Billy McConnell on cusp of BSB SS Title

Seeley and Irwin win at Silverstone but McConnell leads title chase ahead of finale

Alastair Seeley maintained his hopes of regaining the Motorpoint British Supersport crown with victory in the Sprint race while Glenn Irwin took the honours in the feature race at Silverstone.

The two title favourites Billy McConnell and his Smiths Triumph team-mate Graeme Gowland however had a tough weekend at the Northamptonshire circuit, scoring damage limitation points. Australian McConnell still heads into the final at Brands Hatch with an advantage of 18 points over his team-mate..

Gearlink Kawasaki’s Irwin had made the running in the Sprint race, in difficult drying conditions with his fellow Ulsterman Seeley, on the MarTrain Yamaha in close contention, while Gowland pulled out of third place with a technical problem.

Seeley went ahead at half distance as Irwin was sidelined by a machine problem, en route to a seventh victory of the season. Taylor Mackenzie came through to take his first podium in the series, on the Tyco Suzuki, from James Rispoli on the Team Traction Control Yamaha after the pair battled it out on the final lap. McConnell struggled into seventh place.

Irwin was keen show what might have been, taking the early lead and then despite determined and close challenges heading off Luke Stapleford on the Profile Triumph to take the victory, his fourth of the season by a third of a second. Luke Mossey ran third ahead of Seeley and Gowland while Rispoli edged McConnell back into seventh place.

Alex Olsen, already assured of the Supersport EVO crown, was the top finisher in each of the races in that class.

Billy McConnell: “I’ve extended my lead so I’ll go to Brands Hatch which is a strong circuit for me, and look to seal everything with some podiums.”

Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Sprint race result: