Josh Brookes returned to the top step of the podium in the second Bennetts British Superbike Championship race at Donington Park, working his way to the front by lap five and then edging out his rivals and also claim the championship lead.

A hectic opening lap was lead by Kyle Ryde on the Buildbase Suzuki ahead of Tarran Mackenzie and, Gino Rea and pole-sitter Jack Kennedy, but the Silverstone race winner was later forced out of the action with a technical problem.

However the race action was ended prematurely for Ryan Vickers and Andrew Irwin, who crashed out together at the Melbourne Loop for the first time, with Peter Hickman and Danny Buchan also falling on the exit to curtail their bid for results.

At the front, Kennedy had then grabbed the advantage on the RAF Regular and Reserve Kawasaki, but Rea was attacking and he moved into the lead at Redgate at the start of lap three.

Brookes was calmly working his way up from sixth, were he was at the start of the race, taking the lead with a decisive move on lap five to push Rea into second place and then the VisionTrack Ducati rider put in a consistent run of laps to break the pack.

Jason O'Halloran was on the move, and the McAMS Yamaha rider was able to move ahead of Glenn Irwin and then Rea by the ninth lap, and despite his best efforts to reel Brookes back in, he crossed the line second and 0.578s adrift. The podium finish moves him back up to second in the standings now ahead of today’s final race.

Glenn Irwin was having a tough final part of his race and he was dropping back down the order, but ahead of him Mackenzie had got the better of Rea to grab third place and ensure that he made a break to give McAMS Yamaha a double podium finish.

Rea claimed his best result of the season in fourth for Buildbase Suzuki, with Tommy Bridewell having a resurgent race two to finish fifth ahead of Christian Iddon, who had been at the top of the standings after his second place in the first race of the day.

Glenn Irwin eventually crossed the line in seventh place ahead of Kennedy with Luke Mossey and Joe Francis completing the top ten.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Donington Park, Round 14 result:

1.Josh Brookes (VisionTrack Ducati)
2.Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +0.578s
3.Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +1.805s
4.Gino Rea (Buildbase Suzuki) +3.123s
5.Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +4.419s
6.Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati) +4.908s
7.Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing) +7.734s
8.Jack Kennedy (RAF Regular and Reserve Kawasaki) +8.307s
9.Luke Mossey (Rich Energy OMG Racing BMW) +11.511s
10.Joe Francis (Lloyd & Bowker BMW Motorrad) +12.165s

Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings after Round 14:

1.Josh Brookes (VisionTrack Ducati) 209
2.Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 198
3.Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati) 196
4.Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing) 187
5.Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) 154
6.Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 146
7.Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing) 130
8.Kyle Ryde (Buildbase Suzuki) 128
9.Lee Jackson (Rapid Fulfillment FS-3 Kawasaki) 121
10.Danny Buchan (Rapid Fulfillment FS-3 Kawasaki) 97