Andy Wallace and Johnny Herbert lie seventh and eighth respectively in the American Le Mans Series after finishing a disappointing fifth in the latest race.

Wallace, 40, from Oxford, started his re-built Champion Racing Audi from the second row of the grid, but slipped back to sixth place with a handling problem before co-driver Herbert took over in the 165-minute sportscar race at Mid-Ohio.

Herbert was forced to make two unscheduled pit stops with an electronics problem while they also lost valuable time when organisers issued two, separate stop-go penalties.

He said: "We had some bad luck - we just need things to go our way. The engine lost power so I pitted and they changed the electronics unit but then had to come in again to change the plug rail. After that the car was very competitive."

Wallace added: "During my opening stint I had no grip. We started with very high tyre pressures, but this did not work. I was adjudged to have unfairly bumped in to a backmarker I was overtaking so picked up a penalty."

The penultimate round of the eight-race series is staged at Laguna Seca, California, on Sunday.