Editorial Note: Americans Julian Correa, Eli Banish, and Joshua Raymond, Jr. were seventh, 13th, and 15th, respectively, in British Talent Cup combined practice times Friday at Thruxton.
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing (MSVR):
Kent claims the top spot in intense opening day at Thruxton
Danny Kent soared to the top of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship combined Free Practice times at Thruxton as the McAMS Racing Yamaha rider set the pace in an intense opening day as the top 16 riders were covered by just 0.956s.
The Yamaha contenders had been battling at the top in the afternoon but Oxford Products Racing Ducati’s Christian Iddon was on the move and he shot to the top of the times as the session reached the final ten minutes.
Iddon had displaced Kyle Ryde from the top with Peter Hickman holding third ahead of the two Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki riders, Max Cook and Jason O’Halloran as the session reached the closing stages.
Kent was upping the pace and the McAMS Racing Yamaha rider hit the top of the times with four minutes of the session remaining as championship leader Tommy Bridewell leapt into second with under three minutes to go in Free Practice two and just 0.139s adrift.
Ryde moved into third ahead of Iddon and Hickman in the closing moments of the session, whilst MasterMac Honda’s Lee Jackson completed the top six riders.
Andrew Irwin moved into seventh ahead of Cook, Billy McConnell and O’Halloran in a hectic final shuffle of the times ahead of the chequered flag with Leon Haslam and Charlie Nesbitt completing the twelve riders who will progress into tomorrow’s Speedy Hire Q2 session.
Vickers had led the opening session, but the OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing rider will have to go through Speedy Hire Q1 tomorrow, as he was 15th fastest on combined times after the Free Practice 2. Meanwhile Hager PBM Ducati’s Glenn Irwin will also feature in Q1 after ending the opening day in 17th.
Fraser Rogers and Rory Skinner both returned from injury to line up in Free Practice with the pair ending the opening day in 13th and 23rd place respectively.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Thruxton, Free Practice combined times:
- Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) 1m:15.156s
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +0.139s
- Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) +0.308s
- Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +0.387s
- Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +0.475s
- Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda) +0.513s
- Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +0.543s
- Max Cook (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) +0.626s
- Billy McConnell (C&L Fairburn Properties/Look Forward Racing Honda) +0.656s
- Jason O’Halloran (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) +0.689s
- Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) +0.695s
- Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +0.764s
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
