Luke Stapleford emerged victorious after a race-long scrap with Jack Kennedy to take the spoils in this afternoon’s Feature race.
It was a dramatic start to the 17-lap race as polesitter and yesterday’s winner Ben Currie jumped the start. Currie looked out of sorts as the lights changed and dropped back to third into Redgate as his McAMS Yamaha team-mate Harry Truelove took the lead from Stapleford.
Jack Kennedy then moved ahead of Stapleford but the points leader was soon back ahead and by the end of the second lap passed Truelove for the lead.
Currie was handed a double long lap penalty which dropped him back to p12 with a lot to do as it became a three way fight at the front – until Truelove retired at the start of Lap Four.
Now it was a Stapleford-Kennedy scrap which went all the way to the flag, the pair sticking together throughout. Kennedy made the move and hit the front on Lap14 but Stapleford wasn’t about to let him get away and two laps later took the lead once again.
By the final lap, it was clear Kennedy just didn’t have the edge to catch and pass and Stapleford took the spoils by just 0.290secs from his rival. Behind, Currie was on a damage limitation charge and made it all the way back up to fourth.
However, the biggest story of the race had to be Kennedy’s Honda Racing UK team-mate Dean Harrison finishing in a strong third place, the first ever podium in the series for the acclaimed road racer.
In the Cup, Cam Swain once again dominated, taking the class win with a p10 at the flag. James Alderson was second Cup runner home, closely followed by Adam Hartgrove.
Quattro Group British Supersport Championship, Feature Race result:
1. Luke Stapleford (Scars-Racing Ducati)
2. Jack Kennedy (Honda Racing UK) +0.290s
3. Dean Harrison (Honda Racing UK) +8.283s
4. Ben Currie (McAMS Yamaha) +11.566s
5. Carter Brown (Binch Pro Ducati) 13.518s
Championship positions after Round Two:
1. Luke Stapleford 97
2. Jack Kennedy 84
3. Ben Currie 83
4. Dean Harrison 72
5. Jack Mahaffy 38