Crutchlow Fastest Ahead, Haslam second
- From: TRS Media | Published: April 19th, 2008 - 7:43 am
Cal Crutchlow underlined his determination to enjoy maiden race winning glory in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship by comfortably heading the free practice leaderboard at the wind-swept Thruxton in Hampshire.
The HM Plant Honda rider had been on the pace throughout, upping the tempo in the afternoon session to send a warning to his rivals ahead of what will be opening race action in the country’s premier racing series.
“I’m pleased with the lap time but I have to be consistent and we are working on the machine set-up to achieve that,” said the 22 year old Coventry rider. “It is so open here, and the strong wind is difficult, but the gusts made things worse.
“It meant changing my style a little, but things are good, and having had a pole start at Croft last season, I am hoping to replicate that and then have two good podium finishes in the races.”
Crutchlow’s team-mate Leon Haslam could, however, upset those plans. He ran a little over half a second down, with a time of 1m 15.652secs, commenting: “I’m getting the times that I wanted to and have also done a full race distance runs, working on the tires. I just need to find a bit more consistency.”
Karl Harris, like Crutchlow a former winner of the British Supersport title, was third best aboard the Rob Mac Yamaha. He had topped the times during the morning, and then bettered that lap by half a second, illustrating his competitiveness.
Former champion, and pole starter for the snow aborted Brands Hatch round, Shane Byrne, riding the Airwaves Ducati, set the fourth best time, 1m 15.970secs, running just ahead of Tom Sykes aboard the locally prepared Rizla Suzuki.
“It is very abrasive so it has good grip but is hard on tires,” said the Huddersfield rider, adding: “It is my team’s home round so I will be trying my hardest.”
Michael Rutter ran him close, lapping in 1m 16.152secs aboard the NorthWest 200 Ducati with Stuart Easton (MSS Discovery Kawasaki) and Simon Edwards riding the Lloyds British Jentin Yamaha in close contention.
John Laverty, riding the BuildbaseNW200 Ducati, topped the Daily Star qualifiers, recording a best lap in 1m 17.183secs, to be marginally faster than his brother Michael, riding the championship class Relentless Suzuki.
Aussie Billy McConnell and Leon Camier completed the top twelve with Chris Burns riding the STP MV Agusta a further two places back, but the second of the Cup – a race within a race for Independent teams and riders – qualifiers.
Steve Mercer, three quarters of a second down on Burns, headed the next pack of Cup qualifiers: James Buckingham, Malcolm Ashley and Michael Howarth.
Bennetts British Superbikes on track:
Saturday 19 April
10.25-11.15 Free Practice
14.15-15.05 ‘Swan Combi 50 Roll for Pole’ Qualifying for Bennetts British Superbikes
Sunday 20 April
10.50-11.05 Warm-up practice
13.00 Race one 20 laps
15.30 Race two 20 laps
British Superbikes – Thruxton 1st Free Practice
1 – Karl Harris – Yamaha – Team Yamaha – 1:16.228
2 – Shane Byrne – Ducati – Airwaves Ducati – 1:16.317
3 – Leon Haslam – Honda – HM Plant Honda – 1:16.423
4 – Cal Crutchlow – Honda – HM Plant Honda – 1:16.732
5 – Tom Sykes – Suzuki – Rizla Suzuki – 1:16.895
6 – Michael Rutter – Ducati – North West 200 Ducati – 1:16.926
7 – Leon Camier – Ducati – Airwaves Ducati – 1:17.577
8 – Tristan Palmer – Honda – Tena for Men Honda – 1:17.593
9 – Simon Andrews – Yamaha – Jentin Racing / Lloyds British – 1:17.601
10 – Stuart Easton – Kawasaki – MSS Discovery Kawasaki – 1:17.972
11 – John Laverty – Ducati – Buildbase NW200 Ducati – 1:18.088
12 – Adam Jenkinson – Honda – SMT Honda – 1:18.523
13 – Michael Laverty – Suzuki – Relentless Suzuki by TAS – 1:18.559
14 – Scott Smart – Kawasaki – Hawk Racing – 1:18.561
15 – Billy McConnell – Kawasaki – MSS Discovery Kawasaki – 1:18.721
16 – Sean Emmett – Yamaha – AIM Racing – 1:18.953
17 – Steve Mercer – Yamaha – Bob Farnham Tuning / Sondel – 1:19.325
18 – David Johnson – Honda – Team MAXXIS – 1:19.520
19 – Atsushi Watanabe – Suzuki – Rizla Suzuki – 1:19.629
20 – Chris Burns – MV Agusta – STP Superbike – 1:19.650
21 – Aaron Zanotti – Honda – Red Viper Racing – 1:19.694
22 – James Buckingham – Honda – Quay Garage – 1:19.853
23 – James Ellison – Honda – Hydrex Bike Animal Honda – 1:19.940
24 – Malcolm Ashley – Kawasaki – ARP / MAR – 1:20.061
25 – Dean Ellison – Yamaha – Co-ordit Racing – 1:20.295
26 – Tom Tunstall – Honda – Hardinge – Ice Valley Motorsport – 1:20.751
27 – Martin Jessopp – Honda – Riders Racing – 1:20.864
28 – Michael Howarth – Honda – Tena for Men Honda – 1:21.146
29 – Leon Morris – Ducati – Team Trimrite Brookspeed – 1:21.469
30 – Luke Quigley – Suzuki – PDM Racing – 1:22.009
31 – Brian McCormack – Honda – MAC Racing – 1:23.103
32 – Guy Martin – Honda – Hydrex Bike Animal Honda -
British Superbikes – Thruxton 2nd Free Practice
1 – Cal Crutchlow – Honda – HM Plant Honda – 1:15.071
2 – Leon Haslam – Honda – HM Plant Honda – 1:15.652
3 – Karl Harris – Yamaha – Team Yamaha – 1:15.792
4 – Shane Byrne – Ducati – Airwaves Ducati – 1:15.970
5 – Tom Sykes – Suzuki – Rizla Suzuki – 1:16.111
6 – Michael Rutter – Ducati – North West 200 Ducati – 1:16.152
7 – Stuart Easton – Kawasaki – MSS Discovery Kawasaki – 1:16.690
8 – Simon Andrews – Yamaha – Jentin Racing / Lloyds British – 1:16.971
9 – John Laverty – Ducati – Buildbase NW200 Ducati – 1:17.183
10 – Michael Laverty – Suzuki – Relentless Suzuki by TAS – 1:17.203
11 – Billy McConnell – Kawasaki – MSS Discovery Kawasaki – 1:17.274
12 – Leon Camier -Ducati – Airwaves Ducati -1:17.371
13 – Adam Jenkinson – Honda – SMT Honda – 1:17.573
14 – Chris Burns – MV Agusta – STP Superbike – 1:17.734
15 – Tristan Palmer – Honda – Tena for Men Honda – 1:17.820
16 – Scott Smart – Kawasaki – Hawk Racing – 1:17.966
17 – James Ellison – Honda – Hydrex Bike Animal Honda – 1:18.191
18 – Dean Ellison – Yamaha – Co-ordit Racing – 1:18.196
19 – Atsushi Watanabe – Suzuki – Rizla Suzuki – 1:18.243
20 – David Johnson – Honda – Team MAXXIS – 1:18.269
21 – Sean Emmett – Yamaha – AIM Racing – 1:18.286
22 – Steve Mercer – Yamaha – Bob Farnham Tuning / Sondel – 1:18.591
23 – James Buckingham – Honda – Quay Garage – 1:18.687
24 – Malcolm Ashley – Kawasaki – ARP / MAR – 1:18.702
25 – Michael Howarth – Honda – Tena for Men Honda – 1:19.133
26 – Guy Martin – Honda – Hydrex Bike Animal Honda – 1:19.448
27 – Tom Tunstall -Honda – Hardinge – Ice Valley Motorsport -1:19.453
28 – Martin Jessopp – Honda – Riders Racing – 1:19.650
29 – Aaron Zanotti – Honda – Red Viper Racing – 1:19.673
30 – Leon Morris – Ducati – Team Trimrite Brookspeed – 1:20.575
31 – Brian Mccormack – Honda – MAC Racing – 1:21.624
