With their third consecutive championship race victory, John Holden and Andy Winkle (D&A Walmsley LCR Suzuki) extended their title lead to 24 points after a good battle with their regular rivals Simon Neary and Stu Bond (Neary Racing Baker Suzuki).
Holden and Neary had dominated qualifying and made it pay when the lights went out. Neary forged ahead on the opening lap but Holden found a way through a lap later and with the fastest lap of the race on lap three, opened up a gap of 1.7 seconds. Roy Hanks and Dave Wells (Dorwingear Ltd Molyneux Suzuki) were a good third and keeping the pressure on Neary while fourth was held by Ian and Carl Bell (Ian Bell M/cs LCR Yamaha), fresh from their Southern 100 Championship victory.
Holden looked in command with Neary giving the spectators at Edwina's plenty of excitement with the sidecar wheel lifting more than it should! But as the race reached two-thirds distance, Neary's persistence began to pay off. Holden's lead was cut on lap 11 to 1.1 seconds then to 0.7 seconds a lap later and he received a 'plus 0' on his pit-board. However the two rivals then caught the backmarkers and on this occasion Holden got through smoothly, while Neary, some 100-150 yards back, did not. With a lap to go, Holden received a '+1' and knew the victory would be his, eventually crossing the line over two seconds ahead.
Hanks and Bell were third and fourth and after the retirements of Conrad Harrison and Lee Patterson (Printing Roller Services Shelbourne Honda) and Wil and Andy Smith (Team Porter Racing Shelbourne Honda), Gary Bryan and Robert Bell (Drury Engineering Baker Yamaha) had a lonely ride to fifth. In sixth were Dean Henry and Ian Smith (Magnam Racing Windle Suzuki) but more importantly following Smith's retirement, they took yet another maximum score in their FII Cup bid, their fifth from seven races. Tony Baker and Fiona Baker-Milligan (Team Cumbria Express Baker Suzuki) and Howard Baker and Mike Killingsworth (D&J Bike Spares Lincoln Shelbourne Honda) were seventh and eighth, for both teams a season-best result. Dave Wallis and Steve Wareham (Team Petpals LCR Honda) recovered from a frustrating practice which left them 18th on the grid to annexe 9th spot while Stephen Kershaw and Robin Wilson (Blinkbonny Quarry LCR Suzuki) completed the top ten and also took second in the Cup honours, keeping the pressure on leader Henry.
They were followed by Matt Dix and Shaun Parker (DWS Racing Baker Honda) and Dave Atkinson and James Neave (AW Racing LCR Suzuki) both teams scoring championship points for the first time this season, Dave also taking his first podium in the FII Cup. The points scorers were completed by Dean Lindley and Mark Sayers (Team LSR Bellas Yamaha), Tony Thirkell and Nigel Barlow (TT Motorsport MR Equipe Honda) and Dave Lillie and Lee Watson (Ian Bell M/cs DMR Yamaha).
With two meetings and four races to go, the championship leaders are Holden on 119 from Neary with 95 and Birchall on 89 while in the FII Cup Henry leads with 165 from Kershaw on 132 and Lindley on 87.
RESULTS 15 Laps, 20.85 miles.
1. John Holden/Andy Winkle (Suzuki) 14m 10.7s, 88.23 mph
2. Simon Neary/Stu Bond (Suzuki)
3. Roy Hanks/Dave Wells (Suzuki)
4. Ian and Carl Bell (Yamaha)
5. Gary Bryan/Robert Bell (Yamaha)
6. Dean Henry/Ian Smith (Suzuki)
7. Tony Baker/Fiona Baker-Milligan (Suzuki)
8. Howard Baker/Mike Killingsworth (Honda)
9. Dave Wallis/Steve Wareham (Honda)
10. Stephen Kershaw/Robin Wilson (Suzuki)
11. Matt Dix/Shaun Parker (Honda)
12. Dave Atkinson/James Neave (Suzuki)
13. Dean Lindley/Mark Sayers (Yamaha)
14. Tony Thirkell/Nigel Barlow (Honda)
15. Dave Lillie/Lee Watson (Yamaha)
Fastest Lap: Holden/Winkle 55.362secs, 90.38 mph.