Billy McConnell secured his season-best result on board the Smiths Racing BMW at Oulton Park with an eighth place finish in the second of the MCE Insurance British Superbike races.

MCE British Superbike Championship rider Billy McConnell qualified his Smiths Racing BMW in tenth place for the opening BSB race but his hopes of a good result were dashed on the opening lap when he slipped back to 17th after a coming together with another rider. With lap times amongst the riders being so close, gaining places proved to be a tough task but the reigning British Supersport champion from Adelaide battled hard until the end and was rewarded with 14th place and two hard earned championship points.

Back on the fourth row for the second race, The Aussie had a much more enjoyable race second time around on the BMW S1000RR and by the fourth lap he was up to tenth. Riding on his own for much of the race, it looked like this would be where he’d finish but with Shane Byrne and Ryuichi Kiyonari crashing out with two laps to go, he was elevated to eighth place at the flag meaning he holds an impressive 12th overall after the first three rounds.

The team expanded to three riders for the weekend with David Johnson contesting the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship race prior to racing the bike at the Isle of Man TT Races. The Adelaide rider enjoyed a strong meeting and after qualifying on the front row, he finished in a good fifth place after overcoming a problem early on in the race with his brakes.

Billy McConnell:

“It’s been another weekend of ups and downs which is to be expected being a rookie rider in BSB again and with the team having their first taste of the premier class. We are loving every minute of it and although race one didn’t go to plan, I salvaged a result to get a few more points on the board. The second race went a lot better and although I was catching the riders in front of me battling for sixth I ultimately ran out of laps. I’m struggling a bit with my confidence mid race so I’ll be looking to fix this in time for the next round. I’ve got a great bike under me and am with a great team so we’re certainly heading in the right direction.”

David Johnson:

“I felt really good in today’s race and was confident of a podium but unfortunately I had a problem with the brakes on one lap and it took me a while to readjust them and get going again. I was back in sixth but regrouped and made up about five seconds to get up to fifth, which would have been fourth had the red flag not come out. The bike was flying and it felt great to be running at the front again so thanks to the team for all their work this weekend.”

Rebecca Smith, Team Manager:

“Billy had a small off at the beginning of the weekend which put us on the back foot a bit and we’re trying so many different things to improve the new bike, it’s difficult trying to get everything done. We’re battling away though and he worked as hard as ever and to end with a good eighth was very satisfying. It was also good to give David a run out on the Superstock bike prior to the TT so we’re all looking forward to going back to the Isle of Man to see what we can do there.”

MCE British Superbike Championship – Race One (18 laps)

1 Tommy Bridewell (BMW)
2 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
3 Shane Byrne (Kawasaki)
4 Stuart Easton (Kawasaki)
5 Ryuichi Kiyonari (BMW)
6 James Ellison (Kawasaki)
14 Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing BMW)

MCE British Superbike Championship – Race Two (18 laps)

1 Stuart Easton (Kawasaki)
2 James Ellison (Kawasaki)
3 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
4 Michael Laverty (BMW)
5 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)
6 Howie Mainwaring-Smart (Kawasaki)
8 Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing BMW)

Championship standings (after three rounds)

1 Ellison 109pts
2 Byrne 101
3 Brookes 94
4 Easton 80
5 Bridewell 53
6 O’Halloran 42
12 McConnell 31