Leon Haslam claimed the opening MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship race win of the Showdown to move to the top of the standings as the JG Speedfit Kawasaki was able to take advantage of misfortune for Dan Linfoot as he was forced to retire from the lead with a technical problem which caused a red flag.

There was drama before the race even got underway for Showdown contender Jake Dixon as the RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki team worked right up until the grid left for the warm up lap before he could exit the garage after his crash in warm up earlier in the afternoon. Dixon started last and from the pitlane, but a determined ride from the 21-year-old saw him heroically carve his way through the pack to finish the race in an incredible fourth place.

Silverstone race winner Linfoot had fired himself into the lead on the opening lap from Showdown contenders Josh Brookes and defending champion Shane 'Shakey' Byrne with Peter Hickman, Leon Haslam and Christian Iddon in close contention.

Brookes had moved into second place by the end of the first lap with the leading pack chopping and changing positions with Hickman soon up to second by the fourth lap. The Smiths Racing BMW rider was pushed back into third a lap later as Iddon moved ahead for Tyco BMW.

John Hopkins on the Moto Rapido Ducati was on a charge though and he carved his way into third a lap later as Linfoot continued to edge away at the front. Iddon was trying to close the gap, making a mistake which saw him run on through the chicane and then rejoin, but still holding second but with Hopkins, Haslam, Hickman, Brookes and Byrne still ready to make their move.

Iddon though crashed out of contention on the tenth lap at Hizzys, elevating Hopkins and Haslam into second and third respectively as Byrne was dropping down the order on the Be Wiser Ducati. On the 15th lap there was drama for Linfoot as a problem with the Honda Fireblade saw him forced to retire and that put Haslam into a winning position after he had made a move on Hopkins just a lap earlier.

James Ellison was able to get ahead of his McAMS Yamaha team-mate Michael Laverty to hold fifth place as Bradley Ray moved up to seventh in the closing stages as the rookie moved ahead of Showdown contenders Hickman, Byrne and Jason O'Halloran who bounced back from his crash yesterday.

Luke Mossey on the second JG Speedfit Kawasaki retired from the race.