“Not the best weekend for me to be honest. It’s not so bad when you know there’s a problem but when your team mates are that far ahead it’s a bit of a concern to be honest – this weekend I just didn’t have the pace and had no answer for them. I’m not going to make a load of excuses, I just couldn’t get the bike working for me and I was trying as hard as I could to go with them but just couldn’t. We need to go back to the drawing board, do a bit of testing before the final round to see if we can find something. Hanging on to third in the championship would be great, but it’s the winners that get remembered so I just want to end the season back on the top step – that’s my goal.”

“Another brilliant weekend for the team and it’s great to see that we’ve got three riders now capable of regularly getting on the podium with Christian proving his third at Knockhill was no fluke and Youngy once again showing both speed and consistency. Billy didn’t have such a great weekend but he’s still in third in the championship, putting in his usual 100% commitment and I really can’t ask for any more than that.
 Shaun was riding well and scored another podium in Cup so it’s a real blow for him to have sustained an injury during warm-up but it’s all part of the learning curve and he’s improving and learning all the while. I’d just like to thank my team for all their hard work and of course to all the team partners and sponsors who have supported us and helped us to achieve such fantastic results.”

Billy McConnell made a return to action less than three weeks after fracturing the first metacarpal in his right hand and from the outset showed that he had the pace to run near the front, qualifying on the front row just 0.001 off Alastair Seeley with the dominant Ben Wilson on pole at his local circuit.

Christian Iddon once again proved he has what it takes to race at this level, qualifying ninth one spot ahead of team-mate, Paul Young with Shaun Winfield recovering well from injuries sustained at the last round to line up 22nd on the grid.

Race one saw McConnell chasing down leaders Wilson and Seeley to take his fourth podium of the year with Iddon pressing his team-mate hard throughout the 12 lap race finishing just two tenths behind to take a fine fourth place as he fended off his former Supermoto adversary, Sam Warren.

Further down the order, Paul Young managed to grab a handful of points in eleventh place while Shaun Winfield struggled with set-up but only narrowly missed out on a Cup podium finishing fourth in class and a creditable eighteenth overall.

With changes to the grid positions for race two based on lap times and some extensive work to optimise the superb handling of the Oxford Tag Triumph Daytona 675 machines carried out overnight, the four rider squad looked in fine form for Sunday’s main event.

McConnell and Iddon once more battled it out for the final podium spot with McConnell coming out on top again after Iddon was forced to relinquish his position as he avoided a crashing Sam Warren at Barn Corner, allowing McConnell to sweep past as Iddon took evasive action.

Young’s decision to run a harder rear tyre proved his undoing as he struggled to find the pace and was forced to settle for safe points and tenth position. Not the strategy that was planned but nevertheless one that sees the amiable Aussie hold on to fourth in the championship and head to Donington Park still well within a shout of grabbing back third off his team-mate, McConnell.

Shaun Winfield’s performance this weekend should be applauded, too. Still recovering from injury, the seventeen-year-old Cup rider showed real determination to improve throughout the weekend to grab second place in the Cup and finally score some points in the main championship, setting the fastest Cup lap of the race in the process.

A positive weekend for the team, but marred by the tragic loss of fellow competitor and friend of the team, Ben Gautrey. Ben was universally liked by all that met him. He was a talented young rider with a promising future and will be very much missed. The team would like to extend its deepest sympathies to his friends and family at this sad time.

Billy McConnell #75

“It’s been a good weekend all told considering the hand injury. To be honest it wasn’t such a problem for the first few laps but it did start to give me a bit of pain over the Mountain and through the fast direction changes at the chicane and through Hall Bends.
I’m pretty pleased that I’ve reinforced my third place in the championship but a little disappointed that I couldn’t run with Seeley and Wilson. Hopefully we can find that little bit extra from the Triumph before Donington and put on a good show.”

Both riders were unable to take part in Sunday’s main feature race with the team’s up-and-coming Cup rider, Shaun Winfield being taken out in a three bike pile-up on the first lap of Saturday’s sprint race at Paddock Hill Bend while Billy McConnell made a rare error in Sunday’s morning warm-up and high-sided on the exit of Graham Hill Bend.

Both suffered relatively minor injuries, with Winfield sustaining damage to his elbow and extensive bruising all over his upper body, while McConnell broke the first metacarpal in his right hand forcing the medical team to declare him unfit to compete, despite the tough Aussie’s protestations.

The weekend started brightly for McConnell, finishing free practice second overall just a few tenths off series leader, Ben Wilson before qualifying and finishing fifth in the first sprint race, less than three tenths off the podium. Similarly, Shaun Winfield had been taking big chunks out of his lap times throughout practice and qualifying and was looking to move forward in the championship from a solid third place.

With just two riders fit for Sunday’s main race, the focus was on Paul Young and Christian Iddon, both of whom had struggled with set-up throughout practice and qualifying, finishing Saturday’s sprint race down in eleventh and sixteenth respectively.

After much head scratching and poring over data, several overnight changes were made. Both riders found some pace in morning warm-up and with the team’s focus firmly fixed on the two remaining riders for Sunday’s main feature race the mood was a positive one.

A first lap crash resulted in a pile-up involving four riders that brought out the red flags. The race was restarted only for a second red flag due to another incident causing the race to be delayed to allow the Superbike race to go ahead on schedule.

Eventually, the race was restarted and Youngy and Iddon both got off to a great start, matching the leaders’ times in the early stages of the race before settling into a rhythm and finishing a difficult weekend with solid fifth and sixth place finishes and a good points haul that now sees Youngy just seven points off McConnell’s third place in the championship.

Billy McConnell #75

“I’m obviously very disappointed to have made such a schoolboy error – first flying lap, third corner and first left hander and I just gave it too much throttle, it’s as simple as that. It’s such a shame as we were on the pace and improving all the time, so I just feel like I’ve let the team down. I think I could have gone for the win today but it’ll have to wait until Cadwell now – my hand is pretty sore at the moment but it’s only a broken metacarpal so I’m sure it’ll be fine in three weeks time.”

With new, lighter fairings and various revisions to the engine, from the first practice session to the last lap of the race, the Daytona 675Rs of Billy McConnell and Paul Young proved once more that they had the pace to take top honours.

With variable weather conditions, qualifying came down to strategy and with just a few laps to make the best of a narrow drying line, both Billy and Youngy demonstrated just why they are both fighting for a top three position in the championship with a display of accuracy and bravery that saw them end the session first and second respectively, with the ever-improving Christian Iddon less than a second behind Youngy on the second row of the grid.

The weather improved throughout Saturday afternoon and the scene was set for a thriller of a race with the front two rows covered by just two seconds.

McConnell and Youngy both made great starts, the pair swapping positions before a decisive move by McConnell in his bid to make a break from the determined duo of Seeley and Wilson forced Youngy wide at Shell Oils hairpin and back to fifth during the closing stages of the race.

In a race that has been described by commentators and racers alike as arguably the most exciting of the season, in any class, McConnell’s skill and bravery was rewarded with his second win of the season as he swept round the outside of Wilson at Lodge on the last lap before slicing underneath Seeley through Deer’s leap to take the win by a wheel while team-mate Youngy dug in to get back past Warren, narrowly missing out on the podium to take fourth.

These excellent results for the Oxford Tag Triumph team now see McConnell third and Young fourth in the championship with Winfield back up to third in the Cup championship and with every chance of challenging for the title.

Billy McConnell #75

“I couldn’t really ask for anything for more. We got the new spec bikes for this meeting with less weight and a little more power and we were top two all weekend in every session, finishing up with pole position for the race which was just awesome.

”It was one of the best races I’ve been in for a very long time. I’m really happy with getting back to third in the championship and while it’s a shame we didn’t get a second race the organisers made the right call – no-one wants to race in those conditions. Brands GP should be great for us, it’s a circuit that I enjoy so I can’t see why we can’t go for more wins.”

Friday’s practice sessions went well, with Billy McConnell ending the first session third fastest with seventeen-year-old Shaun Winfield topping the timesheets for the Cup entrants.

Paul Young and Christian Iddon improved on their times in the second session and really upped the pace in qualifying with McConnell 5th, Youngy 8th, Iddon 11th and Winfield 21st and a close 3rd in Cup.

Throughout the weekend, various changes were made to the Daytona 675 machines with the work centering on achieving a good feeling from the front end of the bike. Gearing was another area that had created a headache for the technicians and data engineers – the varying corners of the cleverly designed new circuit layout making it difficult to achieve a perfect gearing set-up.

Race one saw McConnell and Youngy get away well with the leading pack before slipping down the order as tyre wear became issue, each rider doing well to maintain their qualifying positions and finish 5th, 8th and 11th respectively. Winfield was unfortunate to suffer with clutch slip and retired from the race on lap seven while fighting for the lead with John Simpson.

More changes were made following a little experimentation with gearing and suspension set-up, some working a little better than others. McConnell had been running in fourth place dicing with Sam Warren but, pushing the front just a little too hard into the Montreal hairpin, came off and remounted to finish in 13th.

Youngy kept his composure throughout the race to cross the line in ninth place scoring valuable championship points, while Iddon suffered the same front end woes as his team mate, losing the front and crashing while pushing hard at Corams, forcing the likeable Derbyshire rider out of the race but thankfully without injury.

Rob Winfield, Oxford Tag Triumph Team Principal

“It’s been a difficult weekend, really. Everyone has been trying different things to find the ideal set-up and it seems we haven’t got it right this meeting, despite our very best efforts.
We’ve got a fortnight until Oulton Park to improve the package and we’ll be seeking out a few more horsepower to make sure we can remain competitive with the four-cylinder Japanese bikes.

”Billy and Youngy are within a point of each other and within a point of third in the championship so we’re still in with a shout. Christian’s been unfortunate to crash and Shaun’s now got quite a challenge on his hands to bridge the gap back to the front of the Cup Championship – but there’s still 12 races left so plenty to play for. The next few circuits should really suit our bike, so I’m sure we’re ready for a good run and the chance to get back on the top step of both podiums.”

All four riders worked hard throughout practice and qualifying to find a setting to suit the conditions, with Christian Iddon, Billy McConnell, Paul Young and Shaun Winfield qualifying 15th, 17th, 18th and 27th respectively.

While qualifying was disappointing, Saturday’s rain-lashed race showed that both McConnell and Iddon had taken a step forward, finishing 9th and 10th while Youngy was forced to pit to change helmets after a rare fogging issue with his visor left him unable to continue.

Sunday saw an improvement in both the weather and the team’s fortune. With the rain coming and going in light showers, the track had a chance to dry and throughout morning warm-up, all three main championship riders set good times while Cup campaigner, Winfield was forced to sit out the session due to an electrical problem that had been caused by his crash but had gone undetected until minutes from the start of the session.

Having posted the fifth fastest time in race one, Iddon made full use of his elevated grid position for race two with a flawless start to slot straight into the leading pack.

At the other end of the race following a bizarre fuel line problem that was swiftly dealt with by his mechanic, Lee ‘Roscoe ‘P’ Coltrane’ Machin in pit lane, McConnell was forced to start at the back of the grid alongside team-mate, Winfield with Youngy just two rows ahead.

While Iddon was dicing for the podium, both McConnell and Youngy began the task of tearing through the pack, the latter enjoying more success calmly picking his way through the pack to finish in an incredible fifth place from 22nd on the grid while McConnell sliced past no less then twelve riders on the opening lap, only to make a couple of mistakes and drop back down the order to finish 13th. Winfield just missed out on a top 20 finish to take 5th in Cup, scoring more useful points to add to his tally.

A mixed weekend, but one that saw Oxford Tag Triumph take another step forward with McConnell and Young on equal points and now just two points adrift of third place in the championship, Iddon proving his potential and planting himself firmly on the scoreboard with Winfield now a very strong fifth in the Cup Championship and only a handful points away from the lead.

Rob Winfield, Oxford Tag Triumph Team Principal

“A weekend that up until the last race hadn’t been too enjoyable in all honesty but the team worked hard in very difficult conditions and the riders stayed focused and positive throughout.
It’s great to see Christian get on the podium and prove that he’s got what it takes to run at the front of this championship – and with all three of our main championship riders having now been on the podium it shows that we’re a real force to be reckoned with.

”Youngy never fails to impress with his commitment and determination and while Billy didn’t have his best weekend, he kept his head and scored points. Shaun was a little unlucky with two crashes and no time to test in the dry before the second race, but it’s all part of his learning curve and it will only strengthen his experience.

”We’re all looking forward to Race of the Year at Mallory this coming weekend before we head off to Snetterton in a fortnight’s time – and hopefully some proper summer weather at last!”

The 24-year-old showed that he really meant business from the outset, as he was the only rider to go under the one minute, 17 second, mark in qualifying, and took pole position for the first race.

However, the Hinckley-based racer did not get off the start line too well, and slotted into fourth place behind Ben Wilson, Alastair Seeley, and Sam Warren. But after sizing up the opposition on the brakes into the club chicane for the previous three laps, he glided neatly up the inside of the three leading riders on the last lap – to take the win in fine style.

The second race was not to bring the same outcome, as the weather closed in and the track quickly became drenched. McConnell was unlucky to suffer with a few vision problems, caused by a fogged up visor, that demoted him to fifth, when it looked as though he could have run near the front.

McConnell – who is now fourth overall with 87 points – said: “I’ve really got the feel for the bike now, and we went into qualifying pretty confident, so I was chuffed to pinch pole position off Ben Wilson in the last minute of the session to get him back for doing the same to me at Croft.

“The race was awesome to be a part of, and to win it on the last lap like that felt pretty special.

”I felt good for the second race – I usually go well in the rain, but unfortunately I had a problem with my visor so I had to settle for fifth – a win and a fifth isn’t so bad, and I’m up to fourth in the championship now, so it’s all good.

”It’s great to get my first win on the bike, and the team’s very first win in Supersport, so I just want to keep the momentum going to Scotland.”

Throughout qualifying it became clear early on that the dynamic duo of McConnell and Youngy were going to be running at the head of the pack, the pair finishing the frantic forty-minute session on pole and third respectively, with McConnell the only rider to drop underneath the 1:17 mark, posting a remarkable 1:16.982 lap in the dying seconds of the session.

In the first race, McConnell didn’t get off the line too well and slotted into fourth place behind Ben Wilson, Alastair Seeley and Sam Warren.

Meanwhile, just a couple of seconds off the leading group, Youngy and Iddon were engaged in their own battle, fencing throughout the race to finish 6th and 7th respectively.

But the spoils went to McConnell. After sizing up the opposition on the brakes into the club chicane for the previous three laps, on the final lap the 24-year-old Aussie slotted his Daytona 675R neatly up the inside of the three leading riders to take the win in fine style.

And he wasn’t the only Oxford Tag Triumph rider to step onto the podium, with Shaun Winfield improving on his lap times by well over a second to score a solid third in the Cup Championship.

Race two couldn’t have been more different. With the weather closing in, the track quickly became drenched. With only eight minutes allowed for wet practice, the pressure was firmly on to find a good race set-up.

Youngy made a typically good start and got stuck into a tussle with Sam Warren and Jack Kennedy that was to last for ten laps before Youngy’s decision to run a harder rear wet weather paid off, affording the likeable Aussie more grip off the high-speed turns and catapulting him into the lead on the fast run out of Church.

From then on, with riders falling trying to maintain the pace, the race was red-flagged and Oxford Tag Triumph’s second race-win and race winner was confirmed.

McConnell was unlucky to suffer with a few vision problems caused by a fogged up visor that demoted him to fifth when it looked as though he could have run near the front while Iddon’s luck was even worse – matching the lap times of the frontrunners and looking likely to finish inside the top four, Iddon was unable to avoid Steve Plater’s high-sided Honda and went down with just a couple of laps to go.

Billy McConnell #75

“I’ve really got the feel for the bike now and we went into qualifying pretty confident so I was chuffed to pinch pole off Ben (Wilson) in the last minute of the session to get him back for doing the same to me at Croft! The race was awesome to be a part of and to win it on the last lap like that felt pretty special.

I felt good for the second race – I usually go well in the rain but unfortunately I had a problem with my visor so I had to settle for fifth – a win and a fifth isn’t so bad and I’m up to fourth in the championship now so it’s all good.

It’s great to get my first win on the bike and the team’s first win in Supersport so I just want to keep the momentum going to Scotland.”

Rob Winfield, Oxford Tag Triumph Team Principal

“What an awesome weekend. We’ve been plugging away for three years now and this season just keeps on getting better. Billy’s ride yesterday was absolutely inspired and I’m sure that move on the last lap will be talked about and replayed for quite some time.

Youngy never ceases to amaze me with his commitment and I was sure he was going to settle for a safe third – maybe by now I should know better!

A bit of a shame for Shaun but when you can’t see, what can you do? Christian was also unlucky not to get another strong finish, and again through no fault of his own he’s been denied a good finish. But he’s starting to show what he can do on the bike in all conditions and he’ll come back fighting at Knockhill, I’m sure.

All told it’s been a great weekend and the team have worked tirelessly to get to this point and while it is a team as a whole, I’d really like to thank Steve Randle and Lee Machin for their commitment and hard work throughout the year, not just at race weekends.

We’re in a good position now with both performance and reliability and we’ve got four riders all capable of achieving good results backed by a committed team – I really can’t ask for any more than that.”

The Hinckley-based racer narrowly missed out on pole position by less than two-tenths of a second before lining up for the first race on his Daytona 675R.

Skippy was beaten to his first podium aboard the Triumph bike by a quarter of a second by Steve Plater when the red flags came out to end the race on lap 10.

McConnell stamped his authority on Sunday’s race, taking the lead from the dominant Ben Wilson on lap seven, posting the fastest lap of the race and leading until just three laps from the flag when his soft compound rear Pirelli started to go off.

McConnell fought valiantly to hang on to the lead but was overtaken by both Wilson and Plater before the chequered flag.

McConnell and Oxford Tag Triumph teammate Paul Young now lie joint fifth in the championship and he cannot wait to get back on the track.

He said: “The bike felt really good from the set-up we had at Oulton Park but with the mixed weather and the new tyre limit it wasn’t easy to move things forward.

“The first race was good, though I was gutted when it was red-flagged as I’m sure we’d have been on the podium. The tyre let me down in the longer second race and we now know that we should have gone for a harder compound.

“Overall though I’m getting happier with the bike and can’t wait for Thruxton where I’m sure the speed of the Triumph will make it a real contender.”