The Smiths Triumph Racing Team endured mixed fortunes at round five of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship at Brands Hatch this weekend with Graeme Gowland taking second place in both races while team-mate Billy McConnell suffered a first race crash and came home sixth in race two.
Northumberland rider Gowland and Australian McConnell lined up in second and fourth places respectively for Saturday’s 12 lap Sprint race and the duo maintained their positions in the opening two laps. By lap three, Adelaide’s McConnell was up to second but a lap later his race was over as he crashed out at Druids so it was left to Allandale, near Hexham rider Gowland to fly the flag for the Gloucester-based 2012 British Champions. This he did and for the remainder of the race as he was locked in battle with Alastair Seeley and despite never being much of a gap, the Ulsterman held on for the win with Graeme just a fraction behind in second place.
It all meant the championship table had closed up considerably prior to Sunday’s 18 lap Feature Race and it was to change further by the conclusion of the race as Seeley and Gowland battled all the way for the lead with McConnell down the order in sixth. McConnell still leads the Motorpoint British Championship by ten points from Seeley with Gowland a single point further back in third with 14 races still to go.
The two Lukes also enjoyed great results with Luke Jones taking two third places and Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing) securing fifth in both the Sprint and Feature races. Just five points now separate them in the championship table, with Stapleford currently running 4th and Jones 5th.
Elsewhere Aleix Aulestia took 9th place for T3 Racing in the Superstock 600 race, with Jordan Gilbert , Team Haribo Starmix, further down the field in 21st.
The next round of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship takes place at Thruxton over the weekend of August 1st - 3rd.
Motorpoint British Superport Championship Race One
1 Alastair Seeley (Yamaha)
2 Graeme Gowland (Smiths Racing Triumph)
3 Luke Jones (Triumph)
4 Jake Dixon (Yamaha)
5 Luke Stapleford (Triumph)
6 Luke Mossey (Triumph)
DNF Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing Triumph)
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Race Two
1 Alastair Seeley (Yamaha)
2 Graeme Gowland (Smiths Racing Triumph)
3 Luke Jones (Triumph)
4 Jake Dixon (Yamaha)
5 Luke Stapleford (Triumph)
6 Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing Triumph)
Championship Points (after five rounds)
1 McConnell 162pts
2 Seeley 152
3 Gowland 151
4 Stapleford 124
5 Jones 119
6 Irwin 118
via Triumph Motocycles
