LCR Honda's Stefan Bradl has taken a shock debut MotoGP pole position at Laguna Seca after Marc Marquez crashed out with only minutes left to run while Alvaro Bautista also bagged a front-row start.
But it was virtual disaster for Britain's Cal Crutchlow who launched his second bike in the fourth free practice session and then had a problem with his fork potentiometer which saw his number one bike suffer with uncontrollable wheelie problems and two trips into the pits to have it reset.
Bradl shot to the top of the sheet with his last lap of 1'21.176 which gives him his best shot at a first podium and will give those at HRC who are considering not renewing his conract something to think about.
Marquez will start from second after smashing a 1'21.193 and then losing the front through the left-hand turn six, a corner where highsides are usually the normal, so the young Spaniard must be carrying huge corner speed to drop the front tyre.
Valentino Rossi dropped off the front row with Bradl's time but stayed ahead of Crutchlow who put in a 1'21.420 with his sixth lap of seventh to take fifth place while crocked reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo was sixth and 0.277s off the pace.
Dani Pedrosa had to climb through qualifying one after not bothering with free practice three but sits at the top of row three with Andrea Dovizioso and Bradley Smith for company. Nicky Hayden and Aleix Espargaro are next along while Randy De Puniet crashed early on and will start in 12th.
