Harry Vaulkhard endured a disappointing home outing as the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship reached the half-way stage of the season at Croft, with an accident leaving the Tempus Sport team with plenty of work to do during the summer break.

Despite suffering the after effects of food poisoning, Vaulkhard put his Chevrolet Lacetti in sixth place on the grid and was running in fourth place before contact from the BMW of Rob Collard damaged a track-rod end on the car.

Vaulkhard then came under pressure from Matt Neal with the pair having the slightest of touches coming through the Jim Clark Esses. While Neal ran wide and continued, Vaulkhard went spinning to the infield before recovering and rejoining the circuit.

However, the spin had damaged a wheel and with a rear tyre deflating, Vaulkhard lost control and suffered another spin entering the complex, with his stationary car being collected by the Ford of Tom Chilton.

The heavy impact left the Tempus Lacetti severely damaged and put Vaulkhard out of the remainder of race day, with plenty of work to be done during the summer break before the season resumes at Snetterton.

“What can you say?” Vaulkhard reflected. “I had food poisoning on Friday before the race meeting and wasn't able to get the pace in the free practice sessions, but qualifying came good and we were sixth on the grid. The start of the race was great and we were soon in fourth and closing in on Plato in third ahead of me by two tenths per lap. I think I gave that Rob Collard plenty of space, but he pushed me wide at the exit and the steering was damaged and that slowed us.

“The incident with Matt Neal was one of those things in racing when we're all fighting for the same piece of track. I feel for Tom as he was an innocent party in the crash. It did a lot of damage to our car and I was winded. I'm now focusing on Snetterton.”