BMW’s Chaz Davies jumped to the top of the timesheets late in WSBK qualifying in Germany.

BMW Motorrad GoldBet’s Chaz Davies emerged fastest following the first day of track running at the Nurburgring as the World Superbike Championshipship roared back into life after its summer break.

Davies delivered a 1m55.034 lap as first qualifying to a close, edging out Kawasaki Racing Team’s Tom Sykes who had occupied the top spot for much of the session.

There was a flurry of activity in the closing stages as a number of positions changed at the top of the time sheets. Michel Fabrizio was a solid third on the Red Devils Roma Aprilia, holding off factory counterparts, with Leon Camier on the FIXI Crescent Suzuki fourth and PATA Honda’s Jonathan Rea fifth.

Points leader Sylvain Guintoli was sixth, around half-a-second off Davies’ pace, with Silverstone race winner Loris Baz had managed to run behind teammate Sykes in second for much of the session but found himself displaced to seventh in the last few minutes.

Leon Haslam, Eugene Laverty and Marco Melandri rounded out the 10. Carlos Checa day came to a premature end when he crashed his Ducati Alstare machine on his first lap, not able to register a result.

Mark Aitchison returns for Team Pedercini this weekend, and was a solid 16th fastest.

Sam Lowes topped World Supersport qualifying from Kenan Sofuoglu, with the pair the clear class pacesetters. Fabien Foret was third, though half-a-second behind, with Vladimir Leonvo fourth and Lorenzo Zanetti fifth.

Wildcard Jed Metcher was the fastest Aussie, recording the 25th fastest time on his Team Mayer Suzuki. Matt Davies was 33rd on his PTR Honda, with Mitchell Carr 36th on the AARK Racing Triumph.

In the World Superstock ranks it was Sylvain Barrier leading the way in the 1000cc category, with Alessandro Nocco fastest in 600cc trim. Sole Aussie Adrian Nestorovic rounded out the opening day in 23rd.

Javier Orellana was the quickest European Junior Cup rider in free practice, with Aussie Zac Levy in 28th.

2013 World Superbike Championship
Round 10 – Nurburgring, Germany

Superbike qualifying one:
1. Chaz Davies 1m55.034
2. Tom Sykes 1m55.051
3. Michel Fabrizio 1m55.142
4. Leon Camier 1m55.342
5. Jonathan Rea 1m55.434
6. Sylvain Guintoli 1m55.609
7. Loris Baz 1m55.648
8. Leon Haslam 1m55.683
9. Eugene Laverty 1m55.691
10. Marco Melandri 1m55.705
11. Jules Cluzel 1m55.990
12. Davide Giugliano 1m56.157
13. Markus Reiterberger 1m56.362
14. Ayrton Badovini 1m56.389
15. Max Neukirchner 1m56.552
16. Mark Aitchison 1m57.285
17. Matej Smrz 1m57.310
18. Federico Sandi 1m57.939
19. Vittorio Iannuzzo 1m58.837

Supersport qualifying one:
1. Sam Lowes 1m58.993
2. Kenan Sofuoglu 1m59.107
3. Fabien Foret 1m59.433
4. Vladimir Leonov 1m59.677
5. Lorenzo Zanetti 1m59.686
6. Jack Kennedy 1m59.701
7. Kev Coghlan 1m59.748
8. Ronan Quarmby 1m59.786
9. Roberto Tamburini 1m59.828
10. Christian Iddon 1m59.878
11. David Salom 1m59.895
12. Michael Vd Mark 2m00.100
13. Luca Scassa 2m00.264
14. Roberto Rolfo 2m00.327
15. Florian Marino 2m00.354
16. Riccardo Russo 2m00.514
17. Leon Bovee 2m00.640
18. Alex Baldolini 2m00.729
19. Raffaele De Rosa 2m00.762
20. Stefan Kerschbaumer 2m00.932
25. Jed Metcher (AUS) 2m01.212
33. Matt Davies (AUS) 2m03.011
36. Mitchell Carr (AUS) 2m03.628

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