On the fourth lap Brookes dropped down the order as he had a moment on the exit of Cascades which dropped him down to third by the time the pack reached Lakeside, handing Easton the lead from Lowes.
Shane 'Shakey' Byrne was trying to move himself up the order but on the fifth lap an attempted move on Michael Rutter at Hizzy's chicane dropped him from fifth down to eighth. Laverty was doing his best to put the Swan Yamaha at the front of the field but on lap eight he went over the grass at Hizzys from fourth place and when he rejoined he was fortunate that Rutter, Byrne and Hopkins were able to avoid him.
There was more drama a lap later when Brookes, who was shadowing Easton for the lead, lost the front at Brittens and the Relentless Suzuki clipped the kerb which flicked the bike spectacularly in the air, narrowly avoiding Easton. The debris of the crash caused the Nissan GTR safety car to be deployed for two laps; the order at the time of the safety car was Easton, Hopkins, Laverty and Rutter.
Kiyonari was trying to repeat his race one victory, passing Rutter at Hilltop to move fourth. The battle at the front though was intensifying as Laverty had moved up to second ahead of Hopkins at Old Hall on the fourteenth lap. Laverty then stole the lead with a move on Easton in a repeat move a lap later; with Hopkins also forcing the MSS Colchester Kawasaki rider back a place on the run down to Lakeside.
Hopkins could then see his chance and the Samsung Crescent Racing rider forced his way down the inside of Laverty on the run down Lakeside to lead a BSB race for the first time which he then held to the line to take an emotional maiden victory. Laverty made a mistake at Hizzys on the final lap which saw him drop from a potential podium to fifth, with Byrne able to steal the final podium position on the final lap.
"That was good, really good. It's an awesome track, I really enjoyed riding here, but as well what great fan support! It's been 11 years since I last won a race - that and all that's happened to me over the past few years meant that this was one emotional win. I was definitely teary-eyed on the podium. I couldn't be happier," Hopkins said after the race.
"The racing, as before at Brands Hatch, was intense; there was carnage at times. But with my motocross background I can endure that. The first race went well and I started well and went with the leaders. At the end of the race I got into second and I had to ride for the finish at that point, but that's never a satisfying feeling.
"So I knew I wanted to win the second race. Curiously that race didn't go so well early on and I dropped back after the start. I regrouped but still had a lot of work to do to catch the two leaders, so I was definitely the man who gained the most when one of them crashed bringing out the pace car. Even after that it came down to a three-way battle. But the bike felt so good I knew the win was possible. I took the lead with two laps to go and never looked back. A big thank you to the crew for this weekend. I couldn't have done it without them," he concluded.
Main Photo: Ryuichi Kiyonari
Credit: HRC
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, race one result:
1 Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda)
2 John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing) +4.150s
3 Stuart Easton (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +4.336s
4 Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) +4.646s
5 Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) +4.684s
6 Josh Brookes (Relentless Suzuki) +5.105s
7 Jon Kirkham (Samsung Crescent Racing) +13.582s
8 Loris Baz (Motorpoint Yamaha) +16.637s
9 Gary Mason (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +19.108s
10 Dan Linfoot (Sorrymate.com Honda) +19.452s
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, race two result:
1 John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing)
2 Stuart Easton (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +0.221s
3 Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) +0.521s
4 Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) +0.633s
5 Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) +1.026s
6 Michael Rutter (Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati ) +2.930s
7 Jon Kirkham (Samsung Crescent Racing) + 2.949s
8 Peter Hickman (Tyco Honda) +7.183s
9 Loris Baz (Motorpoint Yamaha) +7.326s
10 Gary Mason (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +7.293s
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship standings after Oulton Park:
1 Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) 70
2 Stuart Easton (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) 59
3 Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) 58
4 John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing) 56
5 Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) 45
6 Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) 35
