Dan Linfoot secured his second race win in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park, coming back from the disappointment of a race one retirement to score a fantastic victory, holding off Leon Haslam and rookie Bradley Ray to the line as the leading trio were covered by just 0.114s.

At the start Leon Haslam launched into the lead ahead of Jake Dixon and Linfoot, but the RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki rider moved ahead on the opening lap to push his JG Speedfit Kawasaki rival back into second place.

Shane 'Shakey' Byrne started from the fourth row and he was pushing into the top ten by the second lap, but at the front Dixon was leading the pack from Linfoot, Haslam, Christian Iddon and John Hopkins. However after scoring a podium in race one, the American crashed out unhurt on the Moto Rapido Ducati.

Dixon was holding the lead, but Haslam was making a fight back, passing Linfoot into Lodge on the eighth lap with Ray also joining the scrap for the podium. On the tenth lap though Haslam hit the front of the pack with a decisive move at Lodge on the brakes. Dixon was dropping back and Linfoot had moved into second for Honda Racing and was waiting to make his move on the race leader.

Rookie Ray had moved into third place with a lunge on Dixon at Old Hall on the 15th lap. The 20-year-old was in close contention; however the podium order went down to the wire with Haslam leading as the trio crossed the line to start the final lap.

Linfoot made his move at Old Hall to take the lead but Haslam instantly fought back to move back ahead on the JG Speedfit Kawasaki. It wasn’t over though as Linfoot did everything he could to make a move back and he did just that and the pair crossed the line virtually inseparable but it was the Honda Fireblade who had the edge.

For Ray the third place marked his debut podium finish in MCE BSB as he became the 15th different podium finisher in the 2017 season and score the first top three finish for the new Suzuki.

Peter Hickman was the second of the Showdown contenders, finishing in fourth place after fighting his way ahead of Josh Brookes and Dixon with Byrne finishing seventh to drop to third in the overall standings.

Jason O'Halloran was the sixth of the Showdown riders in eighth place after getting ahead of Iddon and James Ellison who completed the top ten for McAMS Yamaha.