Glen Richards and the Smiths (Gloucester) Racing Triumph are determined to capture the lead in the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship protected by Datatag standings this weekend at the seventh round of the season at Brands Hatch.

Richards' victory in the Feature race last time out at Oulton Park now puts him just 9.5 points adrift of championship leader Jack Kennedy and within striking distance of the Mar-Train Yamaha rider ahead of the weekend. The pair currently are equal on four race wins and with the season now at the half-way point the rivalry is set to continue this weekend.

Richards said: "It has all closed up now in the points and now we are not too far away from Jack; I have always had Billy pushing me but now we are both much closer so there is some pressure now. It is going to be a close one this weekend but the team have been working hard so we will be pushing. We saw at Oulton Park with a new lap record how hard you have to be riding to win a race this season so I am sure it will be another weekend like that, but we have got the Triumph working well so far and it will be down to me in the races."

Billy McConnell on the second Smiths (Gloucester) Racing Triumph has a 15 points deficit to close to his team-mate as he currently holds third in the overall standings ahead of Gearlink Kawasaki's Ben Wilson who is still yet to claim a victory this season. Seton Tuning Yamaha's Sam Warren completes the current top five and is aiming to turn his championship around after missing out on the points at Knockhill after he crashed out at and was then sidelined for the Feature race.