David Reynolds was left to rue an engine issue that cost him the lead of Race 17 at the Castrol Edge Townsville 400.

A repetition of what occurred early in the opening 200km leg struck Reynolds inside the final 20 laps of the 70-lap encounter.

The Ford driver ran wide at Turn 2 after being distracted by the problem, allowing eventual winner Mark Winterbottom through to the lead.

Reynolds eventually fell to third as his pace faded in the closing stages.

“My engine died (momentarily) and I was playing around with the dash and stuff going down the front straight complaining on the radio,” he said.

“I probably wasn’t concentrating enough.

“I then locked a front and went a bit wide and Mark got past me and then I think I bent my front-right at Turn 6 and it was struggle street from there on.

“It was like an electrical drama,” he added when pressed further on the problem. “I’ve got to talk to the boys about it afterwards.”

A winner in Darwin, Reynolds went on to finish second and third in the Townsville double race format which has helped him to fourth in the standings, a mere 25 points out of second place.