Shane 'Shakey' Byrne remained at the top of the times following the second free practice session at Thruxton this afternoon, stealing the advantage from Swan Yamaha's Tommy Hill in the final five minutes to put the HM Plant Honda fastest.

Byrne had topped the morning session and led for the opening ten minutes of the session with Hill in second, but the Swan Yamaha rider lapped faster ten minutes into second practice to move ahead of the championship leader. Byrne remained second until the final five minutes when he retook the top spot with Hill remaining second fastest at the end of the session.

Byrne said after the session:

"I think we are in a similar position to everyone else today. Straight out the box the HM Plant Honda worked well and I am feeling pretty happy really. The bike is agile, in some places this morning a little too agile so we have calmed the girl down, changed the shock and the ride height and now we are just trying to get the most out of the Pirelli tyres. I really love this place and riding the HM Plant Honda at real speed is great fun so I just want to have a good qualifying so we can be up there in the race on Monday."

Michael Laverty was third fastest on the second Swan Yamaha as he climbed the order in the final 25 minutes of the session following a steady start; he swapped places with Peter Hickman in the early stages but he was able to put himself just behind his team-mate at the end of the opening day.

James Westmoreland had his best session of the season so far setting the fourth fastest time on the leading Motorpoint Yamaha in fourth, moving ahead of Hickman with less than ten minutes remaining. Loris Baz was still getting to grips with the new track and he was just outside the top ten in twelfth place.

Samsung Crescent Racing's John Hopkins was sixth fastest ahead of the Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducatis of Martin Jessopp and Michael Rutter with Jon Kirkham ninth despite a crash at Goodwood in the final two minutes, although he was unhurt. WFR Honda's Glen Richards also crashed at the same section just before the Samsung Crescent Racing rider. Ian Lowry on the Buildbase BMW rounded out the top ten with his strongest showing of the season so far.

Josh Brookes and the Relentless Suzuki team were seventeenth as they tested new parts, whilst reigning champion Ryuichi Kiyonari was also outside the top ten in fourteenth. Alex Lowes was thirteenth fastest in only his second session with the MSS Colchester Kawasaki team.

Graeme Gowland was the fastest of the Mirror.co.uk BSB Evo riders on his return from injury for WFR Honda ahead of Simon Andrews.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Thruxton, free practice two:

Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) 1m:15.248s
Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) +0.270s
Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) +0.700s
James Westmoreland (Motorpoint Yamaha) +0.791s
Peter Hickman (Tyco Honda) +0.857s
John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing) +0.904s
Martin Jessopp (Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati) +0.940s
Michael Rutter (Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati) +1.032s
Jon Kirkham (Samsung Crescent Racing) +1.090s
Ian Lowry (Buildbase BMW) +1.156s