Michael Rutter saved the best for last, snatching his first victory in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship on the last lap of the final race of the season.

The Bathams SMT BMW rider made a winning gamble of running with intermediate tyres on the drying track as he reeled in the race long leader Keith Farmer to finally taste the winner’s champagne.

Farmer had the edge for the first half of the race ahead of Ian Hutchinson with Adam Jenkinson in contention though Rutter was pushing on hard and moving second just into the second half of the race.

Rutter looked to have too much to do but he pounded on to stun Farmer on the last lap as he grabbed the victory.

“The gap to Keith began to come down. I got held up in a few places by people who were on wet tyres and although I was quicker I couldn’t get past as I couldn’t go off the dry line to overtake. I got close enough to Keith on the final lap though and got by so to end the year with a win is brilliant,” said Rutter as he enjoyed his first win in five years.

Hutchinson took third ahead of Jenkinson, Fraser Rogers and the champion Taylor Mackenzie.