Final round of thrills and spills as the curtain comes down on BSB

Bridgnorth's Michael Rutter and rest of his team headed to Brands Hatch for the season finale knowing it would rider Taylor Mackenzie final race before retiring from the sport.

Following the fairytale result from the previous round at Donington Park, where Mackenzie claimed victory after starting from 31st on the grid, the team hoped for a more "normal" race weekend in Kent.

And continued his superb form bagging pole position for Sunday's race and after getting a good start he pushed hard to try and break away from the pack, lapping just outside lap record pace.

Despite his strong pace, he was eventually caught by four other riders and became involved in a race-long fight for victory, finishing in fifth but just second behind race winner Billy McConnell.

Team boss Rutter and proud to see Mackenzie finish his career competitively at the front, battling for the win and enjoying himself while in the black, gold and red colours of Bathams Racing for the last time.

The result meant Mackenzie ended the National Superstock championship campaign sixth in the standings.

Rutter said: "This season has been tough for everyone with the various challenges that we faced with the bike, and the compact schedule of races.

"Typically, as with any race season, we've had plenty of highs and lows, but I'm chuffed for everyone who is part of the team, and all the teams sponsors that we ended the season on a high, and with smiles on all our faces."

Newport's Harry Rowlings was also keen to end his British Supersport campaign on a high having made excellent progress in the GP2 class throughout the season.

And the 21-year-old did just that, finishing the final race 13th overall and sixth in class, having finished 17th over all and seventh in class in race one. The results left him eighth over all in the GP2 standings.

"It was a great way to end the season," said Rowlings.

"It’s been a challenging year – developing a brand new bike on race weekends is never easy but we’ve put 100 per cent into every session and finally we were able to show what kind of pace we can have when we have a previous set up at a track.

"We knew running the GP2 Evo bike would be a challenge but it’s made it even more rewarding putting a bike that’s overweight and under spec’d amongst, and ahead, of the proper GP2 bikes.

"That is credit to the team and people I have around me.

"We rounded off my first full season in BSB by finishing eighth in the championship.

"Of course none of this would have been possible one bit without all my sponsors.

"Everyone knows how tough this sport is to do, which is why I’m so grateful for all the support I get. Thank you everyone."

Shrewsbury driver Rupert Archer and passenger Phil Hyde were fortunate to walk from a nasty crash in second British Sidecar championship race, after a crash destroyed their machine and resulted in a red flag.

Archer had earlier finished 11th in the race and, following a DNF, ended his campaign eighth in the championship standings.

Newport's Tom Booth-Amos, 25, also ended the British Junior Supersport season in the top 10 – despite only competing in a single round.

After winning three races and finishing second in the other, Booth-Amos – who also finished second in the World Supersport 300 series – ended the British campaign ninth.