(Photo: Brian J Nelson)

Superbike rookie Herrin moved into the runner-up spot on lap 14 but his time there didn't last long. Furthering Yamaha's misery on the day, a few laps after taking control of second Herrin was forced to pull out of the event due to a mechanical issue.

Hayden wasn't yet in the clear, however as Team Amsoil/Hero EBR's Geoff May and Jordan Suzuki's Ben Bostrom tracked the Kentuckian down. May even stole the position for a time late in the race before Hayden snatched it back on a dramatic final lap.

The runner-up result is the best finish of Hayden's career. After the race he said, "I got a good start for once and then when Josh crashed I tried to stay with Blake. I stayed pretty close, but I really struggled in the chicane over there. Every time I would make up some ground he would pull it back out. I was just on the edge trying to keep up and I started sliding all over the place. I fell back a little bit and when Geoff May came by me I hung onto him and just waited until the last few laps and we had a good battle.

"We missed the podium at Atlanta and struggled early this weekend so it's nice to close out the weekend on a good note."

May backed up the maiden podium for the EBR 1190RS taken by teammate Danny Eslick on Saturday with one of his own.

"I definitely had to fight really hard to get that one," May said. "I didn't get the greatest of starts but got up there with the pack and just tried to conserve my tire and be patient and not expend too much energy because I knew with the heat today it was going to be tough. I just tried to ride as smart and clean as I could and just put my head down.

"I noticed the guys starting to fall off the pace and when I did I put all the energy into it. I got by Rog and then he hung on and we had a nice, clean little battle there at the end. It was fun. It feels good being back up here -- it's been a long two years coming."

Bostrom finished in fourth just a half-second off second-placed Hayden.

Hayes was able to remount following his stunning mistake and started the long climb back up the field from 17th position and 18 seconds back. The Mississippian moved his way forward throughout the race and finally came home in seventh position -- just a few bike lengths behind fifth (KTM/HMC Racing's Chris Fillmore) and sixth (Eslick).

“I was able to do some decent laps after the crash but it wasn’t quite the same,” said Hayes.

Hayes' resilient ride combined with his early-season bonus point bounty keeps the title fight close. Young has taken the lead but only by four points (166-162) with three wins apiece for each contender.