The Smiths Triumph Racing Team wishes to announce that Graeme Gowland will be joining the team for the 2014 British Supersport Championship replacing the outgoing champion Glen Richards who will be retiring from the sport.

Richards has been racing in the UK since 1998 and gave the Gloucester-based Smiths Triumph team their greatest achievement to date when he took the 2012 Motorpoint British Supersport Championship. The Australian also won the 2007 National Superstock and 2008 British Supersport titles during his illustrious career and enjoyed considerable success in the British Superbike Championship where he competed for, amongst others, Hawk Kawasaki, HM Plant Honda and WFR Honda.

The 40-year old's 2013 campaign has been affected by injuries sustained at Knockhill in June but he still lies in eighth place overall with one race remaining.

Gowland, meanwhile, joins the team on the back of a highly successful season that has seen him clinch fifth place in the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship, being the only rider to score points in every race. With experience in the World Supersport, World Endurance and British Superbike Championships he brings considerable experience to the team and will be a major contender for next year's Supersport series alongside the already signed Billy McConnell.


Speaking about the team changes, team manager Rebecca Smith commented;

"Alan and I are naturally very disappointed to be losing Glen; he's been paramount to our success giving us our first race win and championship all in the same year. He's shown what real racing's supposed to be about and because of his professionalism we'll be in the paddock for years to come. I'm sure that whatever he decides to do he'll be a success and there'll always be a place in our team should he want it.


"We're really excited to be welcoming Graeme to the line-up and we can't think of a better replacement for Glen. He's someone we've had a good rapport with since 2010 and his values and ethics match those of the team and he'll fit in really well. We've always had time for him, both as a racer and a person, and we're all looking forward to working with him and starting our winter testing in earnest for 2014."


2014 Motorpoint British Supersport Championship

18/19/20/21 April - Brands Hatch Indy, Kent
3/4/5 May - Oulton Park, Cheshire
13/14/15 June - Snetterton 300, Norfolk
27/28/29 June - Knockhill, Fife
18/19/20 July - Brands Hatch GP, Kent
1/2/3 August - Thruxton, Hampshire
8/9/10 August - Oulton Park, Cheshire
23/24/25 August - Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire
5/6/7 September - Donington Park GP, Leicestershire
19/20/21 September - Assen, The Netherlands
3/4/5 October - Silverstone GP, Northamptonshire
17/18/19 October - Brands Hatch GP, Kent


Picture - Alan Smith and Rebecca Smith with Glen Richards and the Smiths Triumph in the livery raced at Brands Hatch.



Smiths (Gloucester) Limited was started in 1982 by Alan Smith. Smiths is a family run business and provides services in construction, waste management and recycling, demolition, transport, skip hire, laser levelling, asbestos removal and plant hire. It has grown from a small, owner-operated construction firm to one of the region's largest and most respected construction services and waste management companies.

Alan Smith developed his love of bikes and racing in the 1980s when he competed in local and national amateur motocross events, his highest achievement being several top three positions in the national four stroke and superclass categories.

The Smiths Triumph Racing Team continues the family ethos with daughter Rebecca adopting the mantle of Team Manager and wife Anne, son Paul and daughters Helen and Lisa often seen supporting the team on race days.

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