With the Championship leader limping away from his stricken HM Plant Honda the title chase is now really on. Team-mate to Kiyo, Jonathan Rea is just 30 points behind in second place and Leon Haslam on the Airwaves Ducati is 20 points down on Rea. With a total of 75 points up for grabs before the season ends any of the top three could still grab the title.
The eventual race winner was Haslam with Tom Sykes and Shane Byrne from the Stobart Vent Axia Honda team taking second and third places respectively.
When the lights went out it was Chris Walker on the Rizla Suzuki from second place on the front row of the grid who got the hole shot closely followed by Rea. Sykes, Haslam and Crutchlow were also close behind. Tommy Hill's race was short lived as he low sided on the first lap at McLeans leaving his Virgin Media Optoma Loans Yamaha in the gravel.
Rea wasted no time in taking the lead from Walker at Goddards at the end of lap one and Haslam pushed him further down the order on lap two passing him at the Esses. Walker fought back re-passing Haslam at the Melbourne loop. Further down the field Crutchlow took Sykes at McLeans for fourth place. Haslam put the same move on Walker at the Esses on lap four but this time made it stick.
