MICHAEL Bentwood's appalling luck continued to scupper his progress in the Green Flag British Touring Car Championship.

The 26-year-old qualified 15th for the first race at Mondello Park and battled his way up to 10th, which put the Astra driver on pole position for the second race due to the reverse grids introduced this year.

Finally in a good position to go for serious points, Bentwood lined up next to SEAT's Jason Plato on the front-row, 'I made a good start, but Plato got a better one,' says Michael.

'I was following Plato through the first corner, when I suddenly felt a huge whack at the back and I was sent flying off.'

Plato's team-mate Robert Huff was excluded from the race and later fined for the incident, but Bentwood's Astra was too badly damaged to start the final race of the day.

'I've just got to shake off this big black cloud that's following me round,' says Bentwood.

Alderley Edge based racer David Warnock's quest for GT Class victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans ended in disappointment when he was sidelined with engine trouble three hours into the race.

'I thought the car felt really good,' says David, 'and we were going to have a good run, but that's racing."

Warnock will be looking to make amends when he takes part in the FIA GT World Championship race at Donington Park in two weeks.