Mar-Train Yamaha’s Stuart Easton was the fastest rider in the Motorpoint British Supersport free practice outing at the Brands Hatch GP circuit, with his quickest time of 1’38.910.
The current championship leader started off the session as the fastest rider on the track, but was soon out-paced by Oxford TAG Triumph’s Richard Cooper. The Hucknall rider was able to hold off the rest of the pack till the very end, but Easton went one better to clinch provisional pole.
Samsung Honda’s Jason O’Halloran was as high as second on the timing screens with twelve minutes to go, but it was not to last and he ended the afternoon on the provisional front row after a 1’29.208.
Gearlink Kawasaki’s Alastair Seeley and Smiths Triumph’s Glen Richards rounded off the top five followed by Team Appleyard Macadam Doodson rider Graeme Gowland. Luke Jones and Richard’s team-mate and fellow Australian Billy McConnell completed the top ten, but the Triumph rider crashed just as the chequered flag came out at Cooper Straight.
The first free practice session was blighted by damp and windy conditions. Heavy rain overnight meant the outing was declared as a ‘wet practice’ and the times were notably slower than the dry track this afternoon. But in the opening session Cooper topped the timesheets, followed by Gowland and O’Halloran.
