Gregorio Lavilla took the initiative in the chase for the Bennetts British Superbike crown with a winning double in the penultimate round at Doningon Park, opening up a 13 points advantage over Ryuichi Kiyonari who had to settle for second and third placings at the Leicestershire circuit.

The 30 year old Spanish rider proved the dominant force throughout - having shattered the lap record to claim pole start, the Airwaves Ducati rider then enjoyed a brilliant front-running performance to take the first race by a little over two seconds.

Kiyonari trailed him home in that race, having recovered from a startline clash with Leon Haslam that left him back in fourth place on the opening lap, to be running second by the third lap, and then turning up the speed, bettering the lap record, only for Lavilla to respond with an even faster lap.

“I concentrated hard to keep my bike smooth,” explained Lavilla who held on well at one point as his bike slid out of line. “It was a very important win for me psychologically - it was hard race, the lap times were very close.”

Kiyonari reflected on his start: “Not good, but then I concentrate on Lavilla, watching and waiting for him, pressing hard, but then made small mistake running off-line.” The single point advantage he had grabbed with a winning double in the previous round at Oulton Park had turned into a deficit of four points.

He responded to the challenge, powering his HM Plant Honda ahead from the start, but his team-mate Michael Rutter, sixth in the opening race, knew that he needed a maximum points haul to keep his fading title hopes alive and he moved ahead at the Esses on the second lap.

Lavilla, who had started slowly, running fifth, was on the charge, overtaking Rutter on the sixth lap and then forging clear, completing his first winning double of the campaign by some four seconds from his team-mate Haslam, with Kiyonari taking third ahead of Rutter.

“Incredible - a really good weekend for me with two victories, beating Kiyonari - the races were very good, especially the second when the conditions were very difficult, and now I look forward to Brands Hatch where I try to win the title,” smiled Lavilla who has opened up a 416-403 advantage over a disconsolate Kiyonari who now faces an uphill struggle to take the title: “I tried very hard, made little mistake, now have to work hard to catch him.”

Rutter, sixth and fourth, will have to settle for third place in the overall rankings for the second time in three years, with Haslam, third and second just adrift of him.

Glen Richards, riding the Hawk Kawasaki, having taken a hard riding fourth in the opener was looking good for a podium finish in the second 20 lapper but he was one of several riders who were caught out by the damp at the Old Hairpin, defending champion John Reynolds among them.

James Buckingham, already assured of the British Superbike Cup, won the opener, ahead of Chris Martin and Danny Beaumont, but was fifth next time out as Marty Nutt took the honours from Beaumont, Malcolm Ashley and Martin.

Ian Hutchinson won the Metzeler Racetech Superstock Championship race ahead of John Laverty, but Lee Jackson, taking fourth place, adrift of Guy Sanders, held onto the points lead, now nine, over Adrian Coates, who finished the race fifth.

Billy McConnell sealed the Virgin Mobile Cup title, but there is still all to play for in the Metabo British Supersport Championship. Pere Riba won the penultimate round but Leon Camier, seventh, takes a 22 point advantage into the final over Craig Jones who was fourth in the race.

James Westmoreland, with his third win in the last four races, opened up a single point lead in the British 125cc Championship over the defending title holder Christian Elkin who finished 0.617 seconds down.

ends