Rutter does the double at Croft.

Michael Rutter won the second race at the tenth round of British Superbikes from Croft to take his first double win of the season.

Rutter, Scott Smart and John Reynolds tore away from the rest of the field in a three bike battle for the lead.

Smart led the field for much of the race until lap 14 when Rutter tried to out-brake him going into Tower Bend. Unfortunately for Rutter he ran slightly wide giving Smart the opportunity to re-take first spot.

On the next lap this happened again at the same corner with the same outcome - Smart taking the lead straight back. As they accelerated away from the corner Smart looked behind at Rutter as if to say 'what do you think you're playing at sonny?'

As all this was going on Reynolds was sitting behind waiting in case someone made a mistake he could take advantage of.

His opportunity came on the 17th lap when Rutter ran wide allowing Reynolds through to second. A few corners later he then went on to try and pass Smart, but the Kawasaki rider held off his attacks.

Before the end of the lap Rutter re-took his second place off of Reynolds.

Rutter went on to take the lead from Smart with only two laps to go and take his second win of the day.

Reynolds now only leads Rutter by 50 points in the championship stakes. There are three rounds and six races left in the season. Therefore there is 150 points up for grabs before the end of the season.

Due to Rutter's good form this weekend the title fight is back on.

Sendo Ducati's Dean Thomas ran most of the race in fourth place, however with the finish in sight he had a technical problem which put him out of the race.

Young-gun Ryuichi Kiyonari had a good race taking fourth, his second of the day, after battling through the field from tenth.

Yukio Kagayama fell out of fourth place contention on the second lap after high siding his Suzuki.

Race two top ten
1. Michael Rutter HM Honda
2. Scott Smart Hawk Kawasaki
3. John Reynolds Rizla Suzuki
4. Ryuichi Kiyonari HM Honda
6. Gary Mason Virgin Yamaha
7. John McGuinness Hawk kawasaki
8. Craig Coxhell Vitrans Honda
9. James Ellison Jentin Racing *
10. Steve Plater Virgin Yamaha

[ * denotes cup contender ]