The Gloucester-based Smiths Racing Team collected a haul of points and silverware as the MCE British Superbike and Motorpoint British Supersport Championships took place at Cadwell Park this weekend.
Folkestone rider Jake Dixon celebrated a Motorpoint British Supersport win and a third place aboard the factory-backed Triumph Daytona 675R at the Lincolnshire track while Billy McConnell scored his first ever MCE British Superbike podium with an impressive third place in the opening race aboard the 1000cc Smiths BMW.
Aussie McConnell had enjoyed a strong qualifying session and lined-up for the first MCE BSB race in sixth position. A great start meant the reigning British Supersport champion held his position through the first eight laps until out came the Safety Car for two laps due to an incident.
As the race got back underway, the 28-year-old wasted no time in making a move and passing the Tyco BMW of Tommy Bridewell for fourth, and with one lap to go he pushed his way past Luke Mossey into third. Despite some frantic place swapping on the final lap, McConnell crossed the line in third and in doing so, celebrated the first ever MCE British Superbike podium for him and the Smiths team.
In the second MCE BSB race McConnell started from eighth on the grid, dropping a place in the opening lap before a race long battle saw him move up to sixth, a position he held all the way to the chequered flag.
The team's podium run had started in Saturday's Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Sprint race, which was shortened from 12 to 10 laps after a red flag and restart. Dixon had lined-up second on the grid, but dropped to third in the opening lap. He stuck behind Kyle Ryde for the whole race, making a move for second on the final lap. But Ryde wasn't giving up the place without a scrap, and stole the spot back, leaving Dixon to settle for a solid third place.
But the best was yet to come in the 16 lap Feature race this afternoon. Starting from pole, Dixon got a good start, holding the place for a lap until he was passed by Ryde over the line into lap two. Ryde led for a number of laps but Dixon sat behind him and waited, making his move on the eighth lap. He dropped to second twice more during the race as he battled with Ryde and Luke Stapleford, but on the penultimate lap he scorched back past Stapleford into the lead, holding it to the chequered flag to seal his third victory of the season.
Billy McConnell: "The first race was great, it's always disappointing when you don't get a podium second time but I'm still really, really happy. To get my first British Superbike podium is something really special and it's a great way to pay back the team. Everyone has worked so hard and put so much effort into this, so to be able to reward them now with this podium is perfect. Now I'm looking ahead to Oulton Park as there are three races there so I'm hoping to get another taste of standing on the podium. Now I've been there, I want to keep going back."
Jake Dixon: "It's been great. The weekend started off really positively, we were quick and had good pace but felt we were struggling so made some changes before qualifying and it was a bit better. I made a few mistakes in race one but I corrected these in the second and I got the result I wanted. It's my third win of the year and I'm really happy with this one. Two podiums is great, I'll take that and now I can't wait to get to Oulton Park to try and do it all again."
Rebecca Smith, Team Manager: "We've had a very good weekend; it's nice for everyone because of all their hard work this year. I'm thrilled for Jake, for me to watch a race like that and see him show what the bike can do and what he is capable of was just brilliant. He's ridden well all weekend and he really deserves that win. As for Billy, well that's a staggering result for us. We all knew it would come but I don't think it was in any of our plans, we thought we were aiming for a top five so to see him race like that was just incredible. I'm so proud of him and all of the team, it's been a wonderful weekend for us all and I'm pleased for both of them."
MCE British Superbike Championship - Race One (18 Laps)1 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)2 Peter Hickman (BMW)3 Billy McConnell (BMW)4 Tommy Bridewell (BMW)5 Michael Laverty (BMW)6 Shane Byrne (Kawasaki)
MCE British Superbike Championship - Race Two (18 Laps)1 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)2 Peter Hickman (BMW)3 Tommy Bridewell (BMW)4 Shane Byrne (Kawasaki)5 Luke Mossey (Kawasaki)6 Billy McConnell (BMW)
Championship standings (after eight rounds)1 Josh Brookes 316 points2 Shane Byrne 2773 James Ellison 1474 Tommy Bridewell 1415 Stuart Easton 1396 Michael Laverty 12611 Billy McConnell 88
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship - Race One (10 Laps)1 Luke Stapleford (Triumph)2 Kyle Ryde (Yamaha)3 Jake Dixon (Triumph)4 James Rispoli (Yamaha)5 Glenn Irwin (Kawasaki)6 Andy Reid (Yamaha)
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship - Race Two (16 Laps)1 Jake Dixon (Triumph)2 Luke Stapleford (Triumph)3 Kyle Ryde (Yamaha)4 James Rispoli (Yamaha)5 Ben Wilson (Kawasaki)6 Luke Hedger (Kawasaki)
Championship standings (after eight rounds)1 Stapleford 314pts 2 Ryde 2773 Irwin 2234 Dixon 2035 Rispoli 1426 Reid 140
The next round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship takes place at Oulton Park over the weekend of September 4-6, 2015.
