Smith Triumph’s Billy McConnell led the way during the Motorpoint British Supersport free practice session at Cadwell Park, and ended the afternoon one tenth under lap record place – after a super fast 1’29.021.

The Australian bettered both Techcare/Profile’s Luke Mossey and current Supersport championship leader, Graeme Gowland. But initially it was Profile’s Luke Stapleford who was the first rider to set the pace after a 1’30.436, then McConnell was hot on his heels, followed by Mossey and Hedger, with just over twenty minutes remaining.

Soon MarTrain Yamaha’s Alastair Seeley was making his way up the sheets, and was soon inside the top five after a 1’31.475. At the flag the wee wizard of Carrickfergus ended the outing seventh on the sheets. E-Lites Kawasaki’s Tim Hastings took the accolade as the fastest Evo bike out on track, with T3 Racing’s Alex Olsen and Team Field Racing’s Ben Field completing the top three in that class.

Title challenger Gowland was languishing in the top ten, but pulled his socks up and did a 1’30.099 to go third. But Mossey was consistently upping his pace, and it was enough to edge Stapleford down to second as the youngster lapped a 1’29.299, going 0.05 seconds quicker with seven minutes remaining.

McConnell left it till there only 40 seconds left of the final practice outing to put down a 1’29.021, to better the lap record that was set by his former team-mate Glen Richards two years ago, by one tenth of a second.

In the dying minutes the rain flags appeared at turn 11 and 18 as dark clouds descended over the Lincolnshire track. There was a faller, which was True Heroes Racing’s Dan Helyer who crashed at Charlies on his out lap, but was unhurt.

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