Tommy Bridewell took the lead in today’s second Bennetts British Superbike free practice as rain fell on a diminished field.
The Oxford Ducati rider was just one of 13 riders who braved conditions as he led Be Wiser Ducati’s Josh Brookes and Ryan Vickers to top the session before chiefs halted action with 10 minutes to go as conditions worsened.
With rain falling over the Lincolnshire circuit and a wet track to contend with, a majority of riders opted to sit out as only nine had hit the track with 10 minutes completed.
RAF Regular and Reserves’ Vickers led the few on circuit with a 1’44, but FP1 leader Josh Brookes was on a charge and he led a pack of three, including Team WD40’s Claudio Corti and EHA man David Allingham in the chase.
But just four laps into his session, Bridewell shot to the top with a 1’41.726 as times continued to tumble.
The Devizes rider dropped to a 1’40.223 as Brookes moved to second, but the Aussie was still over two seconds adrift, leaving Vickers in third.
Italian Corti finished the session fourth just half a second clear of Allingham, who pipped Buildbase Suzuki’s Bradley Ray for fifth.
Silicone Engineering Kawasaki’s Dean Harrison beat fellow roads man Peter Hickman to seventh while Lloyd & Jones’ Joe Francis and Gearlink rider Fraser Rogers completed the top 10.
