Mason Law enjoyed his maiden race victory in a dramatic Dickies British Supersport Championship sprint race as he held off the determined late challenges of Brad Ray while the scrap for the title intensified as Tarran Mackenzie snatched third from James Westmoreland and that left the title rivals level pegging on 238 points.
Law made a stunning start from the second row of the grid to lead the pack on the opening lap ahead of Ray and the local favourite Joe Francis while pole starter Westmoreland was running sixth. Then on the second lap at Shell Oils Ray ran wide, dropping back into to fifth place. Francis was through to second while out front Law began to pull a gap.
Irwin was third but feeling the heat from Luke Jones while Ray was fifth just ahead of Westmoreland while Francis was upping the tempo, setting the fastest time on the third lap to close within a second of Law who soon responded.
The pack was closing and Ray was making ground, grabbing fourth and then Jones eased through on the inside to grab second from Francis who was then attacked by Ray. Westmoreland strayed off line at half distance and that cost him a couple of places.
Law was taking advantage of the squabbling for placings going on as he edge a little further into the distance while Mackenzie was making up ground, going fifth. Ray, fresh from his double top last time out, nosed into second place, but with five laps to go he had to peg back a second and a half on race leader Law.
Ray was riding hard, chipping away at the leader who ran a little wide, losing time, his advantage cut to under a second. But more drama as Jones stopped, then Mackenzie took third from Francis. David Allingham was fifth from Westmoreland.
Law was coming under pressure as Ray closed within half a second of him going into the tenth lap. Mackenzie was third from Allingham, Westmoreland and Francis. Westmoreland was on the charge and soon was snapping at Mackenzie’s exhaust. Law was doing enough to maintain the gap but Ray was hungry, trying to line up a move, given encouragement by the leader’s slide at Hizzy’s.
Law had the race, taking his first victory in the series, ahead of Ray with Mackenzie holding onto third ahead of Westmoreland, Allingham and Andrew Irwin. Francis, Joe Collier, Ben Currie and Sam Coventry completed the top ten finishers.