Combined Free Practice 1/2 times at Cadwell Park
Tommy Bridewell goes over the Mountain at Cadwell Park
Tommy Bridewell heads into the opening Bennetts British Superbike Championship race day at Cadwell Park as the man to beat after topping FP2.
The Oxford Products Racing Ducati rider posted the only 1:25 lap-time of the day, recording a 1:25.989 to pip Bradley Ray to top spot by 0.035s. Moments after setting the fastest lap, Bridewell had a fall at Mountain Bottom, but both rider and bike suffered no damage. Bridewell is running a new factory swingarm this weekend.
Danny Buchan enjoyed a much-needed positive day in third spot and was only a further 0.065s adrift of Bridewell’s best lap-time.
Local hero Lee Jackson was the quickest Kawasaki rider in fourth, with Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Racing teammate Rory Skinner just behind him in fifth. The Scot returns to BSB following his Moto2 wildcard appearance at the Red Bull Ring, Austria, last weekend.
Andrew Irwin ensured that both SYNETIQ BMW riders ended the day inside the top six, finishing ahead of Leon Haslam. Championship leader Jason O’Halloran was eighth, ahead of surprise package Takumi Takahashi, who was as high as third at one stage.
Christian Iddon completed the top 10, whilst Ryan Vickers and Tarran Mackenzie clinched the final two automatic Superpole Qualifying spots.
Mackenzie missed races two and three at Cadwell Park last season after clipping the grass between the hairpin and Barn Corner and consequently being thrown over his handlebars during the opening race. The eventual BSB champion broke two fingers as a result and opted to miss the remainder of the weekend.
This weekend sees a change to the traditional qualifying format, with the one-lap Superpole shootout making its return. The top 12 from Saturday will be joined by the top three in tomorrow’s opening, regular, qualifying session. Each rider will then get just one flying lap to get it right and qualify high up the grid.
Two-time 2021 Cadwell Park winner Peter Hickman will need to go through that opening qualifying session after ending the opening day in 13th. Ryo Mizuno was next for Honda Racing UK, whilst Glenn Irwin (15th), Tom Sykes (16th), Josh Brookes (17th) and Kyle Ryde (18th) all have plenty of work to do as well.
Danny Kent and Lincolnshire’s own Tom Neave completed the top 20. Elsewhere, 2014 Moto2 World Champion Tito Rabat is back for his second BSB outing, posting a personal best lap-time of 1:29.713 in FP1.
Tomorrow’s (August 28) opening qualifying session is due to begin at 13:30, with the Superpole session following at 14:00. The opening race of the weekend will then take place at 16:30.
