Ilya Mikhalchik extended his championship points lead as he powered to victory in a dramatic Superstock race this afternoon.
The race was stopped on the opening lap following a crash and restarted over 12 laps – and it was polesitter David Allingham who got out in front at the start, followed by Brayden Elliott and Josh Owens.
Mikhalchik had dropped to fourth but by Lap Four had passed Elliott into third position, sitting there comfortably until the seventh lap when he was passed by Matt Truelove.
But within two laps the Ukrainian rider was back up to third and quickly into second with a move on Owens. Even a run onto the grass didn’t halt his chase on Lap 10 and moments later he made a move on Allingham into the hairpin.
In the melee that followed, Allingham ended up back in fourth as Owen and Truelove came through but they had no chance of catching Mikhalchik who had already pulled enough of a lead to go unchallenged in the final laps – setting the fastest lap of the race on the penultimate lap before taking the win.
Owens was second, 1.217secs adrift of Mikhalchik with Truelove third, Allingham fourth and Callum Bey fifth.
Pirelli National Superstock Championship, race result:
1. Ilya Mikhalchik (ROKiT BMW Motorrad)
2. Josh Owens (SAF Holland Honda) +1.217s
3. Matt Truelove (TAG Racing Honda) +1.651s
4. David Allingham (SMS-Nicholl Oils BMW) +3.013s
5. Callum Bey (EightZero Racing Honda) +6.782s
Championship positions after Round Seven:
1. Ilya Mikhalchik 281
2. David Allingham 222
3. Tom Ward 214
4. Josh Owens 187
5. Matt Truelove 174