Free practice one:
- Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) 45.576s
- Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha) +0.125s
- Ryuichi Kiyonari (Buildbase BMW) +0.497s
- Chris Walker (Lloyds British GBmoto Racing Kawasaki) +0.498s
- Dan Linfoot (Quattro Plant Kawasaki) +0.500s
- Jakub Smrz (Millsport Ducati) +0.586s
- Stuart Easton (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
- James Ellison (Lloyds British GBmoto Racing Kawasaki) +0.667s
- James Westmoreland (Buildbase BMW) +0.673s
- Martin Jessopp (RidersRacing BMW) +0.678s
Free practice two:
- Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha) 45.506s
- Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +0.171s
- Jakub Smrz (Millsport Ducati) +0.262s
- Stuart Easton (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +0.296s
- Chris Walker (Lloyds British GBmoto Racing Kawasaki) +0.345s
- James Ellison (Lloyds British GBmoto Racing Kawasaki) +0.520s
- James Westmoreland (Buildbase BMW) +0.593s
- Ryuichi Kiyonari (Buildbase BMW) +0.599s
- Simon Andrews (RAF Reserves Honda) +0.611s
- Martin Jessopp (RidersRacing BMW) +0.614s
Australian Josh Brookes closed in on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit lap record as he headed off the challenges of local hero Shane “Shakey” Byrne in free practice for the Easter Monday opening round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship.
The Aussie had made significant changes across the two sessions to his Milwaukee Yamaha and in the frantic afternoon session he was able to fire in a series of consistent laps, the best of which a 45.506s was just 0.0046s adrift of the lap record set in 2007 by Gregorio Lavilla.
Brookes said: “I’m really pleased with how the afternoon has gone and we have had some good benefits across the day. The changes we have made have been good value for money in terms of paying off. I’ve been able to do good lap times on longer runs on an old tyre and I feel good about that. They say that Shakey is the Master of Brands Hatch but I am ready to give him a run for his money now. We are ready for anything and today’s final laps nicely put a bow on the end of the sessions.”
Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki’s Byrne is firmly in the frame to add to his record haul of 51 race victories having been duelling for the top spot on the time sheets throughout the session with Brookes as just 0.171s separated them. However the pack are all in close contention with just 0.977s covering the top 19 riders at the end of the second session.
Czech Republic rider Jakub Smrz aboard the Millsport Ducati set the third best lap with a time, a split second up on Flying Scot Stuart Easton, who is back in the top flight on the back of winning last year’s Motorpoint British Supersport title.
Chris Walker, four times the series runner-up, set fifth best time on the Lloyds British GBmoto Kawasaki, just ahead of his team-mate James Ellison whilst James Westmoreland narrowly edged out Ryuichi Kiyonari as the Buildbase BMW pair held seventh and eighth respectively.
RAF Reserves Honda’s Simon Andrews set the ninth fastest time as five different manufacturers featured in the top ten ahead of Martin Jessopp on the RidersRacing BMW.
Josh Waters ended Saturday 21st while countryman Mitchell Carr was 26th quickest in the 31 rider field.
British Supersport
Luke Stapleford found a little extra pace in the afternoon Motorpoint British Supersport Championship free practice session to stay at the top of the times aboard his Profile Racing Triumph with his best lap coming in a time of 46.610s, but he was hard pressed to keep at bay former champion Alastair Seeley.
The Ulsterman has worked hard across the weekend with his Martrain Yamaha and the results showed as he closed within 0.050s of Stapleford, though he was also under threat himself as Smiths Racing Triumph’s Graeme Gowland all but match his time, officially 0.005s down.
Luke Mossey riding the Techcare/Profile Triumph is also looking strong, only 0.078s down on Staplefor in a closely fought session while Billy McConnell on the second Smiths bike ran fifth fastest ahead of Gearlink Kawasaki’s Luke Hedger and his team-mate Glenn Irwin.
Jake Dixon on the Appleyard Macadam Doodson Yamaha set the eighth best time from Sam Hornsey aboard the Anvil Hire TAG Racing Triumph with Sam Coventry riding the Road & Racing Performance/FutureMoto Kawasaki tenth and top EVO class starter.
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship, Brands Hatch, free practice one
- 1. Luke Stapleford (Profile Triumph) 46.753s
- 2. Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing Triumph) +0.096s
- 3. Graeme Gowland (Smiths Racing Triumph) +0.189
- 4. Luke Mossey (Techcare/Profile Triumph) +0.213s
- 5. Alastair Seeley (MarTrain Yamaha) 0.271s
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship, Brands Hatch, free practice two:
- 1. Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing Triumph) 46.610secs
- 2. Alastair Seeley (MarTrain Yamaha) +0.050s
- 3. Graeme Gowland (Smiths Racing Triumph) +0.055s
- 4. Luke Mossey (Techcare/Profile Triumph) +0.078s
- 5. Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing Triumph) +0.349s
British Superstock 1000 Qualifying
Kawasaki rider Danny Buchan topped Superstock 1000 Qualifying ahead of Honda’s Jason O’Halloran. David Johnson was 10th in Group A.
British Superstock 600
Andy Reid topped Superstock 600 Qualifying on the FFX Yamaha. Benjamin Currie was 10th, Levi Day 16th fastest, James Mutton 28th in the 42 rider field.
TriStar R&G Triple Challenge qualifying
Freddy Pett claimed the opening pole of the campaign with a lap in 48.570secs but it was a close run thing as he headed off Sam Cox by just 0.029secs with Phil Atkinson completing the front row. Scott Pitchers, Josh Wood and Jesse Jones lined up on the second row.
Eastern Airways British Sidecar Championship qualifying
Andy Peach/Charlie Richardson left it late to power in their pole setting lap with a time of 48.755secs to eclipse Sean Hegarty/James Neave by almost half a second. Tony Brown/Ashley Hawes and Mike Edwards/Lee Bennett started from the second row.
Ducati TriOptions Cup qualifying
Dennis Hobbs starts the opening round from pole position with his flying lap of 48.712secs just enough to see off the threat of defending champion Marty Nutt by 0.016secs with Leon Morris only a further tenth down completing the front row. Rob Guiver, Daniel Fowler and Simon Neary start from the second row.
TriStar R&G Triple Challenge Saturday race
Freddy Pett led throughout the opening round of the series, opening up a 3.21secs advantage over Sam Cox while Scott Pitchers held on to third place, holding off the close attentions of Jesse Jones with Phil Atkinson fifth.
Eastern Airways British Sidecar Championship race
Sean Hegarty and James Neave romped to victory, pulling a lead of 6.819secs over pole starters Andy Peach and Charlie Richardson whom they had passed on the opening lap. Tony Brown and Ashley Hawes ran third ahead of Mark Edwards and Lee Barrett who just headed off Roger Lovelock and Aki Alto who had charged into contention from a back of the grid start.
Milwaukee Yamaha Report
Milwaukee Yamaha are ready to attack the 2014 MCE British Superbike Championship at the opening round at Brands Hatch this weekend after a strong start to the free practice sessions with Josh Brookes topping the times and Tommy Bridewell holding eleventh place.
Brookes proved that he has settled in with the Milwaukee Yamaha team and was straight on the pace at the Kent circuit, lapping under last year’s qualifying pole position lap and just 0.046 seconds adrift of the existing lap record. Bridewell continued his preparations for the opening races of the season on Easter Monday and although he was eleventh on the timesheets he was just 0.615s adrift of Brookes after encountering traffic on his fastest lap.
Brookes said: “From the first session this morning following yesterday we made more changes, but we weren’t seeing any benefit from them so we were having a bit of a see-saw going on where we seemed to put weight on one side and one side went up and then the opposite way around. This afternoon though we actually got value for money and the changes we finally arrived at meant we were quicker on track so it was a good positive finish and it was nice how it ended the afternoon as the changes we made then meant we finished with a bunch of consistent, fast laps which nicely put a bow on the end of the day. Now tomorrow we could have different conditions and I wouldn’t be that bothered because I know that we have a bike that I am happy with; we still have improvements to make but we are in a good position ready for the rest of the weekend.”
Bridewell said: “It’s been quite a good day and I am happy with how it all went. We’ve worked really hard on improving the bike instead of the tyre testing like some of them seem to have been doing and worrying about times. I feel good on the bike, we’ve been getting some real good feedback and we’ve got it where we want to be and I feel comfortable for the race and have a strong package. I was a bit disappointed in the last session when I got a bit held up and didn’t get a clean lap but with a little bit more work we should be ready for qualifying.”
