Taylor Mackenzie took a step closer to the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 series lead today after beating Richard Cooper to victory in the wet.

The Bathams BMW rider fell into a three-way battle for much of the first half of today’s rain-stricken scrap, but powered to a comfortable win in the closing laps.

​From third on the grid, Cooper slipped ahead of Lee Jackson and pole-sitter Alex Olsen as the lights went out to lead heading down Paddock Hill as he and the chasing Mackenzie soon began to pull a small gap over the ensuing Lewis Rollo.

But it was all over for Olsen at the start of lap two as he clipped the outside kerb at the bottom of Paddock and spun out onto the side of the track.

Meanwhile at the front, Rollo had found a way past Mackenzie and was looking for a gap to stick his IN Competiton Aprilia ahead of Cooper.

The Scotsman slid up the inside at Westfield to move ahead of the series leader, but a moment at Clearways allowed Cooper straight back through as they began lap four.

Mackenzie took advantage and nudge Rollo back to second before making a sweeping move around the outside of Cooper into Paddock to take over at the front.

But closing the gap in third was Jackson, who closed down a two second deficit to tag onto the leading trio just before the half-way point.

Rollo made an early exit, however, as he lost the front of his RSV4 at Westfield and ended his chase for a second win in the dirt.

Back at the front, Mackenzie had stretched almost a second over Cooper while Jackson fell into a distant third some three seconds adrift with five laps to go.

But Cooper’s final advances weren’t enough and Mackenzie powered to his first win of the year ahead of the title favourite as Jackson was forced to settle for third some nine seconds back.

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