MAP Raceway Yamaha’s Billy McConnell has taken provisional pole in the first qualifying for the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport this weekend at Knockill in dry, but overcast conditions.
At the start of the session there was certainly a mixture of riders at the top five, but as we passed the five minutes mark it was business as usual for front runners such as McConnell, HM Plant Honda’s Steve Plater, MAP Raceway Yamaha’s Lee Johnston and James Westmoreland of JW Racing/JT Performance Centre.
McConnell was the first rider to hold pole for substantial amount of time setting the pace of 0’50.444s, whilst current championship leader Plater was down in tenth.  Past the 15 minute mark Plater jumped up to second before taking pole with a 0’50.035s.
It was McConnell’s time to slip down the order to seventh before becoming the only rider to break into the 0’49s, which gave him pole with four minutes to go and as the chequered flag was raised.  Plater couldn’t better his time, but kept a promising second, whilst Westmoreland continues to ride strong to take third just ahead of Lee Johnston.
Crashes involved Craig Fitzpatrick of BLDS Couriers/Close Print who finished 13th, Robbie Brown of AGB Motorsport/Packet Media who finished 15th and Max Hunt of Race Lab Yamaha who finished 27th, the later two of which are in the cup championship.
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