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Assen BSB: Haslam pips Rea in second free practice

Leon Haslam was back to his best this afternoon as he led the way in second Bennetts British Superbike free practice at Assen.

After a slow start to the day which left the JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider languishing in 16th after FP1, there was no such drama this afternoon as he controlled the session from the start.

Despite spots of rain being reported in sector three some 15 minutes before the bikes hit the track, nothing appeared to materialise, and the riders enjoyed a dry but cloudy session.

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Haslam was quick straight out of the pits, going quickest on his second lap, with a 1’38.459, closely followed by title rival Jake Dixon.

Two laps later, the championship leader went one better as he became the first rider dip into the 1’36s, but it didn’t take his rivals too long to catch up.

Dixon once again got the edge to post a 1’36.689 to go top, as Tommy Bridewell continued his strong form to tuck into third.

Haslam, who had had a couple of laps cancelled for cutting the course, was back on top 10 minutes later, chipping 0.154secs off Dixon’s best time with a 1’36.535 on his 12th lap.

After a quiet spell where very few places changed in the top 10, Be Wiser Ducati’s Glenn Irwin was the first person to improve, as he became the fourth rider to hit the 1’36s to move third, as the session entered its final 15 minutes.

Gino Rea, who had topped the timesheets in this morning’s first practice, moved into fifth with just under 10 minutes to go, as Taz Mackenzie once again found a late surge as he powered his McAMS Yamaha up to third.

Moments later, Haslam’s team-mate Luke Mossey moved up to fourth, but as the flag fell, Rea gave it one last push and shot up to second aboard his OMG Suzuki with a 1’36.673.

This left Dixon third as the session ended, with Mackenzie fourth and Bridewell fifth. Mossey held onto sixth ahead of Irwin, as Josh Brookes had to make do with the eighth quickest time on his McAMS Yamaha.

Following his strong run this morning, Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha’s James Ellison didn’t have the same luck this afternoon, moving into the top 10 in the final minutes to end the session ninth, just ahead of Smith’s Racing BMW man Peter Hickman.

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