Karl Harris set the pace as many of the top riders in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship tested at the Cadwell Park circuit, in Lincolnshire, which hosts the eleventh round, on Bank Holiday Monday, 28 August.

The HM Plant Honda rider registered a best time of 1m 28.259secs, an average speed of 88.920mph around this demanding circuit with its undulations and tight turns, to be running just outside the outright record despite the changeable damp and dry going.

Harris, denied maiden victory in the top flight in last Sunday's second race at Croft by a split second, worked hard on the settings of his bike, running consistently quickly across the first two sessions, and then proving the man for all conditions in the wet final period when his lap of 1m 37.505secs was some two and a half seconds better than the rest.

The Honda team is based in nearby Louth, and their riders are keen to give nothing away in the forthcoming round which could be crucial in the outcome of the title chase - Ryuichi Kiyonari, the leader, but by only three points, ran impressively, setting the best time, 1m 28.542secs in the first session, but not improving as they day progressed, and then turned wet and stormy.

Jonathan Rea, riding the Red Bull Honda, was third fastest overall, lapping in 1m 29.100secs, despite taking a hish speed tumble at Charlies corner, while Shane Byrne, who enjoyed a winning double at this circuit in his title winning year put in a 1m 29.258secs lap aboard his Rizla Suzuki.

Tommy Hill, who scored his first Superbike victory in the corresponding round last year, closed in on them with a time of 1m 29.334secs aboard his Virgin Mobile Yamaha, running half a second up on his team-mate Tommy Hill.

Steve Plater, who deputised for the injured James Haydon aboard the Rizla Suzuki, tested for them, with a best lap of 1m 30.091secs, while Glen Richards was some three quarters of a second down for Hydrex Honda.

But, Airwaves Ducati riders Leon Haslam and Gregorio Lavilla, second and third in the title chase, were not present in the test sessions.

ends