Aussies make great start to BSB campaign

Friday wrap from day one at Donington

Images Dave Yeomans


The 2020 BSB season finally got underway overnight with the opening practice sessions at Donington Park ahead of this weekend’s season opener at the National Circuit and it was a good start of the Aussie competitors.

Josh Brookes was fourth quickest.

Jason O’Halloran topped the Superbike time-sheets while Josh Brookes was fourth quickest.

In Superstock 1000 South Australia’s Billy McConnell was eighth

In Superstock 1000 South Australia’s Billy McConnell was eighth and countryman Brayden Elliott 22nd while Kiwi Damon Rees was 12th in a huge 42-rider field.

Kiwi Damon Rees was 12th in a huge 42-rider STK1000 field

Ben Currie was sixth in Supersport while Tom Toparis made his debut on the Benro Yamaha in British Supersport and despite no testing was 17th at the end of day one in a field of 34 riders.

Tom Toparis made his debut on the Benro Yamaha in British Supersport and despite no testing was 17th at the end of day one in a field of 34 riders.

In the ranks of Junior Supersport Seth Crump was fourth in a field 33 riders while Levi Day made his return to Ducati TriOptions Cup competition in fifth place.

Levi Day made his return to Ducati TriOptions Cup competition in fifth place.

British Superbike

The Bennetts British Superbike Championship got back on track overnight at Donington Park, where McAMS Yamaha’s Jason O’Halloran topped practice times by 0.019s from Héctor Barberá, as the 2020 season finally got underway.

Jason O’Halloran – P1

It is really nice to be back after such a long wait. We had a really good test last week and to start the first day of the first race weekend of 2020 feels great.  We had a good plan and worked through it and everything seemed to go pretty well. Track temperature was quite high today; we’ve got a few things to work on tomorrow as I am confident we can improve for race one tomorrow afternoon.  I felt comfortable, the last sort of two or three days riding I’ve been feeling really, really good on the bike. I’m so glad it’s finally race day tomorrow, I can’t wait!

Jason O’Halloran topped the Superbike time-sheets

An incredibly close start to this year’s first official event weekend saw the top 16 riders covered by just 0.772s, ahead of tomorrow’s opening race of the season.

Former MotoGP rider Barberá snuck in the second fastest time, just behind O’Halloran, in the final moments of a frenetic session in which Andrew Irwin was also in the mix on the new Honda Racing Fireblade. He had been setting the pace earlier in today’s single session, but he ended third fastest and just 0.195s adrift of the leading Yamaha rider.

Former MotoGP rider Barberá snuck in the second fastest time

Josh Brookes was also shuffling inside the top five during the session and he led the VisionTrack Ducati charge in fourth place, with teammate Christian Iddon in eleventh.

Danny Buchan was fifth fastest for the Massingberd-Mundy Kawasaki team after enjoying a spell at the top of the times earlier in the session. He held off Glenn Irwin on the second of the charging Honda Racing Fireblades and Peter Hickman on the Global Robots BMW, making it six manufacturers in the top seven placings.

Luke Mossey ensured both of the Rich Energy OMG Racing BMWs lapped competitively, ahead of rival BMW contender Alex Olsen, whilst Kyle Ryde completed the top ten for Buildbase Suzuki.

Tomorrow’s opening race of 2020 is preceded by a second free practice session and Datatag Qualifying.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship
Donington Park – Free Practice 1

Pos Rider Bike Time/Gap
1 Jason O’HALLORAN Yamaha  1m06.535
2 Héctor BARBERÁ  BMW +0.019
3 Andrew IRWIN  Honda +0.195
4 Josh BROOKES Ducati +0.354
5 Danny BUCHAN Kawasaki +0.419
6 Glenn IRWIN Honda +0.512
7 Peter HICKMAN BMW +0.544
8 Luke MOSSEY BMW  +0.583
9 Alex OLSEN BMW +0.614
10 Kyle RYDE Suzuki +0.616
11 Christian IDDON Ducati +0.653
12 Joe FRANCIS BMW  +0.683
13 Lee JACKSON Kawasaki +0.725
14 Jack KENNEDY Yamaha +0.737
15 Tommy BRIDEWELL Ducati +0.763
16 Tarran MACKENZIE Yamaha +0.772
17 Bradley RAY BMW +1.059
18 Ryan VICKERS Kawasaki +1.163
19 Keith FARMER  Suzuki +1.346
20 Dan LINFOOT Yamaha +1.760
21 Storm STACEY Kawasaki +2.179
22 Taylor MACKENZIE BMW +2.288
23 Graeme IRWIN Kawasaki  +2.326
24 Josh OWENS Kawasaki +2.565
25 Gino REA Kawasaki +2.636
26 Bjorn ESTMENT BMW  +2.997

Supersport 600 Championship
Donington Park – Combined Practice Times

Pos Rider Bike Time/Gap
1 Rory SKINNER Yamaha 1m08.593
2 James WESTMORELAND Kawasaki +0.512
3 Bradley PERIE Yamaha +0.599
4 Brad JONES Yamaha +0.767
5 Alastair SEELEY ABM Triumph +0.869
6 Ben CURRIE Kawasaki +0.968
7 Harry TRUELOVE Yamaha +0.980
8 Charlie NESBITT ABM Triumph +1.024
9 Richard KERR Triumph +1.115
10 Ross PATTERSON Yamaha +1.162
11 Jack SCOTT Harris +1.192
12 Mason LAW Spirit  +1.301
13 Korie McGREEVY Yamaha  +1.303
14 Lee JOHNSTON Yamaha +1.374
15 Joey THOMPSON Spirit  +1.522
16 Rob HARTOG MV Agusta +1.574
17 Tom TOPARIS Yamaha +1.588
18 Tom OLIVER Chassis Factory  +1.588
19 Jorel BOERBOOM Honda +1.606
20 Kurt WIGLEY Yamaha +1.751
21 Jake ARCHER Kalex +1.763
22 Dan JONES FTR +1.957
23 Tomás DE VRIES Chassis Factory +2.362
24 Cameron HORSMAN Chassis Factory  +2.461
25 Keenan ARMSTRONG Kawasaki +2.980
26 Phil WAKEFIELD Yamaha +2.993
27 Scott SWANN Yamaha +3.091
28 Ben WOTTON Triumph +3.097
29 Ricky TARRAN Yamaha +4.133
30 Matthew WIGLEY MW6R +4.462
31 Jamie PERRIN MV Agusta +5.221
32 Alan NAYLOR Yamaha +5.715

Superstock 1000 Championship
Donington Park – Combined Practice Times

Pos Rider Bike Time/Gap
1 Tom NEAVE Honda 1m08.220
2 Danny KENT Kawasaki +0.033
3 Richard COOPER BMW +0.038
4 Chrissy ROUSE BMW +0.110
5 Lewis ROLLO Aprilia  +0.129
6 Fraser ROGERS Kawasaki  +0.241
7 Luke HEDGER Kawasaki +0.269
8 Billy McCONNELL BMW  +0.305
9 Matt TRUELOVE BMW  +0.311
10 David ALLINGHAM Aprilia +0.324
11 Tim NEAVE Suzuki +0.407
12 Damon REES BMW +0.446
13 Davey TODD Honda +0.643
14 Leon JEACOCK Suzuki +0.715
15 Joe COLLIER Suzuki  +0.717
16 Jordan WEAVING Suzuki  +0.833
17 Shaun WINFIELD Yamaha +0.867
18 Shane RICHARDSON BMW +1.059
19 Joe SHELDON-SHAW Suzuki  +1.070
20 Philip CROWE BMW +1.125
21 Luke HOPKINS Kawasaki +1.186
22 Brayden ELLIOTT Suzuki  +1.234
23 Ian HUTCHINSON BMW  +1.246
24 Craig NEVE BMW  +1.295
25 Rob McNEALY BMW +1.565
26 Luke JONES Aprilia – +1.707
27 Tom TUNSTALL Suzuki +1.723
28 Lee WILLIAMS Kawasaki +1.813
29 Barry TEASDALE Kawasaki +1.854
30 Daniel COOPER BMW +1.931
31 Josh ELLIOTT Kawasaki  +2.053
32 Michael DUNLOP Suzuki  +2.294
33 Dean HARRISON Kawasaki +2.735
34 Josh WOOD Kawasaki  +2.970
35 Jenny TINMOUTH BMW  +3.042
36 David BROOK BMW +3.557
37 Ben BROADWAY Aprilia +3.681
38 Robert HODSON Kawasaki  +3.727
39 Rick DICKINSON BMW +3.769
40 Nico CIPRIANO Kawasaki  +3.871
41 Stephen SMITH BMW +4.394
2020 BSB Calendar

Source: MCNews.com.au

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *