Bradley Ray had another excellent weekend, with a double victory and a second place in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship from Knockhill.

He equalled Shane Byrne’s eight victories in a row from 2003 with victory in race one on Sunday afternoon. He couldn’t make it nine in a row in race two, with sketchy conditions and three restarts he settled for a second place.

It does mean that he has won nine of the first eleven races, and finished second and third in the other two. He now has a 52 point lead over his closest rival Kyle Ryde heading to Brands Hatch for the next round.

In race one on Sunday he followed up his Saturday win with an even more dominant victory. He got the hole shot and from there he was away setting fastest lap after fastest lap, building a two second lead that Rory Skinner and Tommy Bridewell couldn’t match.

It was always going to be a tough ask to make it nine in wet conditions for race two, Skinner is a master at Knockhill in the rain, with it being his home circuit.

He was determined to get the win and after two red flags, one for the rain and one for a crash that dropped fuel on the track. With the third restart Ray got the hole shot, but Skinner came underneath him into the second corner and from there he went away.

As Ray said after a couple of moments trying to go with him, he settled for the second place finish and the overall championship advantage heading to his home track in a few weeks time.

Speaking after another excellent weekend, Ray said: “It was a tough three races to be honest, we had three restarts, I knew Rory’s strategy at the start and I knew he would want to attack straightaway after this morning’s race.

“He looked strong, but the first two restarts I was able to sit with him in a good rhythm, we pulled from the group behind so I was happy. Then the third restart he found something and I am not sure what but he was strong and we were banging out fast lap after fast lap, he was just creeping a little bit away from me.

“I could see from behind the amount of risk he was taking, I tried my best to stay with him but I saw I had a five second gap to third and he was risking a lot, I think for him it was either win or crash. So I settled for second, important points obviously from first to second. I am super happy and Rory deserved that win, he rode phenomenal and it was nice for him to get it at his home race.

“For me it has been a really important weekend, we were fast in dry conditions and in wet conditions this morning with the dry line coming and also the really wet this afternoon. It has been an important weekend and am looking forward to Brands in a few weeks.”