Rizla Suzuki's Tom Sykes has fired a weather warning at the British Superbike field during third free practice at Knockill this morning, going nearly half a second faster than next placed man Cal Crutchlow in very wet conditions.
The Huddersfield rider, who took a double win at Oulton Park last time out, took 20 minutes to get into his stride and then posted a 53'488 lap which no-one could beat.
Crutchlow was four-tenths slower than Sykes and HM Plant Honda team-mate Leon Haslam was a further half second in arrears. BSB form man Shane Byrne was more than a second slower while Billy McConnell, who crashed in the session, was fifth.
But the big surprise of the final free practice before qualifying this afternoon was Tena for Men Honda's Tristan Palmer who ended in sixth, beating Leon Camier, Michael Rutter, James Ellison and Michael Laverty.
Ellison's brother Dean, on the Co-ordit Yamaha, crashed early in the session but is said to be ok.
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