The reigning world champion was 0.354 seconds up on another faller from earlier in the day, Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati. Melandri improved his best time in the FP3 session, like the majority of the top ten riders.
Third at the end of a warm and dry Friday was Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), 0.389 seconds down on his team-mate Rea.
Another good day of work from the Aprilia riders saw Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) fourth fastest and Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) fifth – the latter being the last rider within half a second of Rea.
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) produced a sixth place practice performance at the short and intense Laguna circuit.
Seventh place for Brno race two winner Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK) made him top Yamaha rider, and top CBR1000RR runner was once again Leon Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team), in eighth place today.
Jordi Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) made it six different manufacturers in thee top nine places, and the top nine would finish within 0.765 seconds of each other.
Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team Ducati) rounded out the top ten riders who have automatically qualified for Superpole 2 on Saturday.
Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK) was 11th, and the lone S1000RR of Loris Baz (GULF ALTHEA BMW Racing Team) placed 12th.
Local American full-time WorldSBK riders Jake Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) and PJ Jacobsen (TripleM Honda World Superbike Team) finished 14th and 18th, respectively. Wildcard rider Josh Herrin (Attack performance Two Wheel Legal Yamaha) was 15th.
By Gordon Ritchie
