Scott Swann (Swann Racing Honda) emerged as the pace-setter during Friday’s practice sessions at Thruxton Circuit, as the Pirelli National Superstock with Moneybarn Vehicle Finance series began its seventh round of the 2024 season. The riders faced challenging conditions with high temperatures and Thruxton’s notoriously abrasive surface, providing a stern test of both skill and machine management.

Practice Sessions Breakdown

Free Practice 1

The morning session saw Luke Mossey (Milenco by Padgetts Motorcycles Honda) set the early benchmark with a lap time of 1:15.954. Tom Oliver (Armada Marine Cables Racing Honda) and Scott Swann followed closely, with less than a second covering the top three.

Free Practice 2

As track conditions evolved in the afternoon, lap times improved significantly. Scott Swann leapt to the top of the timesheets with a blistering 1:15.688, while Luke Mossey maintained strong form in second. Davey Todd (Cheshire Mouldings BMW by TAS Racing) made a significant jump to third, showcasing the progress made in bike setup and adapting to the track conditions.

Combined Practice Results

The combined classification from both sessions confirmed Scott Swann’s supremacy, followed closely by Luke Mossey and Tom Oliver. Shaun Winfield (TAG Racing Honda) and Davey Todd completed the top five, highlighting the competitive nature of the Superstock field.

Adapting to Thruxton’s Unique Challenges

Thruxton’s distinctive characteristics – its abrasive surface and long, high-speed sections – presented a significant challenge for riders and teams. The sessions saw them working diligently to find the optimal balance between outright speed and tyre preservation, crucial for success in the longer race distances.

Notable Performances

• Josh Owens (IN Competition / SENCAT Aprilia) showed strong improvement, jumping from 10th in FP1 to 7th in the combined standings, demonstrating the potential of the Aprilia package.

• Joe Talbot (SAF INTRADISC Honda by JR Performance) maintained consistent pace, finishing 8th overall and showcasing his adaptability to the challenging circuit.
• Kam Dixon (Kam Dixon Racing Yamaha) made significant progress, moving up from 13th in FP1 to 11th overall, highlighting the ongoing development work.
• Sam Cox (Armada Marine Cables Racing) made a remarkable leap from 18th in FP1 to 10th in the combined standings, showing strong improvement as the day progressed.

Manufacturer Variety

While Honda dominated the top positions, the presence of BMW, Aprilia, and Yamaha in the top 15 underscores the competitive nature of the Superstock class and the different strengths each manufacturer brings to the unique Thruxton layout.

Looking Ahead

With temperatures expected to remain high throughout the weekend, Saturday’s qualifying session and the subsequent race will test the riders’ ability to manage their machines and tyres over longer distances. The stage is set for an exciting battle for pole position, with Scott Swann looking to convert his Friday dominance into a strong grid position for Sunday’s race.

As teams and riders analyse data and fine-tune their setups overnight, the Thruxton crowd can anticipate more thrilling Superstock action as these skilled competitors tackle the challenges of this fast and flowing Hampshire circuit under the scorching sun.