Brands Hatch BSS: McConnell takes pole

The Smiths Racing Triumph team got the defence of their British Superport Championship title underway in perfect fashion at Brands Hatch with the Australian pairing of Billy McConnell and Glen Richards claiming the top two spots in Saturday’s qualifying session.

With continuing cool conditions, McConnell got the better of his team-mate, the reigning Champion, by 0.235s, a more than useful advantage around the short Indy circuit with 2002 Champion Stuart Easton claiming third on the Mar-Train Yamaha.

Alastair Seeley, another of the former Champions on the grid this season, took the final front row spot in his first outing on the Gearlink Kawasaki.

Seeley’s team-mate Ben Wilson took fifth, just 0.4s covering the top five, with Glenn Irwin on the second Mar-Train Yamaha taking sixth from Graeme Gowland on the Seton Tuning R6.

Jason O’Halloran (Samsung Honda), Deane Brown (Appleyard/Macadam Yamaha) and Luke Mossey (Techcare/Profile Triumph) completed the top ten although the last named had been running as high as second until he crashed out on the Cooper Straight.

The first race takes place later on Saturday afternoon.