Guy Martin grabbed pole position on the final lap during the second qualifying session for the Ulster Grand Prix Supersport 600cc races, the Tyco Suzuki rider edging out the Padgetts Honda of Bruce Anstey by just 0.325s.
A rain shower at the beginning of the session kept speeds down initially, Dean Harrison first to complete a lap at 110.98mph before William Dunlop went quickest at 115.73mph ahead of brother Michael and Lee Johnston. However, the drizzle soon stopped and from there on in, the speeds increased with each and every lap.
William kept himself quickest on the Milwaukee Yamaha with a near 117mph lap second time around with Anstey moving up to second but for the second half of the session, Martin continued to post the fastest lap times. The Lincolnshire rider and Anstey were the first to break the 118mph barrier with Conor Cummins moving up to third ahead of his team-mate Dunlop whilst Gary Johnson slotted into sixth on the MV Agusta.
Martin went quicker still on his penultimate lap with the first 120mph+ lap of the session but his final lap of 120.403mph was the lap that gave him pole position as Anstey too went over the 120mph mark at 120.226mph, less than half a second adrift. Cummins confirmed his front row start a further half second back at 119.901mph with William Dunlop making it a good day so far for Shaun Muir's team in fourth for another front row start.
Lee Johnston's final lap of 118.932mph meant he took fifth to head off the second row with Michael Dunlop having to settle for sixth on this occasion, just ahead of the mightily impressive Derek McGee and Harrison. Dan Cooper and Donald completed the top ten ahead of Jamie Hamilton, Seamus Elliott, Russ Mountford, Ian Lougher and Ivan Lintin.
Ulster Grand Prix Supersport Qualifying:
1 Guy Martin (Suzuki) 120.403mph
2 Bruce Anstey (Honda) 120.226
3 Conor Cummins (Yamaha) 119.901
4 William Dunlop (Yamaha) 119.346
5 Lee Johnston (Honda) 118.932
6 Michael Dunlop (Honda) 118.098
7 Derek McGee (Yamaha) 117.367
8 Dean Harrison (Yamaha) 116.150
9 Dan Cooper (Triumph) 116.103
10 Cameron Donald (Honda) 116.068
