Ryuichi Kiyonari clipped a tenth of a second off the Knockhill circuit lap record to head off the determined challenges coming in from four rising stars of British racing during free practice ahead of the seventh round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship. The Japanese rider, who, defending his title, heads the standings by a single point from Gregorio Lavilla, had to settle for second best during the morning session in which his HM Plant Honda team-mate Jonathan Rea eclipsed him.
The 20 year old Ballyclare, fresh from his maiden victory in the top flight last time out at Mondello Park, was quickly into rhythm and putting in a series of consistent laps despite pain from a knee injury sustained last week in a mountain bike tumble.
Rea put in a best time then of 48.429secs around the 1.2713 mile Scottish circuit, with Kiyonari running 0.072secs down but the tables were turned in the afternoon.
Kiyonari put in a lap at an average speed of 94.69mph as he prepared for what he hopes will be an action replay of his victory here of last term and that time of 48.334secs nosed him ahead of Rea.
Leon Haslam, riding the Airwaves Ducati that powered him to a seasonal first success in Ireland, ran third best, just a quarter of a second down and he is confident that he can improve on his brace of third places from the corresponding round of last year.
Leon Camier, riding the Bike Animal, was strong in fourth place on the leaderboard with a best lap of 48.725secs, just ahead of the fast maturing Tom Sykes riding the Stobart Vent-Axia Motorsport Honda.
Lavilla, who is bidding to end his Scottish jinx this weekend, ran sixth best with a lap of 48.825secs, and is aiming for positive results after his ill-fortune of last term. I had a really disappointing time then. This is the only circuit on the calendar that I have never won at but I will not be thinking about that too much.
“I want to be up there fighting for the podium spots in the races. I am not really thinking about the championship yet; we are only just reaching the half way point in the season and there is still a long way to go, I just want to focus on getting good results.”
Shane Byrne, second in each of the Mondello race, ran seventh, 48.842secs, ahead of the Rizla Suzuki duo of Chris Walker and Cal Crutchlow with Dean Thomas, despite a tumble, completing the top ten aboard his Samsung Suzuki.
Tommy Hill was the best of the Virgin Media Optoma Loans Yamaha riders, running eleventh, two places up on Hudson Kennaugh, with Hydrex Honda rider Karl Harris sandwiched between them while the local favourite, former British Supersport champion Stuart Easton had to settle for fourteenth best, 49.855secs, aboard the Isilon MSS Kawasaki.
James Buckingham, the leader of the British Superbike Cup, set the pace in the privateers category with a lap of 50.152secs aboard his Quay Garage Honda, two tenths up on THR Honda’s Tristan Palmer.
Top Ten Free Practice Times:1. R Kiyonari - HM Plant Honda 48.334secs, 94.69mph
2. J Rea - HM Plant Honda 48.439
3. L Haslam - Airwaves Ducati 45.586
4. L Camier - Bike Animal Honda 48.725
5. T Sykes - Stobart Honda 48.782
6. G Lavilla - Airwaves Ducati 48.825
7. S Byrne - Stobart Honda 48.842
8. C Walker - Rizla Suzuki 49.216
9. C Crutchlow - Rizla Suzuki 49.303
10. D Thomas - Samsung Suzuki 49.414
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