Aussie Billy McConnell took the victory for Smiths of Gloucester Triumph in hectic Motorpoint British Supersport race this afternoon. McConnell fought off Jack Kennedy, Glen Richards, Sam Warren, Ben Wilson and Luke Mossey to take the race victory which saw all six riders hit the front at some time in the race.
Last year’s runner- up Ben Wilson took the hole-shot and looked to be moving away from the chasing pack opening out half a second over Glen Richards on the first lap. Wilson held on to the lead for the first 8 laps but behind the battle for second and third heated up. Kennedy took second on lap three and Richards was pushed back a further place as Championship leader Warren moved through into third. A lap later the 2011 BSB EVO Champion was pushed back to fifth and teammate McConnell moved past him on the brakes into the Club chicane.
It was on lap 9 when Wilson lost his lead as he swamped into the Club Chicane with him moving back to fourth and Seton Yamaha’s Sam Warren taking the lead. The following lap Wilson regained his lead as Warren moved back to fifth with McConnell and Richards running second and third. McConnell then suffered the same fate as Warren and Wilson as he moved from second to fourth on the brakes into the last corner with Richards and Dubliner Kennedy taking the podium places.
Wilson’s lead was short lived as on lap 13 he moved from the front to sixth as Richards took the lead ahead of Kennedy and McConnell as the three moved away from the Warren, Mossey and Wilson. On lap 14 of 18 McConnell hit the front and the pace of his Triumph was unrivalled for the remainder of the Supersport Feature Race. Kennedy moved his Mar-Train Yamaha past Richards on the last lap to second and tried to challenge McConnell into the last corner but he was too strong on the brakes. Warren tried to push past Wilson on the last lap but pushed too hard in doing so and crashed through Church.
Luke Mossey finished in fourth ahead of the Gearlink Kawasaki of Ben Wilson with Luke Jones beating Glen Irwin to the line to take sixth and the Supersport Cup win. Pauli Pekkanen fought off pressure from the Triumphs of Christian Iddon and Richard Cooper to take eighth. Leaving Thruxton it is now Kennedy who leads the Championship by just half a point ahead of Warren with Wilson a further eight behind.
