Tom Sykes starts the sixth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Mallory Park from pole position after putting in a last minute charge to head off the challenge of Michael Laverty in the Swan Combi 50 Roll for Pole session.

The Rizla Suzuki rider had been on the pace throughout the session, despite having to switch to his spare machine because of a technical problem mid-way through but not even that was going to deny him topping the qualifying leaderboard for the first time this season.

“It was a shame about the bike – it was coming together very easy. We had made some good changes and I was very comfortable with it,” said Sykes. “I had to change my style and make it all happen when I switched to the second bike but it was all good fun.”

The 22 year old Huddersfield rider put in a 56.005secs, 90.63mph lap of the 1.41 mile Leicestershire circuit. “I’m happy enough with that but would have liked to have opened up a bigger gap at the top. It will be a tough race, but I’ve been putting in consistent times and hope for a good one.”

Relentless Suzuki rider Laverty was denied his first pole start by just a tenth of a second, but his lap of 56.109secs edged the runaway series leader and former champion Shane Byrne into third place with his Airwaves Ducati running a split second up on local rider Cal Crutchlow.

His pace eased Leon Haslam, aboard the second HM Plant Honda, back onto the second row, fifth fastest, ahead of North West 200 Ducati’s Michael Rutter with Karl Harris, riding the Rob Mac Racing Yamaha, and Tena for Men Honda riding Tristan Palmer.

John Laverty, the leader of the Daily Star Cup, a race within the main championship action for Independent team, was ninth fastest overall with a time of 56.534secs aboard the Buildbase NW200 Ducati, running ahead of Aussie Billy McConnell who slid off his MSS Discovery Kawasaki at the Hairpin, but quickly re-mounted, to be in front of second in the title stakes Leon Camier and twice Japanese champion Atsushi Watanabe.

Simon Andrews put his Lloyds British Jentin Yamaha onto the fourth row, with a lap of 56.776secs, just ahead of Hawk Kawasaki’s Scott Smart, James Ellison aboard the Hydrex Bike Animal Honda and Gary Mason, the second fastest of the Cup riders on the Quay Garage Honda.

James Haydon, making his seasonal first appearance with the MSS Discovery Kawasaki team in place of their injured Stuart Easton, starts from the fifth row, as does Sean Emmett on his first ride with SMT Honda.

Top ten qualifying times:

1. Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) 56.005s

2. Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +0.104s

3. Shane Byrne (Airwaves Ducati) +0.122s

4. Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda) +0.130s

5. Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda) +0.229s

6. Michael Rutter (North West 200 Ducati) +0.331s

7. Karl Harris (Rob Mac Racing Yamaha) +0.430s

8. Tristan Palmer (TENA for Men Honda) +0.489s

9. John Laverty (Buildbase NW200 Ducati) +0.529s

10. Billy McConnell (MSS Discovery Kawasaki) +0.530s

Superbikes on Track

Sunday 29 June

09.50-10.05 Warm-up practice

13.15    Race One – 30 laps

16.20 Race Two -  30 laps

« back to main RACING news page