Oxford Ducati’s Tommy Bridewell took charge of FP2 on Saturday afternoon as the only Bennetts British Superbike rider on 1’25 pace at Cadwell Park.
Bridewell’s 1’25.989 was almost a second faster than his morning effort and just 0.035s quicker than FP1 leader Brad Ray as the Rich Energy OMG Yamaha man bettered his initial pace by four-tenths at the close of play.
The battle for the Superpicks 12 began with Ray in control after his commanding morning effort. Honda’s Takuma Takahasi sitting a surprising second, just 0.038s adrift, with Synetiq BMW’s Danny Buchan in third.
Buildbase Suzuki’s Christian Iddon was the first to climb the rankings on his way into the top ten before Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki’s Rory Skinner and Honda’s Ryo Mizuno advanced to fourth and eighth respectively. MCE Ducati’s Josh Brookes improving on his FP1 best on his way to 14th in the opening 10 minutes while teammate Tom Sykes sat 18th.
The second FS-3 of Lee Jackson grabbed eighth next time around with a 1’26.7, Ray having advanced the outright target with a 1’26.111 after 20 laps of the Lincolnshire track across the opening day.
Honda’s Glenn Irwin held the gateway position to the top 12 with a 1’26.8 at the halfway stage with Iddon, McAMS Yamaha’s Tarran Mackenzie and Brookes the first adrift. Bridewell taking charge of the standings five minutes later with the first 1’25 of the day - a 1’25.989 - before falling at the base of the mountain next time around.
Buchan was back in third as he leapfrogged Takahasi after a 1’26.4 effort, his 30th lap of the day. Championship leader Jason O’Halloran sitting sixth thanks to his morning best with VisionTrack Kawasaki’s Leon Haslam, Jackson, FHO BMW’s Peter Hickman and Mizuno rounding out the top ten.
The final push promoted the BMW’s up the standings as Andrew Irwin joined teammate Buchan in fourth and second respectively, the attack knocking his elder brother out of contention and down to 13th with four minutes to go. Jackson demoting the number 18 a position, with FS-3 teammate Skinner doing likewise next time around as the younger Irwin quickly found himself in sixth.
The reigning champion was into the top ten as the clock counted down, Iddon advancing to eighth with his own time attack ahead of FHO’s Ryan Vickers and O’Halloran with Haslam and Mackenzie now in the danger zone. The VisionTrack rider was the next to climb on his way to seventh as O’Halloran slotted the R1 in behind. Hickman the first adrift of promotion as the chequered flag prepared with Ray continuing to challenge out front with his final shot of the day, just 0.035s off the outright target and on the bubble of 1’26.
