Rutter was quickly away in the opening 22 lap race with Emmett snapping at his exhausts while Hislop ran a close third. The Safety Car intervened on the third lap, while race marshals cleared the debris after Steve Plater had crashed heavily out of fifth position.

Emmett made the charge soon after the Safety Car had pulled in, but the IFC Ducati rider was unable to make it count, as Rutter, ran in close contention, making the decisive move at half distance and then powering to victory by 0.421 seconds.

Emmett was passed by Hislop on the final lap as the MonsterMob Ducati rider timed his move through Turn Two to perfection to snatch the position, and points that could be vital in the final reckoning.

Defending champion John Reynolds made a great start to the second race, but soon pulled his Rizla Suzuki out with technical problems, with Rutter running clear out front, ahead of Hislop, but the Scot was on the charge and moved ahead on the third lap.

Series leader Hislop made a costly blunder on the eighth lap, overshooting Kirby Corner, and rejoining in eighth place. He smashed the lap record in his efforts to claw back positions.

Hislop took an eventual fourth, as Rutter powered in, almost two seconds clear of Emmett with Dean Thomas third.

"There's all to play for now in the title race," said Rutter, third in the standings on 212.5 points. "I've just go to keep plugging away and give it a go - we lost a bit of ground at the start of the season, but now I have to get my head down and go for it."

Hislop saw his lead cut by three points, 246-233 by Emmett.

• Jun 26 - Round 7 - Pictorial, Rockingham
• Jun 25 - Round 7 - Richard Kemp's report from Rockingham
• Jun 23 - Round 7 - Results, Rockingham

• Jun 22 - Round 7 - Qualifying, Rockingham