TOMMY Hill won Race 1 at Oulton Park after title rival, Suzuki's John Hopkins, crashed out of the lead.
Hopkins slid off at Lodge while in the lead, bringing the safety car out. The pack formed up behind the Nissan GTR at the start of the eighth lap with Hill who was the leading the pack ahead of Byrne, Brookes, Rutter and Laverty.
The race resumed at the start of the tenth lap and Brookes was instantly on the attack as the Relentless Suzuki dived ahead of Byrne at Lodge on the brakes to move second. The HM Plant Honda rider was then coming under pressure from Rutter on the Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati and he went for the inside line at Island Bend on the eleventh lap, but it didn't last as Byrne was back ahead by the time the pair reached Shell Oil's corner.
Hill edged ahead to take his fourth win of the season from Brookes but third place was decided at Lodge on the final lap as Rutter took the inside line into Lodge from Byrne and with little separating the pair the Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati rider stole the final podium finish.
Hill said: "I just pushed on in that race; it was never going to be easy but it feels great to have the Swan Yamaha back on the top step of the podium. The conditions weren't the best with the rain but I just had to keep my concentration and just make sure I didn't crash. I think the team probably wanted me to slow down but I just didn't want to lose that win! It would be nice if we can do the same again now in race two."
British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, race one result:
- Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha)
- Josh Brookes (Relentless Suzuki) +5.492s
- Michael Rutter (Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati) +5.669s
- Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) +5.755s
- Gary Mason (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +6.789s
- Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) +7.128s
- Loris Baz (Motorpoint Yamaha) +13.055s
- James Westmoreland (Motorpoint Yamaha) +18.699s
- Jon Kirkham (Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki) +18.960s
- Scott Smart (Moto Rapido Ducati) +21.619s
