MWR Kawasaki and Tim Hastings took victory in the Metzeler National Superstock 600 Championship in an emotional win dedicated to late MWR rider Ben Gautrey.

It was Josh Wainwright who took the holeshot from the front row and Hastings slipstreamed his way into second ahead of James Rose at the end of the back straight. Moto-Breaker Yamaha’s Rose replied almost immediately as he went past both Hastings and Wainwright into the lead on the second lap. On the run into the last corner, the Club Chicane, pole man Hastings took his turn at leading as he went past both Wainwright and Rose.

Hastings and Rose began to pull away, opening up a 1.1 second gap on the third lap. The battle for third heated up however as Brands Hatch race winner Jake Rose moved into third. At the front Hasting pulled the pin opening out a 0.9 second lead over Rose on lap 5 and Rose paid the penalty. By losing the slipstream he slipped into the grasp of Dixon et al and the fight for the podium ensued.

First it was Wainwright making his move as he slipped under Dixon to take third but Dixon quickly took it back through Village corner. Dixon, son of sidecar legend Darren, made his move for second pushing past teammate Rose at Club. Rose then hit the grass on the entry to Church and handed third to Aussie Ben Burke. Then HARIBO Starmix rider Alex Olsen made his mark moving into third past Burke and then past Dixon into the Club chicane. Olsen didn’t look back and started to move away from the pack behind trying to make it a comfortable second. Ben Burke then saw Rose come past him on lap 13 of 14 and it looked to be a fight for third on the last lap until second place man Olsen was seen touring and consequently pulled into pit lane.

Smiths of Gloucester rider Johnny Blackshaw took third on the last lap moving past Burke at Campbell and they were three abreast on the brakes into Club chicane with Blackshaw having Rose on one side and Dixon on the other. Blackshaw was muscled out as James Rose took second and Dixon third behind race winner Hastings. Ben Burke took fifth as Wainwright battled past Matt Paulo to take sixth. Tom Fisher, Grant Whitaker and rookie moving up from the 125’s last year Lee Jackson rounded out the top ten.