Tarran Mackenzie is on the hunt for Showdown success at Oulton Park after the McAMS Yamaha rider’s impressive double podium comeback at Silverstone.

Mackenzie was leading Saturday’s opening race of the weekend last time out, when he crashed on the penultimate lap only to be collected by his teammate Jason O'Halloran.

The 25-year-old sustained a fracture to the metacarpal of his left hand, but miraculously claimed a victory and a second place in the final two races of the main season on Sunday.

“Silverstone was a complete rollercoaster of emotions really,” Mackenzie said, looking back. “I went to bed on the Saturday night hopeful that I would be passed fit to ride to try in warm up. I had the assessments and then I topped warm up, but it is one thing being able to ride, but to be on the podium and win was something else and I didn’t expect it at all.

“It was just a rollercoaster of ups and downs – there is no other way to explain it really, so to end the weekend on a high and score some important podium points for the championship meant I didn’t lose anything to Jason, whilst still taking them off everyone else.

“I was lucky to get away with the injuries I did,” he continued. "It obviously isn’t ideal but it could have been a lot worse, as a crash like that could have ended my season. To bounce back was a good feeling!”

Heading into the Showdown stage of 2021, Mackenzie is 30 points shy of his championship-leading teammate. With 225 points still up for grabs over the final three weekends, the fight is expected to go down to the wire.

“I think Jason had a very strong start to the year and I have been playing a bit of catch up really as I didn’t hit the ground running quite as hard as he did,” Mackenzie said as he summarised his season so far.

“I was happy with the weekend we had at Brands Hatch and it shows when everything is right, I can really take the fight to Jason. The same at Donington Park, when I pulled out the lead, then to have that taken down to a final sprint and still managing to win was a real confidence booster. Cadwell Park knocked me back a little bit with the crash as I didn’t race with the injury, and at that point Jason had a great weekend.

“I didn’t know how I would fare come Snetterton with the broken finger, but to come back and be the strongest rider there and take the most points away on that weekend was a real positive thing. I took that to Silverstone and I always knew I would go all right at Silverstone anyway, and I was confident that I could walk away with a minimum of three podiums, but I wanted three wins really!”

Mackenzie’s determination, and victory, at Silverstone saw him equal O’Halloran’s points score by the close of play, and with the pair on equal machinery, the young pretender knows it will be the individual that makes the difference in the coming Showdown battle.

“To drop right back in the race at Silverstone, whilst Jason was at the front, to close him down by the end of the race, and then have that crash wasn’t ideal,” said Mackenzie. “Then to bounce back and still with my injuries over the past two rounds be strong, if not one of the strongest riders on track, and be on the podium and winning races – I can’t complain about that!

“I know what package Jason has, I know what bike he is on as I have exactly the same and so it is down to the rider at the end of the day. Even with these injuries, to be winning and giving the fight to Jason and everyone else, is only a positive thing. I am hoping these next rounds, maybe not Oulton Park, but certainly, Donington Park and Brands Hatch, when I am stronger once I have had more time for the injury to recover, I can end the season on a high.

“I am approaching the Showdown how I do every race, the good and bad thing for me is that if I make a mistake it doesn’t matter as much as I am 30 points down, whereas for Jason if he makes a mistake it’s all to play for really. I have been in both positions in championships over the years,  where if you are leading it is great as you can afford to make a mistake as everyone else plays catch up, but also I think where I am and in the position I am in, that I can play each round as I normally would.

“I will give it everything, try and win as many races as possible and the rest will sort itself out. If I am in a position where something happens and I am closer to the championship lead, then maybe I would play it a bit differently but I have just got to take each race as it comes and not change my approach. And see where we are by the end of Sunday after the next three rounds.”