Battle of Brands: Hodgson's pride - BB's points.

Home hero Neil Hodgson won a thrilling duel with Ben Bostrom in the restarted race one at Brands Hatch, but the American had an aggregate advantage and his second place on the road was enough to put him on the top step of the podium.

The re-started race would run for 15 laps (instead of 25) with Bostrom holding a 1.6secs advantage over his nearest rival before the race stoppage, Colin Edwards, with Hodgson 2secs back in third after suffering tyre problems.

Away from the line for the second time and Bostrom shot away from his front row rivals, having benefiting from a clutch change before the restart, while Hodgson rocketed past Edwards into second, with Troy Bayliss up to fourth.

Within a one lap Bostrom, Hodgson and Edwards had begun to break away up front, while Bayliss was coming under pressure from Suzuki's Pierfrancesco Chili, but all attention was on Hodgson - who was all over the rear of the #155 Ducati, and the Englishman swept down the daunting hill towards Hawthorns and then out-braked the American into Westfields, but Bostrom held a tighter line and retook the lead into Dingle Dell.

The #100 GSE Ducati was soon back on the rear of Bostrom's machine - as the battle for the lead became a thrilling duel around the challenging Kent circuit, with leaving the top two to it as he dropped away in third, and fell victim to a charging Chili.

For lap after lap Hodgson stalked his American rival for every inch around the track, gaining on the downhill run to Hawthorns and the entry to Westfields - but losing out to the factory horsepower of his fellow Ducati on the run to Clearways and along the main straight.

The move for the lead all the 100,000plus British fans wanted to see from Hodgson, came as the Englishman used his advantage through Westfields to pull off an ultra brave move into the 90mph Dingle Dell corner.

This time Hodgson held his advantage through Stirlings and Clearways before bursting out of the Clarke Curves to be greeted by a roar from the huge wall of fans that lined the start/finish straight.

However, to win the race Hodgson would need to pull away from Bostrom by over 1.5secs and the American was determined to keep his recent run of wins going and refused to let the GSE machine get away.

With 9 to go the Bostrom threat became a reality when he slipstreamed ahead along the main straight, but Hodgson cleverly cut inside the dark red Ducati as they exited the off camber Paddock bend - giving him the inside line into Druids - and with it the lead once again.

Meanwhile, fastest man on the racetrack was Chili, the four-cylinder Suzuki rider trying to catch the top two, as he left Edwards and Bayliss to battle for fourth behind him.

Into the last five laps and Hodgson hadn't been able to shake off Bostrom by enough to take the aggregate win, and indeed BB was pushing hard to win on the track - passing Hodgson at Hawthorns - but again the reigning BSB champion quickly cut back ahead in a battle that had become more about pride than points.

Into the final few laps and Chili had become embroiled in a battle for third with Bayliss, who had now caught the Italian, while Edwards watched from fifth, safe in the knowledge that third was his providing he kept close to Chili.

But up front Bostrom wasn't able to break the Hodgson hold on race one, despite his best efforts, and settled for second at the flag - and first on aggreagte, while Edwards stayed close enough tom Chili to take the final podium position.

Roll on race two...

Full results to follow...

1. Bostrom
2. Hodgson
3. Edwards
4. Chili
5. Bayliss
6. Xaus