Josh Brookes scorched to the quickest lap time of the weekend in this morning’s third Bennetts British Superbike practice while Jason O’Halloran broke up the Ducati domination.
Be Wiser Ducati’s Aussie had led team-mate Scott Redding and fellow V4 pilot Tommy Bridewell for much of the session, before McAMS Yamaha’s O’Halloran spoiled their hopes of a top-three lockout with just seconds remaining in the session.
Riders were straight into the 1’07s with the opening flying laps, but it was 20-year-old Ryan Vickers who set the fastest time of the session, a 1’06.801, as Luke Stapleford slotted into second just 0.020s adrift.
But Brookes stamped his authority seven laps in with a 1’06.780 just minutes before Vickers dumped the front big-style at Redgate as the RAF Regular and Reserves Kawasaki went end-over-end into the gravel.
Back on track, the PBM boys were back on a charge as Brookes clocked the quickest time of the weekend, a 1’06.138, while Redding followed him up the order with a 1’06.359 – just 0.052s faster than the other V4 Panigale of Oxford Racing’s Bridewell.
Yesterday’s pace-setter Keith Farmer hit the deck at Craner with just under nine minutes to go, but the Northern Irishman luckily walked away from his stricken Tyco BMW.
With a late dash just before the chequered flag, McAMS Yamaha’s Jason O’Halloran split the top Ducatis as he slipped into second behind Brookes with a 1’06.224, nudging Redding and Bridewell to third and fourth.
Tarran Mackenzie finished fifth ahead of Buildbase Suzuki’s Luke Stapleford and OMG Suzuki’s Luke Mossey, while Christian Iddon, Honda Racing’s Andrew Irwin and TT-bound Smith’s BMW ace Peter Hickman completed the top 10.
