Reigning Motorpoint British Supersport Champion Glen Richards had a torrid time at the Thruxton round as a first-race crash saw his Smiths Triumph explode in a ball of flame, leaving his team with the mammoth task of rebuilding it before the second outing.

The laidback Aussie was bashed about in the crash but took to the grid for race two running in second place when a red-flag stopped it and the result declared. Richards believes he is riding well and the bike is good, but something else needs to click.

"There were lots of damp patches around the circuit and I simply made a mistake and got caught out. I was annoyed to make the mistake but thankful not to be hurt and the team did a great job in getting the bike ready for race two," said Richards.

"I wasn't 100 per cent and felt pretty sore whilst the races themselves were hectic so it was tough out there. I gave it a go and tried to pick up as many points as possible but I need to get a bit more out of my own performance. I feel like I'm riding well and the bike's working good so I just need to put all the pieces of the puzzle together."