Smiths Triumph rider Billy McConnell took the first Motorpoint British Supersport pole position of the year in a dramatic qualifying session at Brands Hatch Indy this afternoon with a lap time of 47.176.

Light rain was reported by marshals as the session had just begun leaving the field a second off of the pace. This left TAG Triumph rider and last years Superstock 1000 Champion Richard Cooper in pole position with rookie Deane Brown just 0.030s in arrears. With the majority of the riders parked in pit lane, Glen Richards and Luke Jones tested the conditions, resulting in crashes for the pair - Richards at Graham Hill Bend and Jones at Druids - however, both remounted and rode to pit lane in an attempt to get their Triumphs fixed with minutes ticking away.

As the rain cleared and the dry line became apparent the riders went back out and the pace improved drastically. After topping both free practice one and two, Seton Yamaha's Sam Warren led the way once again followed by Wilson, Mossey and McConnell on the provisional front row before the session was stopped with five minutes left due to an incident on the Cooper Straight involving Kev Coghlan and Pauli Pekkanen.

With the green flag waved a train of riders exited the pit lane and the picture for tomorrow’s race was changed. McConnell went quickest immediately and it was to be a Smiths of Gloucester Triumph one, two with Richards in second before Christian Iddon separated the pair on his last lap, 0.070 seconds shy of his second pole position. Warren didn’t improve on his lap time from before the red flag leaving him in fourth.

Wilson and his Gearlink Kawasaki head the second row ahead of Luke Mossey, Jack Kennedy and Deane Brown. Richard Cooper slipped down from his provisional pole position to ninth but was just half a second away from McConnell’s pole position lap time. Glenn Irwin was tenth, Luke Jones eleventh; after crashing at Clearways, and Jimmy Hill rounded out the third row.

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