Stuart Easton secured his first MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship win of the season for the Swan Honda team after an impressive performance in the opening race of the day at Oulton Park to hold off the challenges from championship leader Tommy Hill.

Easton took the whole shot off the line to lead into Old Hall for the first time, but Hill was tucked in behind and the pole-sitter was determined to shadow his rival. There was drama on the opening lap though as the second Worx Crescent Suzuki of Yukio Kagayama crashed out at Island Bend.

Michael Rutter also got a good start off the front row on the Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati, running fourth and attempting to pass Josh Brookes on the HM Plant Honda for third, but he ran wide at Lakeside losing ground and a few laps later he retired to the pitlane.

The second lap saw Ian Lowry end his race prematurely after he crashed his Motorpoint Yamaha out of contention at Shell Oils corner, whilst Tommy Bridewell was given a jump start and he was forced back into pitlane for his ride through penalty. Christian Iddon was another rider to end his race early as he crashed the Sorrymate.com SMT Honda at Brittens.

Easton and Hill led the pack, with HM Plant Honda’s Josh Brookes running third ahead of Alastair Seeley and Ryuichi Kiyonari. The pack was inseparable and Seeley was piling the pressure on Kiyo for the position, but on lap nine he made his move and dived down the inside at Shell Oils corner. The move pushed the HM Plant Honda wide and he lost ground, dropping him to seventh, although he was later forced to retire.

Easton and Hill continued to set the pace but the fight for the final podium place was on as the two Relentless Suzuki by TAS riders took on Brookes and Buildbase Kawasaki’s John Laverty. On the 16th lap Michael Laverty went wide at Shell Oils corner to give his brother enough room to pass and move fifth.

On the final lap the pack had a complete shake-up with some frantic passing at Hizzy’s chicane giving John Laverty the chance to stand on the podium for the first time for the Buildbase Kawasaki team with Seeley forced to settle for fourth ahead of teammate Michael Laverty.

Josh Brookes dropped to sixth in the closing lap, whilst Gary Mason held of the challenges of teammate Walker to be the first MSS Colchester Kawasaki home in seventh. The second Motorpoint Yamaha of Dan Linfoot ended the race ninth ahead of Bridewell who recovered from his ride through penalty.

MAR Kawasaki’s Hudson Kennaugh won the Mirror.co.uk BSB – Evo race after an impressive ride to hold off the challenge from the battling Steve Brogan and David Anthony who finished second and third respectively. The Jentin Racing-BMW Motorrad rider started from the back of the grid and his impressive performance put him 15th overall – level with Anthony’s MIST Suzuki as they crossed the line.

“It’s great to win the first race of the season for the Swan Honda team and I had a good start and just managed to hold off Tommy Hill,” Easton said. “I got off to a good start, which is quite typical and then every lap my board just said +0 and its just a case of keeping it all together and just counting down the laps. It was a close one out there but hopefully we can make it two out of two in the next one.”

Race two was another hard-fough affair. Michael Laverty and the Relentless Suzuki by TAS team will be celebrating tonight after securing their maiden race win in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park.

Laverty rode a flawless race in changing conditions to edge out a six second advantage over nearest rival Michael Rutter who took his first podium of the season for the Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati after a challenging race.

“The only way I can describe that race was awesome, especially as I was able to win in such as convincing way and if I am honest it was quite easy,” Laverty said. “I have always found it hard at Oulton Park in the past but I have to say I am happy with that.

“You want to be able to win your first BSB race in style and that is what we did. The conditions played in to our hands a bit but the whole team deserved it after the last few rounds. It has been a good weekend for us Lavertys so we will be celebrating tonight.”

Kiyonari had taken the whole shot off the line from pole position from Hill and Michael Laverty, but the Relentless Suzuki rider was already on the move on the run to Shell Oils corner to move second down the inside of the championship leader.

Rutter was also on the attack on the opening lap, making up a place from John Laverty to move fourth by the start of the second lap and then he was up to second when he passed Kiyonari on the inside line into Lodge.

Kiyonari fought back on the next lap, passing the Ducati rider into Old Hall but a lap later Rutter retook the advantage again as the pair scrapped it out for second. Kiyo later dropped back to fourth behind John Laverty as Hill worked his way through on the Worx Crescent Suzuki, passing Kiyo at Lodge on the eighth lap and then he edged ahead of the Buildbase Kawasaki rider.

Kiyo ran wide on the tenth lap that dropped him further adrift, but he was able to remain fourth after a battle with John Laverty.

Alastair Seeley was able to maintain his sixth place for the Relentless Suzuki team, whilst Tommy Bridewell was able to get the better of the second HM Plant Honda of Brookes for seventh whilst Mirror.co.uk BSB – Evo rider Hudson Kennaugh broke into the top ten in ninth ahead of Adam Jenkinson on the Buildbase Kawasaki.

Gearlink Kawasaki’s Ben Wilson took his first victory of the season in the dramatic, incident-packed third round of the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship at Oulton Park.

“It is great to have won our first race of the season and I have to say when the safety car came out I did feel disappointed as I lost my slight lead,” Wilson said. “It didn’t matter though as we still won in the end and it comes after two disappointing rounds at Brands Hatch and Thruxton. I now want to maintain this momentum for my home round at Cadwell Park.”

The conditions posed questions on tyre choice for the riders, and on the warm-up lap GNS Honda’s Paul Jordan slid off and then in the wet practice session prior to the race, Allan Jon Venter also crashed out.

Glen Richards crashed his Padgetts Honda on the warm up lap, but picked himself up to take the start from the back of the grid. Ian Hutchinson took the early lead, ahead of Billy McConnell, Graeme Gowland and Wilson.

Gowland looked set to be in contention but slid off at Lodge, then McConnell crashed his CAME Yamaha at Shell and Hutchinson set the fastest lap only to tip off at Hizzy’s leaving Wilson leading the pack on the third lap ahead of an injured Sam Lowes and Jack Kennedy.

Wilson held the upper-hand in the difficult conditions though Lowes on the GNS Honda, made him work hard to maintain his advantage, closing to within 0.361s at the end of the 12 lapper.

Lowes’ second place finish moves him jointly into the championship lead with James Westmoreland who was forced to retire with a technical problem with the CAME Yamaha in the closing stages.

Kennedy brought his Colin Appleyard Macadam Yamaha in a solid third ahead of MAP Centurion Triumph’s Daniel Cooper who took fourth in the final laps from Richards, who was the top Aussie in fifth.

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