IF a bout of food poisoning wasn't bad enough for Harry Vaulkhard, the North-East driver found his weekend over almost before it started after a dramatic opening race in the British Touring Car Championship at Croft, near Darlington, this afternoon.

The Newcastle-born Tempus Sport driver, who is employed as a driving instructor at the circuit, had been set for his best ever finish with his Chevrolet Lacetti in fourth as the race entered its climax.

But after he was passed by Rob Collard coming into the start finish straight and forced onto the grass, things took a turn for the worse.

Contact between Collard's BMW and Vaulkhard forced the Chevrolet onto the grass and damaged the tracking in the process.

He was immediately on the back foot and on the run up to Tower he was again on the dirt allowing Fabrizio Giovanardi in the Vauxhall Vectra to pass him.

On lap 14 the end was nigh when he lost control at Barcroft, dropping several places in the process. Although he gathered the car, as he entered The Complex, Vaulkhard spun again and on this occasion the incident was terminal.

As he rolled backwards into the middle of the track Tom Chilton's Ford Focus ST came into view and, with nowhere to go, he broadsided the Chevrolet.

The impact stoved in the driver's side of the car and left a massive crease in the roof.

The race was red-flagged with the positions standing at the time of the crash. For a while there was no movement from Vaulkhard's car, but eventually he exited via the passenger door and seemed none the worse for the collision.

However, his race, and his weekend, was well and truly run.

Colin Turkington won the race in his Team RAC BMW 320si, with team-mate Stephen Jelley second and North-East raised Jason Plato in the Racing Silverline Chevrolet Lacetti third.

The result for race two was a replica of the first race with Turkington and Jelley streets ahead of the field. Plato cheered the crowd with a gutsy overtaking move on Collard to snatch third.

One more race is planned for this afternoon.