TOM Boardman's run of British Touring Car Championship bad luck continued at the weekend as the series' youngest ever competitor raced his Peugeot 306 GTi6 BTC Production car at the challenging Knockhill circuit in Fife, Scotland.

The 17-year-old from Forton ran into problems with a fuel-pressure-related misfire in qualifying and the Sprint Race and then was forced into retirement in the Feature when the front suspension collapsed.

"It's been a bit of a disaster," said the disappointed Boardman after retiring from the Feature Race, his dismay all the deeper because he and the car had again shown real potential. "It was all going really well," he said. "The car felt really good and I was making up places early in both races."

Boardman's Scottish trip opened up with Saturday's free practice session. Fuel problems caused a serious misfire, which restricted his track time and his opportunities to set the car up correctly for the idiosyncratic Knockhill track, which is tighter, bumpier and narrower than any other on the BTCC schedule.

Things were better in the single half-hour qualifying session, but the misfire had not gone completely and a heavy rain shower cut down track time for all runners. Boardman ended 13th on the 18-car BTC Production class grid.

In the Sprint Race (Round 13), Boardman was quickly up to ninth place, but midway through the 20-lap event a fuel pump failure again restricted his pace and though he still finished ninth, he'd dropped behind several cars he'd been keeping at bay earlier in the race. Without the problems a sixth-place finish was a realistic possibility.

Between the two races the team, run by Boardman's father John, worked flat out to cure the fuel problems and again at the start all was looking good.

"The car felt great," said Boardman, who was as ever making up places in the early running: "Then I went through the chicane, over the kerbs as usual and the front suspension collapsed at the next corner. I don't understand it, because I was pacing myself for the long race."

Post-race investigations may reveal the reasons for the unexpected suspension failure, but the result remains the same, retirement on the first lap for young Boardman.

The attentions of the team now turn to the night races at Snetterton in Norfolk on August 4.

"I'm looking forward to it," says Boardman: "I really enjoyed the night race earlier in the year at Silverstone. Racing in the dark is a different experience and a challenge and the atmosphere is great."