Sofuoglu: Winning in Turkey is like winning the title!

Kenan Sofuoglu has hailed his 'incredible' World Supersport Championship race win on home soil at Istanbul Park after prevailing in an intense battle with arch rival Sam Lowes in front of an adoring crowd.

The race everyone in the grandstands had come to see, while three-time World Supersport Champion Sofuoglu has all-but-conceded title defeat to Lowes following a critical DNF at the Nurburgring, the Turk would instead turn his attentions to winning in front of his home fans instead.

However, with Lowes sprinting into an early lead, the youngster initially seemed on course to not only win in front of Sofuoglu, but wrap up the 2013 title in doing so.

Nonetheless, Sofuoglu slowly began to reel Lowes in, setting up an enthralling last lap battle that would see the lead swap three times before the local hero - roared on by the crowd - got the edge out of the final corner and across the line.

Though the win is likely to merely delay Lowes's title dreams (he needs just one point from either of the final two races), Sofugolu insists scoring a win on home soil is like winning a title regardless.

"To win my home race was just incredible," he said. "There were so many people supporting me I just had to bring the Turkish flag to the front. I tried everything so I am so happy for them as well. Sam was really fast and at one time and I was thinking he might get away, because we had chosen two different tyre options.

"I thought his choice would work better in the warm conditions but I just did not give up and tried everything to stay with him. I knew if I kept pushing maybe he would give up and finally I closed the gap very slowly.

"On the last two laps the goal was just to win this race because winning in Turkey is something like winning the title for me. This was the first time I have raced at a home track after 12 years of competition in Europe. Winning the race is something like a dream for us in Turkey."