Bradley Ray was back on top of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship Free Practice times as the title fight reaches the TT Circuit Assen for the start of the Showdown.
The Raceways Yamaha rider held off Hager PBM Ducati’s Scott Redding at the top of the times by 0.099s, with the top 12 covered by just 0.979s ahead of tomorrow’s Bandero Café Shoot Out Qualifying and opening race.
Ray’s pace-setting time came on his final lap of the second Free Practice session, keeping him ahead of Redding as the pair lapped with the existing circuit lap record, with McAMS Racing Yamaha’s Danny Kent completing the top three.
Tommy Bridewell fought back to fourth for Honda Racing UK, edging ahead of Leon Haslam, the rider with the most Bennetts BSB race wins of the current grid at the legendary circuit.
Charlie Nesbitt was able to hold off reigning champion Kyle Ryde by 0.003s to take seventh place ahead of his Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha and Rory Skinner. John McPhee and Max Cook were also separated by a narrow margin of just 0.002s in tenth and eleventh positions with Glenn Irwin completing the 12 riders directly through to tomorrow’s Bandero Café Shoot Out Qualifying 2 session.
Ryde leads the standings by 28 points from Ray ahead of tomorrow’s opening Bennetts British Superbike Championship Showdown clash at the TT Circuit Assen.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, TT Circuit Assen, combined Free Practice results:
- Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha) 1m:36.186s
- Scott Redding (Hager PBM Ducati) +0.099s
- Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) +0.362s
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +0.503s
- Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Ducati Racing) +0.597s
- Christian Iddon (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) +0.763s
- Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +0.807s
- Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha) +0.810s
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Ducati) +0.855s
- John McPhee (MasterMac Honda) +0.936s
- Max Cook (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) +0.938s
- Glenn Irwin (Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha) +0.979s
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
BRADLEY RAY – RACEWAYS YAMAHA
“It is always nice coming back to the circuit here in Assen. I have been fortunate that I have been here recently in the World Championship, but today it was nice being here on a BSB spec Yamaha.
“I felt good straight away and back up to speed in FP1, we had a few different things different on the bike compared to Donington Park. We have reset after Donington and the bike feels like my bike again and we worked hard today to be in the window of where we need to be.
“All-in-all it has been a positive day and I am happy. I have been riding well and I am still the same Brad that was there at the start of the year, but this weekend we have ironed out the little niggles and problems.
“I want to thank Steve and the Raceways team for all their hard work to bring me into the Showdown with the best possible package. We are up there, fast and it’s time to put the work in overnight and see if we can find something again for tomorrow.”