. Let's not forget he has worked long and hard to get into the BTCC, something which to most of us would be a dream come true!

Keep behind him and we'll keep his sponsors happy if they see he's popular.

[NS-R]

I don't normally get involved but this has really p*ssed me off as well.

Gordon has worked very hard to get where he is and he has done brilliantly in his first season in the BTCC.

Heinicke - maybe the terms 'Sheds' would be better for yourself - Your car is one and you're about the same size as a shed too...

Nick.

[jxr242]

C'mon Andrew, Ali, Blair and Nick,

How can you not see where Richard is coming from ? Gordon obviously has got where he has, (a) without any talent, (b) with the sponsorship just falling into his lap and (c) purely and simply because of who his connections are at Knockhill.

I for one think that if Richard had the opportunities which have been given on a silver platter to Gordon, that Richard would have won every race this season in the BTCC, despite him being over 20 stone. No I- would go further, I suspect that Richard would probably have been given the F1 slot alongside Alonso this year after winning the BTCC last year and that the guy who currently has that drive - isn't he named after some Scottish Island or something - would be relegated to driving round, near the back of the XR2 field.

Should Richard not fancy being an F1 driver, with his honed debating skills he could easily be our next prime minister and I for one would vote for him.

John
(tongue firmly in cheek)

PS Can I suggest a XR2 race. Let's all weight our cars up to the same (i.e. total weight car and driver). That gives us a level playing field, and then lets see the outcome. I know the best I could aspire to would be 2nd after Richard.

[Catriona]

*sigh*

Keep cool guys, keep cool...

Richard, could you please try to learn to use some tact in your posts? If you're not sure how something will come across, then mentally replace the name of the person you're criticising with your own name, your father's name, or someone else who you respect, and if the result would make you angry, reword it until it's more diplomatic. I'm not honestly sure if that post was intentionally trying to wind people up or not, but if it wasn't a deliberate trolling attempt it was incredibly badly worded.

We've never had to ban anyone from this forum yet, and really don't want to have to start, but going on the reactions I see there's a few people getting fed up of these mini-dramas appearing every other week. However the rest of you could also help prevent them by keeping calm in your own responses

Btw I'm saying all this as a person who's had a lot of trouble in learning tact myself; I still do mess up and offend people from time to time, so I appreciate it's not always easy to know how things come across. But when I've upset people a few times I do try my very best to learn from my mistakes and not keep repeating them.

I'm not locking this thread yet, but any more squabbling and I will do, so keep any more replies calm please. In particular I don't want to see any more personal attacks against Richard - yes, his posts can be very aggravating, but don't make matters worse please.

[Heinicke]

That question was based on my own experience of Gordon and a very very close family friend of ours, who has worked with him. To me he is an eejit.

I was very suprised when I saw his name in Team Halfords with Matt Neal, I thought, how did he get there? Must've been sponsorship, I've heard around the paddock that his father-in-law footed the bill to get him there. Hear say, thats all. Has he got there on merit?

I am not saying I am better than him, no way, for me education comes 1st, I adore racing and still want to work in the industry but behind the pit wall. I knew I couldn't be a pro by the age of 7, I was too tall and too heavy, so I'll stick to being a clubbie like I have been for the past 24 years.

[jxr242]

See what you lot have done now - you have gone and upset Catriona.

I think that if anyone shold be banned its you lot

[awsponsor]

Who cares what he's like personally or where he got his sponsorship from..

As far as I'm aware he doesn't eat babies or push little old ladies into the road but he is one heck of a good driver and that's what counts..

[norm]

I don't know Gordon, but to me his results speak for themselves. Third in the championship, ahead of his team mate, and with (from memory) a huge number of BTCC fastest laps to his name (surely the true test of speed). In that sense it doesn't matter how much money was involved in him getting this opportunity - it seems clear to me that he deserved it, and that he has made the most of it.

Personally I think that those of us who have parents that share our interest in the sport should be grateful of that support. It may take the form of money (Nathan Kinch, apparently), practical support (Richard, me), or somewhere in between. Whatever, there are many people out there who don't have that family encouragement/support. To them, people like Richard and me are as lucky and privileged as Nathan is.

There are very few of us racing that have not had some form of historical good fortune to enable us to race, and it seems churlish to begrudge anyone their good luck.

Norm

[Blair]

No one gets to the BTCC on merit alone, unless your names Plato or Giovanardi etc..

I'd be very surprised if his father in law has totally 100% backed him, after all he has his own son to look after.

[awsponsor]

Personally I think that those of us who have parents that share our interest in the sport should be grateful of that support

Quite right ... but will he do the washing up? ;D

[jxr242]

A lot of F1 drivers only got the drive due to the sponsorship they bring to teams. Its a fact of life right the way down the motorsport ladder.

You could even argue that getting that sponsorship is part of what is needed to become a successful racing driver. A bit like being able to handle the press or all that goes with getting the sponsorship. If you can't smooze these kind of guys they will drop you irrespective of results. Being successful at your chosen field whether in sport, academia or a profession etc is about so much more than just being good at your job. If no-one wants to or can work with you then the likelihood is that no one will.

[Michael Booth]

Richard, did you misplace your brain before posting today? You must be extremely naive to believe that every driver gets there on talent alone, and that it costs a few quid to get into the BTCC.

Shall we ban everyone who has parents/sponsors from entering motorsport? Hell, if my parents were rich I'd have done karting and would be in Formula Ford or something like that by now. Would Michael Schumacher have ever been 7 time F1 Champion if a man with money called Wili Weber hadn't spotted him?

What has Shedden done to be "super"? Ford Fiesta champion, 2000, won a Production race and came 2nd in one at Knockhill IIRC in 2001, won races, taken poles, etc in the BTCC over 2 years?

On the occasions I've met him and spoken to him, which includes Stanstead airport after Snetterton this year, he seems fine to me - I've seen worse behaviour and people much less worthy of being in top level motorsport than Gordon.

Is it jealousy Richard, because he's won a BTCC race or something?

[Heinicke]

I am very grateful to my Dad and what he has done for me in terms of education and motorsport etc. He was discouraged when he was young by his Dad, "You know what happened to Von Trips." Yes I am very lucky.

I know a good few professional drivers personally but Gordon was the most arrogant, even people at the top of their game aren't arrogant, Allan and David are the two nicest blokes you could meet.

Back to my original question, why is he "Super"?

Why not "Super Reid" or "Super Leslie" or "Super Cleland" they all have more clout in terms of racing success than Gordon. Was it made up by someone or was it himself?

I am not jealous at all, BTCC is not what I am aiming for in my racing career, they are dodgems rather than racing cars.

A source that I have said £750000 for a season in a top team in the BTCC, Mr and Mrs Chilton must be exceedingly rich. Another friend who works in the DTM and FIA GTs has told me 100000EUR for a drive at the Spa 24hrs in their Aston Martin.