The intervention of the Nissan GTR Safety Car after four laps while marshals dealt with two incidents that saw Hudson Kennaugh and Simon Andrews crash bunched the pack up and when the race resumed Hill grabbed the initiative prompting a terrific duel for supremacy. They traded places twice on the final lap before Hopkins grabbed his second win of the season by just 0.274secs from Hill with Byrne third from Michael Laverty and Ryuichi Kiyonari. Hopkins enthused: “To win for the first time here on this new circuit feels great. I am having so much fun out there. I knew I had the pace and that was a great race for me. The bike has been working well all weekend and on this new circuit it is an even playing field for everyone. I enjoy the track sliding around, drifting through corners and having fun. “I had a really good pace going but then the Safety Car came out and it took the flow out of me and it took time for me to get it back. The tyres were going off a bit towards the end and I felt a bit emotional,” added Hopkins. He looked on course for the double as he led the second race from Kiyonari who had held on at Montreal as the fast moving Hill clipped the back of his bike before tipping off.

The Japanese rider was untroubled as he pursued Hopkins with a rejuvenated Josh Brookes on the Relentless Suzuki running third from Michael Laverty and Byrne. Hopkins had a lead of half a second when the race was red-flagged on the eighth lap by a crash involving Simon Andrews who sustained a broken leg and Steve Brogan who suffered a shoulder injury. Hopkins again made the running on the re-start but soon was under intense pressure from series leading HM Plant Honda rider Byrne and on the final lap as they duelled for supremacy. Byrne had taken the lead but on the final lap they collided as Hopkins tried to regain the position, both losing ground as reigning champion Kiyonari charged through to take the victory from Brookes. Hopkins was able to rejoin in third from Byrne whose lead in the title stakes over the American has been cut down to 19 points when he finished fourth.

Brookes’ first podium finish of the season elevated him up the order to sixth in the overall standings as Stuart Easton dropped out of the Title Fighter positions. WFR Honda team-mates Graeme Gowland and American Jake Zemke shared the victories in the Mirror.co.uk BSB-EVO class but the third member of that team Glen Richards with third and second placings leads the title chase

As The Official Bike Insurer Photographer was invited along to the Air Racing Kawasaki Hospitality Suite to see the unveiling of New Sponsors Sassoon for Men and their new Titan Range of Men’s Shavers, This was Sassoon’s official European launch of these products, The air racing Kawasaki’s were unveiled to the VIP Guests with the new Sassoon Livery, I was there to capture all the pictures of this exclusive event.

 By Dave Leigh Jackson