The Gloucester-based Smiths Racing Team were back in MCE British Superbike and Motorpoint British Supersport Championship action at Thruxton in Hampshire this weekend where it proved to be a good meeting for both Billy McConnell, who scored more points, and Jake Dixon who claimed his sixth podium of the season.
Qualifying for the opening MCE British Superbike Championship race couldn’t have been any worse for Australian McConnell aboard the Smiths BMW as a technical problem on the first lap meant he was unable to register a time and had to start from the back of the grid for the 20-lap race. Despite his handicap, he fought hard and was up to 20th by lap five when the race was red flagged due to an oil spillage, which gave him a better position for the re-start.
From there, he made it count and a stunning first lap in the re-started 15-lap race saw him up to 12th at the end of the opening lap. The 28-year-old Aussie was soon up to tenth and part of a superb battle for the final podium spot and when a couple of riders crashed on the final lap, he was promoted up the order to eighth at the flag.
The second MCE BSB race saw the reigning British Supersport champion again running inside the top ten but in the closing stages of the race, a lack of rear grip left him unable to respond to the challenge of the other riders although he was able to bring the bike home for 15th and another hard-earned championship point.
In the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship, Dixon found himself back in ninth place on the grid after qualifying for yesterday’s 12-lap ‘Sprint’ race and aboard the factory-backed Smiths Triumph 675R, the Dover rider was unable to make any real impression. Holding tenth at the completion of the first lap, that was where he finished in what proved to be a lonely and uneventful ride.
Today’s ‘Feature’ race saw an equally difficult outing where Dixon was in the middle of a stunning eight rider battle for second place throughout. The final few laps were hectic but at the completion of the 18 laps, he had put himself in the right position at the right time and crossed the line in third place to keep his outside hopes of the title alive.
David Johnson was unable to contest the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship race on the Four Anjels BMW by Smiths Racing BMW due to a technical infringement in qualifying.
Billy McConnell: “It’s been a mixed weekend really and whilst it wasn’t quite the turning point in the year we’d hoped for, we got some solid points again. After the problem in qualifying, we had to use our spare engine which wasn’t quite as strong and it was all doom and gloom way down the grid. I got a bit of luck in the race and managed to finish eighth which was fantastic given where I’d started from. In the second race, I was again in the top ten but in the last few laps, I started to have a few off throttle moments which were really unsettling and there was nothing I could do but I got a point and it’s on to Cadwell now, which has always been one of my favourite circuits.”
Jake Dixon: “Coming back from three big crashes at three different circuits has been tough and to say my confidence was low would be an understatement. I didn’t realise how low I was to be honest and after yesterday’s race I had a bit of a meltdown but everyone at Smiths Racing did a great job in picking me up. I was able to regroup and we kept the bike the same so to get a podium is brilliant. The team do so much for me and I’ve got to say a big thank you to every single member of the team, this podium’s for them.”
Rebecca Smith, Team Manager: “It’s been a weekend of highs and lows and whilst qualifying for Billy was a bit of a disaster, it was just one of those things. He put in two great races though and to finish eighth in the first was brilliant. A lack of grip cost him in race two and whilst the end result wasn’t exactly what we’d hoped for, he did another great job. Jake struggled a lot with his confidence so we did what we could and got everyone around him to make him feel as comfortable as possible. The rest came from him and I’m really pleased to see him back on the podium again. That will mean the world to him and, hopefully, we’ll have the old Jake Dixon back with us for the rest of the season.’
MCE British Superbike Championship – Race One (15 laps)
1 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
2 Dan Linfoot (Honda)
3 James Westmoreland (Kawasaki)
4 Shane Byrne (Kawasaki)
5 Howie Mainwaring Smart (Kawasaki)
6 Luke Mossey (Kawasaki)
8 Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing BMW)
MCE British Superbike Championship – Race Two (20 laps)
1 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
2 Shane Byrne (Kawasaki)
3 Luke Mossey (Kawasaki)
4 Tommy Bridewell (BMW)
5 Dan Linfoot (Honda)
6 Michael Laverty (BMW)
15 Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing BMW)
Championship standings (after seven rounds)
1 Brookes 266pts
2 Byrne 254
3 Ellison 147
4 Easton 139
5 Laverty 115
6 Bridewell 112
12 McConnell 62
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship – Race One (12 laps)
1 Luke Stapleford (Triumph)
2 Kyle Ryde (Yamaha)
3 James Rispoli (Yamaha)
4 Sam Hornsey (Triumph)
5 Andy Reid (Yamaha)
6 Glenn Irwin (Kawasaki)
10 Jake Dixon (Smiths Racing Triumph)
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship – Race Two (18 laps)
1 Luke Stapleford (Triumph)
2 Andy Reid (Yamaha)
3 Jake Dixon (Smiths Racing Triumph)
4 Glenn Irwin (Kawasaki)
5 Luke Hedger (Kawasaki)
6 Kyle Ryde (Yamaha)
Championship standings (after seven rounds)
1 Stapleford 269pts
2 Ryde 241
3 Irwin 203
4 Dixon 162
5 Reid 130
6 Rispoli 116
The next round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship takes place at Cadwell Park over the weekend of 21/23 August. For more information, please visit www.britishsuperbike.com and www.smithsracing.co.uk.
Pictures (courtesy of Jon Jessop Photography) Jake Dixon (7) and Billy McConnell (3) in action at Thruxton this weekend.
Note to Editors:
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 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.
ENDS
