Ryuichi Kiyonari delivered a high speed warning that he is still a force to be reckoned with in the chase for the Bennetts British Superbike crown as he scorched to pole start for the Irish round of the series with the fastest ever two-wheeled lap of the Mondello Park circuit.
The HM Plant Honda rider had shown his determination to ride out of a run of disappointing form with fast lapping during the Friday free practices, and he underlined that speed when it mattered most in the grid deciding session as he topped the leaderboard for the first time this season.
The rider who last season won a dozen races to take the runner-up spot, timed his super-fast run to perfection, upping the power as the action resumed after a stoppage while race officials dealt with a heavy crash from which Hydrex Honda rider Gary Mason emerged with a bruising.
The 23 year old Japanese race-ace, currently third in the rankings, but 74 points down, was unconcerned by the interuption as he clocked a time of 1m 38.076secs, an average speed of 79.89mph around the tight, twisting 2.176 mile circuit. Now, with a good race setting, he is feeling confident for the races: “I think now I can win again here – last year I enjoyed winning here, now I will try my hardest to do the best.”
Former champion Shane Byrne, riding the Rizla Suzuki, made a dramatic last minute charge in a vain attempt to grab pole, closing within a third of a second of Kiyonari, but suggesting that he also is well in contention for victory here.
That could spell problems for the defending title holder, and the current series leader, Gregorio Lavilla. He had led the session for a period, but had to settle for third best aboard the Airwaves Ducati, marginally faster than Stobart Honda rider Michael Rutter.
Local favourite Jonathan Rea had raised hopes that he was set for an ‘action-replay’ of his pole start of last year, in the corresponding round, as he put in a series of quick times, but the 19 year old from Ballyclaire had to settle for fifth best, 1m 38.862secs, aboard his Red Bull Honda.
Leon Haslam, currently second in the title chase, 61 points down on his team-mate Lavilla, ran sixth, a third of a second down, but comfortably ahead of Karl Harris, while Michael Laverty, the Toomebridge rider aboard the second Stobart Honda was eighth.
James Haydon and Glen Richards complete the top-ten qualifiers, while James Buckingham, riding the Quay Garage Honda, topped the British Superbike Cup qualifiers. The defending champion, and points leader, was twentieth fastest overall with a time of 1m 40.785secs, 77.74mph, running ahead of Chris Martin, Marty Nutt and Gareth Glynn.
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