Jon Kirkham celebrates on the podium at Brands Hatch Picture: Simon Hildrew

A petrol spillage caused Monday's opening round of the British Superbike Championship to be cut short.

Just one of the scheduled two races took place at Brands Hatch after an incident during the Supersport event left the track contaminated.

Jon Kirkham had left some of the more fancied riders in his wake to win the opening race of the Superbike season but the second race was a non-starter.

The track was declared unsafe by the riders - despite an extensive clean-up operation - after a multi-bike incident during the Supersport event left fluid strewn right around the 1.2 mile circuit.

Kent fans had already seen home favourite Shane Byrne fail to capitalise on a great start, as he led from the opening corner, ahead of eventual winner Kirkham and pole-sitter Josh Brookes.

Kirkham took the lead on lap seven and the safety car was delopyed after Dan Linfoot slid off at Paddock Hill Bend.

Kirkham, on the Samsung Honda, took the win ahead of Alastair Seeley and Michael Rutter.

Byrne finished seventh while Japan's former World Superbike ace Noriyuki Haga finished down in 13th, just one place ahead of Maidstone's Scott Smart.

Race winner Kirkham, who had to scrap with Seeley for the win, said: "I am ecstatic. I knew there would be a few incidents but I just kept my head down."

The riders went out for an eight lap practice session following the Supersport incident and it was decided to halt proceedings on safety grounds.

Superbike championship series director Stuart Higgs said: "We worked very hard to clean the track after the contamination, the second such situation over the weekend, but it (was) a unanimous decision by the riders, teams and officials to reschedule this race to another event. It is a terribly frustrating situation but safety remains paramount."

Dover's Jake Dixon claimed a race win during the opening round of the National Superstock 600 Championship on his Yamaha.