Glenn Irwin topped the timesheets in the final Bennetts British Superbike Championship practice at Thruxton as he became the only rider to set a sub 1’15 lap.
The second day of action at the UK’s fastest track brought more hot, warm weather and the riders were straight into the 1’15s as they headed out for the 45-minute session.
RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki’s Jake Dixon set the pace early, hitting the top after his second lap and then cutting his time even more in his third as best pal Danny Buchan slotted his FS-3 Racing Kawasaki into second.
Dixon continued to chip away at his best time but as the session reached the halfway point, yesterday’s fast man Peter Hickman went to the top aboard Smith’s Racing BMW with a 1’15.390, just two thousands of a second faster than Dixon’s previous best.
But things were set to change a few minutes later as Glenn Irwin and Luke Mossey shot up to first and second, with Be Wiser Ducati’s Irwin dipping into the 1’14s with a 1’14.920.
With six minutes to go, Christian Iddon became the first of the big movers as he stuck his Tyco BMW into second, although still in the 1’15s.
Andrew Irwin, on the second Be Wiser Ducati, was slowly creeping up the order, as were the McAMS Yamaha duo of Josh Brookes and Taz Mackenzie, but it seemed no one was in a position to depose Irwin, who headed back out for a few more in the closing minutes.
He then stuck in a 1’14.821s lap on his penultimate run which was enough to keep himself at the top, and remained the only rider to hit the 1’14s.
Iddon’s 1’15.226s lap was enough to keep him in second spot as the flag fell, with Dixon third and Mossey the fastest of the JG Speedfit Kawasaki riders in fourth.
Honda Racing’s Jason O’Halloran fifth position ahead of Mackenzie, as Hickman couldn’t better his performance of yesterday and ended the session in seventh.
Championship leader Leon Haslam finished eighth quickest aboard the second JG Speedfit machine, ahead of Josh Brookes in ninth as Andrew Irwin rounded out the top 10.
