News 19 Apr 2014

Byrne claims bragging rights in Brands Hatch BSB prelude

Shane Byrne tops final pre-season test ahead of round one.

Source: British Superbike Championship

Source: British Superbike Championship

British Superbike Championship (BSB) title favourite Shane Byrne has topped the hour-long prelude to the highly-anticipated season opener at Brands Hatch this Easter long weekend.

The Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki headed the 32-rider field at the conclusion of the test session, lapping 0.125 seconds clear of Australia’s Josh Brookes who is making his first official outing for new team Milwaukee Yamaha.

Brookes was the pacesetter for much of the session, trading fast laps with Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki’s Stuart Easton before Byrne recovered with a late charge to the top.

Llyods British GBmoto Kawasaki’s Chris Walker was a close fourth, just 0.312 seconds off the leader’s pace, with Ryuichi Kiyonari starting strongly in fifth for new team Buildbase BMW Motorrad.

A 0.984-second margin separated positions one through 16, with Josh Waters only 1.033 seconds off the pace yet finding himself mid-pack in 17th.

2014 marks Waters’ second year in the BSB ranks, returning this season on more familiar machinery in the Suzuki GSX-R1000 with the Tyco Suzuki outfit.

Fellow Aussie Mitchell Carr made a strong start to his BSB campaign, registering the 20th-quickest time aboard the Anvil Hire TAG Racing Kawasaki, only 1.267 seconds off the top time.

In the Supersport ranks it was MarTrain Yamaha heavyweight Alistair Seeley on top of the times, 0.052 seconds clear of Profile Racing Triumph’s Luke Stapleford and a further 0.034 ahead of Smiths Triumph’s Graeme Gowland.

Aussie Billy McConnell was a competitive fourth, only a touch over a tenth shy of Seeley’s Pace, with a fourth Triumph – Luke Mossey – filling out the top five in class.

In the Superstock 1000 class test it was Jason O’Halloran for the factory Honda effort leading the way in the second split session, with the Aussie setting the second-fastest time on combined results behind Danny Buchan.

The Superstock 600 class made an early start to proceedings, holding its first free practice session on Friday.

Andy Reid led the way for FFX Yamaha, with Australia’s Levi Day impressing with third-fastest aboard his CPE Motorsport Kawasaki ZX-6R. Ben Currie ran eighth on the Moto-Breakers Kawasaki, with James Mutton 24th for MWR Kawasaki.

Track activity continues tomorrow with further free practice sessions ahead of qualifying.

2014 British Superbike Championship
Round one, Brands Hatch

Superbike test results:
1. Shane BYRNE 45.785
2. Josh BROOKES 45.910
3. Stuart EASTON 46.016
4. Chris WALKER 46.097
5. Ryuichi KIYONARI 46.330
6. John HOPKINS 46.345
7. Simon ANDREWS 46.424
8. James WESTMORELAND 46.425
9. Jakub SMRZ 46.478
10. Dan LINFOOT 46.539
17. 12 Josh WATERS (AUS) 46.818
20. Mitchell CARR (AUS) 47.052

Supersport test results:
1. Alistair SEELEY 46.783
2. Luke STAPLEFORD 46.835
3. Graeme GOWLAND 46.869
4. Billy McCONNELL 46.889
5. Luke MOSSEY 47.121
6. Luke HEDGER 47.272
7. Samuel HORNSEY 47.427
8. Taylor MACKENZIE 47.484
9. Jake DIXON 47.572
10. Glenn IRWIN 47.590

Click here for detailed results

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