Qualifying three
Glenn Irwin– 1’24.628
Josh Brookes – 1’24.709
Jake Dixon – 1’24.768
Glenn Irwin grabbed his first Bennetts British Superbike pole position this afternoon, beating Josh Brookes and Jake Dixon to the punch.
The Northern Irishman powered to the fastest time of the weekend on his first flying lap of Q3 with a 1’24.628, over three tenths quicker than anyone so far, while Tarran Mackenzie went second quickest with a 1’24.958.
The Yamaha rider went even faster with a 1’24.769 moments later, while Brookes slotted into third just behind his team-mate, a mere 0.032s slower, after bumping Leon Haslam down to fourth.
Andrew Irwin looked to be on a strong pace, but he went down at Paddock Hill bend. And moments later, Dixon jumped up to second, just 0.001s ahead of Mackenzie, but Brookes claimed second back straight afterwards, leaving Dixon in third.
Mackenzie, Haslam and Luke Mossey complete the second row of the grid for tomorrow’s first race, while Christian Iddon, Andrew Irwin and Richard Cooper round out row three.
Qualifying two
Jake Dixon – 1’24.955
Josh Brookes – 1’25.045
Leon Haslam – 1’25.079
Mossey was straight into the 1’25s as he led Dixon, Haslam and Andrew Irwin on the first set of flying laps, but Dixon quickly turned his speed up to 11 on his third lap as he became the first rider to drop into the 1’24 bracket with a 1’24.955.
Anvil Tag Hire Yamaha’s James Ellison made quick work of Graham Hill Bend on his opening lap and dropped his R1 in the grass, delaying any lap time from the Cumbrian.
Iddon, Cooper and Danny Buchan soon moved past the P9 cut off, but Brookes knocked FS-3 Racing’s Buchan out of the bubble with his 1’25.045, which put him second.
Be Wiser Ducati rider Glenn Irwin joined his brother in the advancing rider queue, slotting into fourth just ahead of Andrew.
Aussie Jason O’Halloran’s last attempts to get through to Q1 proved fruitless and the recovering Honda rider was knocked out, just 0.030s off ninth place.
Eliminated
O’Halloran
Hickman
Buchan
Laverty
Ray
Rouse
Rea
Law
Ellison
Qualifying one
Jake Dixon – 1’25.161
Glenn Irwin – 1’25.200
Luke Mossey – 1’25.284
Dixon hit the front in the opening qualifying session this afternoon as he led the riders on the 33 degree Brands Hatch tarmac.
The Kawasaki rider clocked a late 1’25.161 to lead the riders into Q2, while Irwin and Mossey followed suit by little over a tenth of a second.
Knockhill winner Dixon opened the session with a 1’26.067, followed closely by Tyco BMW’s Laverty and Buchan, but as the riders came around for their third laps, Mossey shot to the top with a 1’25.284.
McAMS Yamaha’s pint-sized pilot Mackenzie followed Mossey up the order into second, while Buildbase Suzuki’s Richard Cooper and Glenn Irwin slotted into third and fourth.
With just over nine minutes remaining, RAF Regular & Reserves’ Dixon jumped up to first with a 1’25.161, and just a few minutes later JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s Haslam clocked a low 1’25 to slide into fourth.
But Irwin was up into the mix and just 0.039s behind Dixon with a lap that put him into second place with less than four minutes left.
Meanwhile, Moto Rapido Ducati’s Tommy Bridewell went down with just three laps completed, and moments later Movuno.com Halsall Racing’s Chrissy Rouse dropped his Suzuki coming out of Druids, but the Geordie’s early lap allowed him to skirt through into Q2.
Team WD40’s Mason Law slid through into Q2 contention along with OMG Racing Suzuki’s Gino Rea, knocking Honda Racing’s Dan Linfoot out of the fold.
Eliminated
Linfoot
Barrier
Jessopp
Harrison
Rogers
Winfield
Hedger
Bridewell
Zanotti