Smiths Triumph’s Graeme Gowland clinched his first Motorpoint British Supersport pole position by just 0.082 of a second ahead of teammate Billy McConnell, as Smiths Triumph continue their middleweight class dominance.
Gowland jumped to provisional pole with half of the session remaining and was still sitting at the top of the time sheets when the red flag came out. Sam Hornsey had crashed out wit eight minutes left and needed medical attention. Rain was starting to fall across the track as the green flag came out and Gowland’s first pole of the year looked to be assured before McConnell put together a late charge.
With the chequered flag out, McConnell posted session best sector times in the first and second sector before it fading out at the final sector. The Aussie was only able to take second ahead of Profile Triumph’s Luke Stapleford, who secured his second front start of his career, 0.097 of a second adrift of Gowland.
Appleyard Macadam’s Jake Dixon was knocked off the front row with the chequered flag out, however, he was bale to hold on to fourth place, his best qualifying of the year. Teccare Triumph’s Luke Mossey salvaged fifth place on the grid ahead of a struggling Alistair Seeley on his Mar-Train Yamaha.
Acumen Triumph’s Luke Jones will front the third row of the grid, just four tenths shy of the pole pace. Glenn Irwin ended up eighth on the grid despite still carrying a broken right ankle. Local favourite Taylor Mackenzie managed to grab a third row grid start, in a top ten covered by just under a second.
