Crocked Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki rider Shane Byrne has topped the first ever MCE British Superbike practice session despite carrying a shoulder injury, setting the fastest time of 1'38.651 with his final lap and demoting Alex Lowes to second place.
The two-time champion was around the top three all session with a majority of quick times set at the start of the 45 minutes. Lowes, who raced here with the Castrol Honda WSB squad last year, went fastest with 15 minutes left but it was Byrne who snatched top spot, lapping a little under half a second quicker than the WFR Honda man.
Late laps by Tyco Suzuki's Josh Brookes and Luca Scassa, on the Padgett's Honda, meant they elbowed their way into third and fourth respectively and both around six-tenths off the pace while Swan Yamaha's Tommy Hill and Noriyuki Haga were next along.
Supersonic BMW's Tommy Bridewell bagged seventh place with a 1'39.908 and he has WSBK exile Jakub Smrz behind him on the Splitlath Aprilia, who set the eighth-fastest time and then promptly suffered a technical problem which put him out. Ian Lowry and Jon Kirkham, who both tested here earlier in the year, rounded out the top ten.
Buildbase BMW's Barry Burrell is looking to continue his Donington Park form in 11th place ahead of Stuart Easton and Michael Laverty, who will be disappointed with 13th, while former World Supersport rider Robbin Harms and veteran Chris Walker, a WSBK race winner at the Dutch track back in the late 1940s, is 15th.
There was no sign of MSS Kawasaki's Danny Buchan while Moto Rapido Ducati rider Abdulaziz Binladin crashed on his second lap (see below) and was taken to the circuit medical centre for assessment.
