Despite the best efforts of Shedden to break away at the front, it soon became apparent that the nature of the Rockingham circuit wasn't going to make it easy, with the turbo diesel Leon of Turner able to simply drive onto the back of the Civic on the long run round the oval before Shedden scampered away again on the infield. Neal was also keeping himself in close proximity to the front two as a three-way battle developed for the lead. They had a small lead over Adam Jones in a somewhat lonely fourth, while
Tom Onslow-Cole has climbed into fifth after slipping past
Mat Jackson at Deene.
On lap five, Turner closed right onto the rear of the Civic on the run round the oval, but Shedden was able to take a tight inside line into Deene to ensure that there was no space for the Leon to move through. Although it meant Shedden was slower out of the corner as a result, he was able to defend into Yentwood to keep the birthday boy behind him. In a repeat of the move seen a lap earlier, Jackson lost out to a Vauxhall at Deene, this time with Giovanardi going through into six. Behind Jackson in seventh, Tom Chilton, Plato and Steven Kane rounded out the top ten.
Neal was now starting to really pressure Turner for second place, which was allowing Shedden to open a small advantage and the double champion tried his luck at Tarzan on lap six although he was unable to find a way through.
By now however, the rain that had been due to arrive in mid-afternoon had decided to make an early appearance and light drizzle was starting to fall.
That drizzle almost caught out Plato as he attempted to make up places, with the SEAT man using the pace of the diesel round the oval to close onto Chilton's Civic in the battle for eighth. Plato looked down the inside at Deene on lap ten but was then forced to try on the outside line when Chilton tried to defend. The Leon got slightly out of shape as Plato turned in, but luckily when he planted the throttle he was able to power through the corner without losing any positions.
