Andrew Jordan lay down the early marker by topping the first Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship free practice session at Thruxton.
The 2013 champion – who holds the lap record around the high-speed Hampshire circuit – set a time of 1m16.814s to earn initial bragging rights in the first of Saturday’s two practice sessions.
The 40-minute session was brought to an abrupt halt in its second half however, after the Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes A-Class of Adam Morgan ploughed into the barriers at Allards corner.
Jordan’s rapid effort would stay top for the remainder of the green flag action, the Motorbase Performance driver heading Josh Cook‘s Triple Eight MG.
Fresh from a top-10 result at Donington, Subaru and Team BMR had plenty to smile about as Colin Turkington grabbed third spot, Mat Jackson next up in the second Motorbase Ford Focus ST ahead of Rob Collard‘s West Surrey Racing BMW 125i.
Tom Ingram was next up for Speedworks Motorsport, the top 10 rounded out by Sam Tordoff (BMW), Jack Goff (BMW), Jeff Smith (Honda) and Morgan.
Tordoff had been on course to better Jordan’s time early in the session, but a wide moment at the final chicane scuppered that particular effort. Turkington’s Subaru Levorg also ran into troubles, stopping on track at the final chicane.
Ingram’s session was hit by a brace of punctures after the halfway stage meanwhile, while a left-front tyre also deflated on the MG6 GT of Ashley Sutton.
Championship leader Matt Neal was 11th with 75kg success ballast, Halfords Yuasa Racing team-mate Gordon Shedden next up in 12th while Eurotech rookie Daniel Lloyd ended 15th overall.
Second practice gets underway at 12:40, and you can keep up with all the action right here and via@TheCheckerFlag on Twitter.
