Josh Elliott’s late charge for the British Superstock 1000 Championship title gained more momentum with a race win and two second places at the triple header at Silverstone last weekend.

The series is shaping up for a nail biting finish with four riders still in contention, including Clogher’s Keith Farmer, who claimed third spot in the first and third races of the weekend to reduce the gap at the top of the standings to just half a point.

Farmer and current leader Billy McConnell remain the favourites for the title, but Josh Elliott has put together five consecutive podiums to lift himself to fourth, and he is hoping that a strong finish over the final two events can complete an unlikely comeback.

“The front three are very close and it is 46 points to the leader so it is still doable if they have bad rounds and don’t finish, but it’s obviously not in my hands,” he admitted.

“It’s going to be a big ask to reel them in, but we will give it a good go and see where we end up.

“There are still 75 points up for grabs from the last two rounds, so we will just keep doing our thing.

“At the minute we are just worried about winning races and being as competitive as possible, and if the championship comes to us then we will obviously take it. I just have to keep trying to get to the front as often as possible.”

The first race of the weekend saw Elliott qualify in sixth spot, but he was quickly at the front of the pack as he claimed maximum points. “We knew coming in to the weekend that we were going to be very competitive, and we were very happy with the way it went,” said Josh.

“We started from sixth after qualifying and I thought I was going to have a lot of work to get through the field, but it was easier than I had expected. I got off the line really well and got into second by turn two. I then made my way to the front and set my own pace.

“Alex Olsen came past me midway through the race, but I knew tyre wear would be a big thing so I let him lead until the last three laps. I saw he was starting to struggle with his tyres and I made a move and then tried to out brake him. That is what I did and I was able to pull out a two or three second gap and hold on.

“It was a circuit I hadn’t won at before so it was nice to finally get a win there as it is one of my favourite circuits.”

Farmer brought his BMW home in third spot to narrow the gap to leader McConnell in the race opener, but that gap grew by three points after race two with Farmer down in ninth.

Josh also struggled for grip in the second race but held onto the heels of Alex Olsen to take second place.

Sunday’s final race was shaping up well for Elliott when he raced into an early lead, but the race was red flagged and the riders had to restart.

Once again the Ballinamallard rider surged towards the front, and although Olsen edged ahead, Josh was well placed to mount an attack in the closing laps.

“I was very comfortable behind him and I didn’t want to go too early in case he came back at me, so I was trying to leave it to the last lap and I miscalculated it,” he acknowledged.

“The race was shortened by four or five laps, and I was lining up for a move on the last lap and unfortunately I didn’t see the last lap flag and I came across the line and saw the chequered flag. I couldn’t believe it. It was a mistake on my part.”

Josh’s error could yet prove costly in the final standings, but Keith Farmer’s finish behind Josh boosted his own chances of success, with only half a point separating him and McConnell as the series moves to the penultimate round at Oulton Park this weekend.