Jack Scott took pole position for this afternoon’s Quattro Group British Supersport & GP2 Championship race at Thruxton, the JJ Racing Harris runner getting the better of fellow GP2 Cup rider Charlie Nesbitt (RS Racing Kalex) by just 0.005s. Championship leader Jack Kennedy upheld the Supersport honour in third on the HEL Performance/Bournemouth Kawasaki.

Korie McGreevy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) was the early pace setter from Bradley Perie (Appleyard Macadam Yamaha) and Jamie Perrin (Spirit Motocorsa) after lapping at 1’18.261s but eight minutes into the session, it was Lee Johnston’s turn to take over the top spot, the Ashcourt Racing Yamaha man just 0.013s ahead of fellow countryman McGreevy.

Perie was only a further 0.035s adrift and, indeed, times were tight across the board as, ten minutes into the session, just 0.180s covered the top six. That changed two minutes later though as Perrin took control with a 1’18.092s to put him 0.156s clear with Johnston, McGreevy, Perie and Kennedy now the running order.

Nesbitt then joined Perrin at the top echelons of the leaderboard to again give the GP2 Cup machines the advantage, the duo only separated by 0.049s despite drops of rain being reported in sectors 1 and 2.

However, it was then Kyle Smith’s turn to impress and having gone quickest in two of the three sectors, he shot up from seventh to go first, a lap of 1’18.060s on the Dynavolt Triumph giving him a slender advantage of 0.032s over Perrin.

It was changing all the time though as firstly Nesbitt bettered the time with the first sub 1’18s lap, 1’17.990s, only for Smith to retaliate instantly with a 1’17.885s.

However, they were both upstaged by Kennedy whose lap of 1’17.429s gave him a healthy gap of 0.456s over Smith. That was quickly halved though by Perie who moved into second only for Scott to take over the position with a lap of 1’17.666s.

Not to be outdone, Perrin then got to within 0.043s of Kennedy’s time and he pushed Scott and Perie back to third and fourth respectively. He wasn’t done there either as two pink sectors sent him back to the top of the leaderboard, a tenth ahead of Kennedy.

The closing minutes saw a late flurry of action though as firstly Nesbitt and then Scott went to the back of the timesheets, the only two riders under 1’17s and it was the latter who held on for a well deserved pole position.

It looked like Perrin would make it three GP2 Cup machines in the top three but Kennedy ensured that wouldn’t be the case as he took third and the final front row spot on his last lap.

Perrin took fourth ahead of Perie and his team-mate Rhys Irwin who was enjoying his best showing of the season thus far. Smith had to settle for seventh ahead of McGreevy, Johnston and Ben Currie (Gearlink Kawasaki).

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