Qualifying three

Shane Byrne – 1’48.376

Jason O’Halloran – 1’49.469

Dan Linfoot – 1’49.716

PBM Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne bagged the MCE British Superbike pole position in mixed conditions at the Snetterton 300 track. The multiple champ was the only rider to lap inside the 148’s in Q3 and went nearly one second quicker than Honda Racing’s Jason O’Halloran.

But the Australian was not the only Honda bike on the front row, as he was joined by team-mate Dan Linfoot. It is the first BSB front row for O’Halloran and he confidently made his way into the P2 spot with a 1’49.716.

Linfoot will start his first race tomorrow since Donington Park from P3. He makes his return to the paddock after breaking his wrist at Brands Hatch a few months ago. Milwaukee Yamaha’s Josh Brookes was on course to snatch a place on the front row but made a mistake whilst on a hot lap and had to settle for P4 at the flag.

The Tyco BMW pairing of Tommy Bridewell and Michael Laverty complete the second row, with PBM Kawasaki’s Stuart Easton, Quattro Plant’s Luke Mossey and Bennetts Suzuki’s Josh Waters rounding up row three.

JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Ellison did not make it out for the final qualifying session as his bike was too damaged after an earlier Q2 crash, but the Kendal rider was unhurt, but starts from P11 in race one tomorrow.

Q3 was declared wet even though an earlier rain shower had stopped. The riders were given a few minutes untimed to go around the track, but when the time session kicked in the racer all started to go out on slicks.

Qualifying two

James Ellison – 1’48.069

Shane Byrne – 1’48.237

Josh Brookes – 1’48.365

The start to Q2 was delayed after a light rain shower made its way over the Norfolk track, but soon it passed and the riders made their way out on to the circuit to battle for the provisional pole spot.

But after only two rotations the heaven opened and a heavy rain shower erupted, catching out JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Ellison in the process, who had a big fall at Riches. But he managed to hobble back to the pits, after putting down the fastest lap in the session.

The rain persisted and all the riders stayed in their respective garages, and were unable to improve on their times. This meant the likes of Buildbase BMW’s Ryuichi Kiyonari and Be Wiser Kawasaki’s Danny Buchan were unable to challenge for a front row start in Q3, and will start on 18^th and 19^th on the race one grid.

Kiyo’s team-mate Lee Jackson was also in the drop zone when the rain fell, alongside McConnell, Cooper, Iddon, Backlund, Mainwaring and Milwaukee Yamaha’s Broc Parkes.

Eliminated

Jackson
McConnell
Cooper
Iddon
Backlund
Mainwaring
Buchan
Kiyonari
Parkes
Smrz

Qualifying one

Shane Byrne – 1’48.003

Josh Brookes - 1’48.126

Jakub Smrz – 1’48.273

Byrne only needed two laps to top the sheets and when he lapped a 1’48.003 he made his way quickly back into the PBM garage, having done enough to go through to Q2. But Brookes was only 0.1 seconds off the Lambeth born rider’s best lap with a 1’48.126.

There were a couple of incidences out on track including Rapido Moto Ducati’s Jakub Smrz, who touched bikes with Gearlink Kawasaki’s Victor Cox. The former World Superbike racer ended up in the gravel at Brundle, and even though it was a big crash he was declared OK at the track side.

Both riders are now being investigated, but the damage to the Panigale was just too much and the Czech Republic rider couldn’t progress into
the second qualifying session, even though he was the third fastest rider in Q1.

Returning rider Dan Linfoot fell at Montreal, but managed to get his Fireblade back on track. He was languishing in the drop zone, but on his final rotation set a 1’49.247 which was enough to slip into twentieth on the timing-screens, making it into Q2 by the narrowest of the margins.

RAF Reserves BMW’s Peter Hickman lost out when Linfoot put down his lap, just as the chequered flag appeared, and it pushed him into the elimination spots. But he was not the only rider not to make it into Q2, Be Wiser Kawasaki’s Chris Walker was inside the top five times during FP2 yesterday, but shockingly today couldn’t find the speed to get out of the first qualify outing.

The veteran racer was not the only one struggling in the session. JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Westmoreland, Jessopp, Kennedy, Mackenzie, Cox, Burns, Johnson and Metcher couldn’t find the pace to make it into the top twenty quickest times.

Eliminated

Hickman
Walker
Westmoreland
Jessopp
Kennedy
Mackenzie
Cox
Burns
Johnson
Metcher

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