Motorpoint Yamaha's Chris Walker has set the quickest time in first practice on a drying track at the Brands Hatch British Superbike round this morning - but HM Plant Honda stand-in rider Karl Muggeridge kept him honest, lapping only fractions of a second slower.
The 50-minute session began with a wet track and rain in the air, so only a handful of riders ventured out on track in the opening minutes. Maxxis Yamaha's David Johnson was quickest on the half-hour but was deposed by Paul Bird Kawasaki man Sheridan Morais.
The South African sat at the top of the timesheets until there was 11 minutes left when team-mate Broc Parkes set a 1'32.669 lap to go fastest but he was relegated by Quay Garage Honda's Gary Mason who did a 1'32.618.
Hydrex Honda's Stuart Easton then went quickest on a 1'31.070 before Walker hit the front with a 1'30.592 and then went under the 1'30 barier with two minutes to go, setting a 1'29.597 which was good enough for top spot.
Muggeridge was one one-hundredth of a second behind with Morais another tenth further back. Worx Suzuki's Tommy Hill rounds out a theoretical front row with a 1'30.387 lap time.
