Motorpoint Yamaha's James Westmoreland has surprised the British Superbike paddock at Thruxton this afternoon by setting the fastest time in free practice three as while team-mate Loris Baz bagged third place, sandwiching the HM Plant Honda of Shane Byrne.
Westmoreland moved into the lead with only two minutes of the session left to run as Byrne nabbed second ahead of Baz with his last lap. The Yorkshireman went round in 1'15.151 with Byrne 0.065s behind. Baz is only a tenth further back while MSS Kawasaki's Alex Lowes took fourth place with his final effort.
Rapid Ducati's Martin Jessopp is in fifth while Tommy Hill, on the Swan Yamaha, had been looking at a top three until he was busted down to sixth in the closing seconds. Tyco Honda's Peter Hickman had been lead the session for 15 minutes but slipped back to seventh, just ahead of Michael Rutter.
Samsung Suzuki's John Hopkins is ninth fastest with Dan Linfoot's Sorrymate Honda rounding out the top ten. The second HM Plant Honda of Ryuichi Kiyonari is 11th, Michael Laverty 12th and Ian Lowry on the Buildbase BMW is 13th.
Jon Kirkham only got out towards the end of the session after he destroyed his bike yesterday in a crash but managed 14th just ahead of the first Evo runner Simon Andrews on the PR Kawasaki. Glen Richards is the second Evo man in 17th overall while team-mate Graeme Gowland is third (21st).
