Jonathan Rea is threatening to upset the three way duel for the Bennetts British Superbike crown by winning the tenth round at the Croft circuit in North Yorkshire.

The Red Bull Honda rider dominated opening practice, shattering the record, as he shrugged aside the blustery conditions, powering in a 95.69mph lap, as he dialled himself in for a first victory in the top flight.

His best lap of the 2.127 mile circuit came in 1m 20.018secs, and the 19 year old from Ballyclare is promising more of the same as the weekend progresses: “I enjoy riding the circuit - it suits my style and there is no reason why I cannot go well in the races here.”

Rea came close to victory at Knockhill, and he is relaxed and confident in his approach to these races and that could spell problems for the three riders, Ryuichi Kiyonari, Leon Haslam and reigning champion Gregorio Lavilla, who are separated by only 14 points as they go into the final third of the season.

Haslam, riding Airwaves Ducati, closed within a quarter of a second of Rea at the top of the leaderboard, and like the teenage Ulsterman, he is desperate for a first taste of the winner's champagne this season.

“It is frustrating. I've been well on the pace in qualifying, but then in the races not been able to match that, having a bit of bad luck at times,” explained Haslam, who goes into these races five points down on Kiyonari. “I have to score well here, and then the final three tracks we race are on well suited to me.”

The 22 year old Derbyshire rider had a best lap of 1m 20.282secs, comfortably clear of Kiyonari, aboard the HM Plant Honda, who ran some fourth tenths of a second down. He is eager for a repeat of his victory of last season here, to edge a little closer to becoming the first Japanese rider to take the British crown.

Shane Byrne, Rizla Suzuki's former champion, set fourth best time, 1m 21.155secs, in the closing seconds of the session, pushing Lavilla back into fifth place - the Spaniard, who also took a victory here in the corresponding round last year, is battling to end a lean spell in which he has failed to score in three of the previous six races.

That has left him in third place in the title stakes, and for the first time playing catch-up on Haslam who aims to keep it that way: “I've been ahead of him in seven of the last eight races, and there are no team orders. I want this title.”

Karl Harris, despite a tumble, ran sixth on his HM Plant Honda, 1m 21.457secs, just ahead of Virgin Mobile Yamaha rider Tommy Hill, while Dean Thomas, having recovered from the injuries sustained in a heavy crash at Snetterton back in June, was eighth best, 1m 21.646secs, aboard the Hawk Kawasaki.

Simon Andrews again impressed on the Jentin Yamaha, lapping in 1m 21.681secs, ahead of Craig Coxhell (Hawk Kawasaki) and Michael Rutter who despite a bruising as he tipped off early on in the session, ran eleventh best. He was just ahead of Hydrex Honda's Glen Richards, Scott Smart on the Vivaldi Suzuki and top privateer and British Superbike Cup leader Chris Martin riding the PR Branson Honda.