It was great to be back at Thruxton this weekend, with C & L Fairburn Properties returning to the Superstock class with Billy McConnell on the SMR Performance-backed BMW.

Billy has always gone well around the fast and challenging Thruxton circuit, and this weekend was no exception. Looking very much at home back on the Superstock machine, he worked hard throughout the weekend and showed some really encouraging pace in what is an incredibly competitive class.

With the margins between the riders so close, Billy was just 1.1 seconds off the pace in qualifying, putting him 11th on the grid for Sunday’s Solus race.

He made a fantastic start and immediately powered his way into the leading group, putting himself right in the mix and fighting for the win. With Thruxton’s abrasive surface making tyre management particularly important, Billy worked tirelessly throughout the race and battled hard all the way to the chequered flag to take a very strong 6th place.

Billy said:

“It’s great to be back out in the Superstock class. The racing is always close and fun to be a part of, and it’s great to be back at the sharp end and fighting for a podium place.

“Those guys are quick and it’s always fierce at Thruxton, but I was prepared for a good fight. The C & L Fairburn Properties SMR Performance BMW worked so well all weekend and the team worked really hard to make sure I was comfortable out there.

“I’ll be back out on the bike at Cadwell Park and I’m really looking forward to that.”

Chris Fairburn added:

“We said we’d run Billy in the Superstock class at Thruxton and Cadwell, so it’s great to be back and fighting at the sharp end again.

“Cadwell is our local circuit, so we wanted to get Billy a couple of good runs on the bike before heading there. It was great to see him battling with the leaders at Thruxton and showing that the pace is there.

“We’ll make a decision after Cadwell about the remainder of the Superstock season, but for now we’re really looking forward to getting back out there.”

A big thank you, as always, to everyone who continues to support C & L Fairburn Properties Racing. It was fantastic to see the BMW back in Superstock competition and, most importantly, back fighting towards the front.”