McCONNELL AND GOWLAND TITLE FIGHT INTENSIFIES
Billy McConnell and Graeme Gowland intensified their duel for the Motorpoint British Supersport crown in two epic thrillers in the Donington Park ninth round.
The Smiths Triumph team-mates packed the points as they battled throughout with Aussie McConnell having his lead in the title stakes slashed to just a single point by Gowland as they into the Assen round.
Neither managed to take the top step of the podium as first Glenn Irwin powered in his seasonal third success aboard the Gearlink Kawasaki in the Saturday Sprint race, ahead of Luke Mossey who had shattered the lap record to put his Techcare Profile Triumph onto a first pole start.
Then it was the turn of Mossey to take the glory in the longer Feature race on Sunday, overcoming the early threat of Irwin and then easing to victory by some three seconds. Just as in the Sprint race, the attention was focussed on the frantic dicing just behind him with Gowland again having the edge on McConnell.
That left the title race on a knife edge. Gowland said: “It is going down to the wire – that was a great race, great fun on a great bike.” McConnell had tried everything he knew to find a way ahead of his second place team-mate. “I tried hard, but after a moment at the Old Hairpin on the last lap, I lost drive and there was no way.”
Former champion Alastair Seeley has an uphill struggle now to catch the two Smiths Triumph riders, after running eighth in the Sprint race, he crashed out of contention at the Old Hairpin at two third distance in the Feature race to be a massive 58 points down.
Alex Olsen, with another winning double aboard the Power Projects Racing Triumph, secured the inaugural Supersport EVO crown.
For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com
More, from a press release issued by Team Traction Control:
Tough battle at Donington
Rispoli faces every challenge and comes away with a solid result
After high hopes, this weekend’s meeting at Donington Park was a tough challenge for Team Traction Control and rider James Rispoli. Following some great riding form and a series of set-up improvements to the R6 Yamaha, we’re looking for our luck to turn…
Saturday’s qualifying session was giving lots of positive vibes, with James running well inside the top 10, but then a mechanical issue hit.
There was an issue with one of the valves which meant that James had to pull into the pits early, resulting in a grid place of 10th for that afternoon’s Sprint race.
As soon as the lights went out in that race James made some great passes to put up with the front group.
Pushing hard and looking good, James was entering the final corner when another rider ran into the back of him and took the TTC rider off. That meant our race was over on the first lap – which, to say the least, is never ideal.
Due to the result in Saturday’s race Rispoli headed to Sunday’s Main Feature race with a frustrating a grid spot of 16th place. This was made at least a bit better by Monster Energy providing James with three grid girls, which cheered things up a little!
Once the race was underway, James put in a solid ride to bring the home in 8th place and a much needed finish for him and the team, following two recent DNFs.
“We now look forward to Assen and this will be Rispoli’s first time at the circuit as well as that of TTC,” says Team Principal Paul Bolwell.
“Being a GP circuit it’s going to fast and a challenge, but we’re up for this fight!”
We’ll report back from Holland in two weeks.