Storm Stacey Sets the Pace on Friday at Knockhill in BSB Combined Practice

Storm Stacey Sets the Benchmark on Day One at Knockhill

Storm Stacey laid down a marker on Friday at Knockhill, topping the timesheets with a blistering lap during the opening Free Practice session — a time that would go unbeaten throughout the day’s running.

Piloting the Bathams AJN Racing BMW, Stacey looked sharp from the first laps of Free Practice One, setting a quick time early in the session and then consolidating his position as the day progressed. Despite warmer afternoon conditions and a more rubbered-in track for Free Practice Two, no one in the field managed to topple Stacey’s pace-setting lap.

Danny Kent also held firm in second place thanks to his strong showing in the morning session aboard the McAMS Yamaha. Like Stacey, Kent’s best effort came in FP1, and despite several attempts by rivals to improve in FP2, his time remained good enough for the runner-up spot at the end of the day.

The first major shift in the order came courtesy of veteran racer and double British Superbike Champion Josh Brookes. The DAO Racing Honda rider made steady progress throughout Friday and eventually slotted into third place overall with an improved lap in the afternoon. Brookes looked more comfortable in FP2, finding additional pace as the team fine-tuned the setup on his CBR1000RR-R.

Championship leader Bradley Ray had a more measured start to the day, sitting outside the top ten in the morning, but the returning BSB star found his rhythm in the second session. With a stronger run in FP2, Ray climbed to fourth overall, marking a significant step forward in pace as he prepares for Saturday’s qualifying.

Rounding out the top five was Christian Iddon, the AJN Steelstock Kawasaki rider who remained quietly consistent across both sessions. Iddon, no stranger to the Knockhill circuit, kept things tidy and delivered another solid result as he continues to build momentum.

Lee Jackson, Brookes’ DAO Racing Honda teammate, also impressed with a sixth-place finish at the end of the day. While not quite matching Brookes’ outright speed, Jackson was just three spots behind, showing promising pace of his own on the factory Honda.

Seventh place went to home favourite Rory Skinner, who ended the day as the fastest Ducati rider on the grid. The Scottish ace, riding the Cheshire Mouldings Ducati Panigale V4 R, was cheered on by local fans and looked increasingly settled as the day wore on. His performance in front of the Knockhill faithful added an extra layer of excitement to Friday’s action.

Tommy Bridewell closed out the day in eighth aboard his Honda Racing UK entry. The experienced rider showed consistent form throughout and will be aiming to close the gap further come Saturday’s qualifying. He was closely followed by fellow Honda runner Fraser Rogers, who slotted into ninth with a late flyer in FP2 that helped boost his standing.

Completing the top ten was 2018 British Superbike Champion Leon Haslam. The Moto Rapido Ducati rider struggled to find his groove early in the day but made tangible progress in the second session. His late-session improvement saw him edge his way into the top ten — a promising sign heading into the weekend’s competitive sessions.

As the sun set on Friday’s proceedings, the stage was set for a dramatic and closely contested weekend at Knockhill. With only fractions separating the front-runners and unpredictable weather always a factor in Scotland, Saturday’s qualifying promises to be every bit as thrilling as the opening day’s action.