Cal Crutchlow, fresh from the maiden race victory last time out, powered his HM Plant Honda onto pole start for the Holiday Monday third round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park, running half a second clear of the Airwaves Ducati rider, Shane Byrne, with whom he shares the lead in the title stakes.
The HM Plant Honda proved to be the man for all conditions in the Swan Combi 50 - Roll for Pole grid deciding session which had begun on a wet Cheshire circuit. Crutchlow set the early pace, maintaining the form that he had shown throughout the earlier free practice sessions.
Then as the track dried he upped the tempo heading off the threat of first Michael Rutter, aboard the NorthWest 200 Ducati and then his Honda team-mate Leon Haslam who was to escape injury in a tumble midway through the session.
Tom Sykes threatened aboard the Rizla Suzuki, but the confident Crutchlow hit back strongly, only for his position to be challenged by Byrne who was riding strongly, and fast, to move top of the leaderboard with a lap of 1m 37.188secs.
That was the marker for Crutchlow with some eight minutes remaining and he responded quickly, nosing back on top with a lap in 1m 37.128, but there was better to come in the final minute as he reduced that to the pole clinching lap of 1m 36.605secs, an average speed of 100.31mph.
“I am well pleased with the way I rode in what were difficult conditions,” reflected Crutchlow. “We have a good set up now for both the wet and the dry, and having set pole time I am feeling confident that I can add to my race victory of Thruxton.
“I have a fantastic team around me and the bike is working superbly so now it is down to me in the races.”
Byrne looked to be making a dramatic challenge for top-spot on his final lap, but then was held up by heavy traffic on a crucial section of the Cheshire circuit and had to settle for second best with a lap time of 1m 37.188secs.
Tom Sykes ran his Rizla Suzuki within a tenth of a second of the Airwaves Ducati rider, while Haslam, returning to the circuit on his spare bike, completed the front row of the grid with a lap of 1m 37.390secs.
Michael Rutter, riding the North West 200 Ducati, heads the second row from Karl Harris, the Rob Mac Yamaha rider, Leon Camier aboard the second Airwaves bikes and Michael Laverty on the Relentless Suzuki.
James Ellison ran ninth best aboard the Hydrex Bike Animal Honda, just 0.059secs ahead of Lloyds British Jentin Yamaha rider Simon Andrews with Stuart Easton and Scott Smart completing the third row.
John Laverty, riding the BuildbaseNW200 Ducati, looks set to continue his domination of the Daily Star Cup, having topped the qualifiers for this race within a race, though by only a tenth of a second from Luke Quigley on the PDM Suzuki.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, Swan Combi 50 – Roll for Pole top ten qualifying positions:
1. Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda) 1:36.605s
2. Shane Byrne (Airwaves Ducati) +0.583s
3. Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) +0.639s
4. Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda) +0.785s
5. Michael Rutter (North West 200 Ducati) +0.905s
6. Karl Harris (Rob Mac Racing Yamaha) +1.303s
7. Leon Camier (Airwaves Ducati) +1.484s
8. Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +1.960s
9. James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +2.048s
10. Simon Andrews (Lloyds British Jentin Racing Yamaha) +2.107s
Superbikes on track:
Monday 5th May09.05 – 09.20 warm-up practice
13.00 - Bennetts British Superbike Race One – 18 laps
15.30 - Bennetts British Superbike Race Two – 18 laps
