The Smiths Racing Triumph team were back in action at Donington Park and it proved to be a weekend of mixed fortunes for the Gloucester-based squad.

In the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship, both Glen Richards and Billy McConnell recorded podiums and although Richards took a race win in today's feature race, a spill on the opening lap of Saturday's sprint race saw him lose his championship lead.

Richards again dominated qualifying and took pole position whilst McConnell and third team member, Luke Mossey, took third and fifth respectively but it all went wrong for Glen on the opening lap of the first race when he crashed uninjured at Goddards. It was a frenetic race with only one second separating the top six but the red flag came out on lap seven due to an oil spill and the race was re-started over five laps, sadly without Richards.

In the re-start, McConnell found himself well placed in the early stages before taking full advantage of a clash between rivals Ben Wilson and Christian Iddon on the final lap to claim a hard earned second place. There was again little to choose between the leading pack and Mossey took another fifth place, only 1.7 seconds adrift of race winner Jack Kennedy.

The results meant that Kennedy regained the series lead whilst the fastest laps saw McConnell and Mossey line up on the front row for the second race but Richards back in 23rd and with it all to do in today's longer 15-lap race.

It was Mossey who excelled initially as he led for four laps before being nudged back as a remarkable ride by Richards saw him up to second and ahead of his team-mate with just four laps remaining. Mossey's great ride ended in disaster when he slid off on the penultimate lap but Richards put in a brilliant overtaking manoeuvre on Kennedy to seal a superb win. McConnell, meanwhile, couldn't match his podium pace of race one and had to settle for a safe fourth to cement his third place in the standings.

After qualifying in a battling fifth, Johnny Blackshaw was looking forward to a strong ride in the Metzeler National Superstock 600 Championship race and a good start saw him maintain his fifth place at the conclusion of the first lap. However, just as it looked like he'd be in a position to challenge for the podium, he began to suffer with brake problems and subsequently dropped back. Part of a three-man group battling for fourth, Johnny was lying in fifth when the race was ended early due to a crash and he had to settle for the 11 points.

Glen Richards:

"I was really down after the first race crash especially as it happened in the most bizarre circumstances. The front tyre ran over a discarded tear-off and just folded on me with no warning so coming from 23rd on the grid was a tall order. I just got my head down and came out fighting and, to be honest, I'd have been happy with a podium so to get the win is brilliant. Apart from the crash, it's been a faultless weekend and we worked hard to get a decent setting with the bike, which we had. The bike was awesome on the brakes and although I lost the title lead, there's still nothing in it."

Billy McConnell:

"I'm pleased with a reasonable weekend's work but obviously I'd like to have taken a win but it wasn't to be. I'm disappointed I couldn't help Glen by taking points off Jack Kennedy but Glen did fantastic to win race two. I'm now looking forward to Assen and trying to get back to winning ways."


Luke Mossey:

"I'm obviously gutted to have crashed out of a podium place but there are a lot of positives to be taken from the weekend, not least the fact that I led and showed my potential and what I'm capable of doing. I was only a few inches off line but hit a bump and down I went. I'm not the first to suffer that fate and I won't be the last! The last three rounds are at my three favourite tracks so, hopefully, the win will come my way at one of them."

Johnny Blackshaw:

"I'm really disappointed with the result today and we should be fighting it out for the wins, not fifth place. The bike set up is spot on and although we're down a bit on speed, it's little niggling issues that are holding us back. I was pleased with my start and confident of pushing for the podium but on the third lap the brakes went and I was powerless to do anything and slipped back into the group behind. It's fifth and it's a result but it's not where I want to be so we'll keep working hard and hope for better at Silverstone."


Rebecca Smith, Team Manager:

"We've had a bit of a mixed weekend this time but we were due a bit of bad luck at some stage and that's certainly what happened to Glen. Coming off on a tear-off is something that no-one could have done anything about but after taking a superb pole position he deserved a race win and that's exactly what he got. 23rd to first is phenomenal and although we've lost the lead in the championship, it's still all to play for. Billy's still right in the hunt too and both he and Luke put in very consistent weekends. All three riders are in the top six of the championship though so we're happy with how the season's going. For Johnny, it was a tough weekend and the crash he had here earlier in the year hurt his confidence and it's taken him a while to come back from that, so for him to finish fifth was brilliant. The championship's out of reach but he's enjoying his riding again and getting back in amongst the top six so we're confident of him having a strong end to the year."

Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Race 1 (5 laps)
1 Jack Kennedy (Yamaha)
2 Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing Triumph)
3 Christian Iddon (Triumph)
4 Glenn Irwin (Yamaha)
5 Luke Mossey (Smiths Racing Triumph)
6 Deane Brown (Yamaha)
DNF Glen Richards (Smiths Racing Triumph)

Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Race 2 (15 laps)
1 Glen Richards (Smiths Racing Triumph)
2 Jack Kennedy (Yamaha)
3 Christian Iddon (Triumph)
4 Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing Triumph)
5 Glenn Irwin (Yamaha)
6 Richard Cooper (Triumph)
DNF Luke Mossey (Smiths Racing Triumph)

Championship standings (after 9 rounds)
1 Kennedy 310.5pts
2 Richards 300pts
3 McConnell 261
4 Iddon 186.5
5 Wilson 185
6 Mossey 152

Metzeler National Superstock 600cc Championship (14 laps)
1 Lee Jackson (Kawasaki)
2 Ben Burke (Yamaha)
3 Josh Wainwright (Kawasaki)
4 Alex Olsen (Triumph)
5 Johnny Blackshaw (Smiths Racing Triumph)
6 James Rose (Yamaha)

Championship standings (after 11 rounds)
1 Burke 174pts
2 Rose 156
3 Jackson 154
4 Dixon 110
5 Olsen 89
6 Blackshaw 83