Ireland's Keith Farmer fended off a spirited challenge from Metzeler National Superstock 1000 returnee Joe Burns at Cadwell Park this afternoon on a drying track which saw the Rapid Solicitors man extend his lead over Jason O'Halloran.
Rain came down just as the field lined up for the start and, when the lights went out, Farmer went off like a scalded cliche, pulling a two-second gap on the field but Burns was having none of it, pulling back 1.3s in short order to get back on Farmer's rear wheel.
The Newcastle man, who stopped racing earlier in the year when he decided he simply couldn't afford it, followed in Farmer's wheeltracks as they lapped two seconds faster than the field. He tried a lunge from way back at Park but ended up on the grass.
Farmer found himself with a gap but then went straight on at Mansfield Chicane but he had enough in hand to cross the line for 25 points. Samsung Honda's Jason O'Halloran got the better of Adam Jenkinson, on the Padgett's Honda, late on for third place while Lee Costello came through for fifth.
Howie-Mainwaring-Smart found enough pace for sixth as the track dried out with John Ingram, Daniel Johnson, Jimmy Storrar and Gary Johnson rounded out the top ten. Steve Brogan ended 15th.
