Rizla Suzuki's Tom Sykes has taken his first British Superbike double win at Oulton Park this afternon, fending off a late charge from HM Plant Honda's Cal Crutchlow.
As with race one, Sykes took the lead on lap two diving under Leon Haslam at Hizzy's Chicane and then managed to pull at gap. Crutchlow then managed to ride round the outside of Haslam at Old Hall one lap later as the leading three started to drop James Ellison on the Hydrex Honda.
Shane Byrne, who was the sole Airwaves Ducati out there as team-mate Leon Camier was forced to pull out on medical grounds, got a rubbish start but made his way through to make it an eight-wheeler.
Simon Andrews gets the ride of the day after running wide onto the grass at Old Hall and clawing his way back to sixth in front of Michael Laverty. Karl Harris made an early start but faded towards the end, eventually being passed by Scott Smart for eighth.
Sykes joy could not be missed or that of his team as the camera scanned to the garages. Sykes managed to hold off the constant pressure from HM Plant Honda Cal Crutchlow who had to settle for second, with yes you guessed it Airwaves Ducati Byrne again in third.
Haslam, Sykes and Crutchlow led into the first corner, by lap two again the leading group broke off into five including James Ellison who at that time was being followed by Byrne. Sykes took the lead on lap two and didn't fold under the pressure through the 18 lap race.
Crutchlow on lap four out-dragged his team mate Haslam to take second and hunt down Sykes, whilst on the back of the group Shakey was looming. For the first time Byrne didn't look to have anything up his sleeve and what looked like tyre problems, but then came the last lap and a half when he attacked.
On lap 17 Byrne tried an outside manoeuvre on Haslam on the high side of Shell corner, but Haslam was determined not to give in kept his position. Meanwhile Crutchlow, at every opportunity, was visibly looking to make his move on Sykes, but it wasn't to be.
Final lap Byrne moved to third and even briefly to second ahead of Crutchlow who soon battled back confirming his finishing position. James Ellison could not hold to the front runners to finish an unchallenged, but solid fifth place.
Karl Harris of Team Yamaha had a bad start and worked his way from tenth to sixth, but he had to settle for ninth overall after losing out to Simon Andrews, Michael Laverty of Relentless Suzuki and Scott Smart of Hawk Kawasaki who were taking no prisoners.
John Laverty of NW200 did the double within the Cup Championship who managed to just hold off Quay Garage Racing Gary Mason in second followed by Martin Jessopp of Riders Racing Honda, who took his second podium of the day.
Race two saw only two wild card riders, Dan Stewart of Wilcock Consulting who finished fourth again in the cup championship, 21st overall and Francis Williamson of Moto Rapido Racing taking 25th being the seventh cup rider.
Fortunately only three retirements from this afternoons race including Leon Morris of Brookspeed Ducati, David Johnson of Team Maxxis Honda and Chris Burns on the STP Superbike MV Agusta.
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