It was one all in Scotland today as Jake Dixon became the fourth different race winner in the 2018 Bennetts British Superbike Championship with a stunning victory in the opening race of the day at Knockhill before Leon Haslam claimed the victory in the race two.
In the opening race Dixon launched into the lead, forcing his way ahead of Leon Haslam, Glenn Irwin, Josh Brookes and Buchan, but the championship leader was instantly on the attack and he made a move at the Hairpin.

The leading five – Haslam, Dixon, Irwin, Buchan and Bradley Ray edged ahead, but Dixon was looking for his opportunity. Buchan though had other ideas and he targeted a move on Dixon at the Hairpin but it wasn’t enough and he had to tuck back behind the RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki.

Dixon was pushing Haslam and the JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider made a mistake at the Hairpin which put him slightly wide and Dixon didn’t need an invitation as he carved his way ahead on a tighter line.

Buchan also had Haslam in his sights and the pair almost collided on the exit of the Hairpin as the pair dragged up the hill to the line, with the FS-3 Racing Kawasaki rider then holding the advantage to push the JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider back into third place.

However Haslam was post race promoted to second ahead of Buchan who received a one position penalty for an undertake under the yellow flags between turn two and three.

Irwin held off Ray on the leading Be Wiser Ducati with the Tyco BMW pairing of Michael Laverty and Christian Iddon fighting all the way through the race but Laverty had the advantage at the finish line.

In race two Haslam returned to the top, hitting the lead when race one winner Dixon had a huge moment, which he then fought to come back from in the closing stages of the race.

Dixon led the pack on the opening lap from Buchan, Ray, Haslam and Glenn Irwin, but soon Ray had pushed his Buildbase Suzuki into second place and was ready to fight for the lead.

Haslam had meanwhile moved up to third by lap four with a move on Buchan into the Hairpin and then he had Ray in his sights. However Ray was soon to come under fire and Haslam made his move with Buchan also making a pass to push the Buildbase Suzuki rider back two places in a single lap.

The Buildbase Suzuki star was later forced to retire into pitlane with a technical problem, shortly after Brookes had also been sidelined on the McAMS Yamaha, putting him out of a potential top six finish.

At the front Dixon and Haslam were duelling for supremacy, trading blows with three moves within as many corners, but a huge moment cost Dixon; he dropped back behind the JG Speedfit Kawasaki and then tried everything possible to regain the ground over the closing laps.

Haslam held the advantage to the finish line ahead of Dixon by 0.215s with Buchan celebrating a double podium finish, after securing the team’s first in the opening race, when he crossed the line in third place on the FS-3 Racing Kawasaki just ahead of Glenn Irwin.

The Tyco BMW battle continued into the second race with Laverty again finishing ahead of Iddon at the chequered flag with Richard Cooper holding off the challenges of Andrew Irwin for seventh place.

James Ellison and Peter Hickman completed the top ten as the championship focus now moves to Brands Hatch for the next round of the season.

Speaking after the weekend, Dixon said: “I am over the moon to have won today. I need to thank the RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki team, this has been coming for a while now and it feels extra sweet to do it again at Knockhill.

“Leon got away and then Danny Buchan showed me his front wheel and I thought it was time to get my head down. I bridged the gap back and then applied the pressure and he made a mistake so I cut down the inside and got my head down.
“Race two was a frustrating end to the race because I honestly thought I was going to be kissing the tarmac! It wasn’t great and I will have to change my underwear!

“I had to bridge a gap again to Leon which I did, but it was just a little too late and maybe if I had another lap it could have been a different story. We can try again at Brands Hatch that’s for sure!”