Shane Byrne claimed pole start for the fifth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, heading off the challenge of Cal Crutchlow, seconds before a rain shower effectively ended the Swan Combi 50 Roll for Pole session at Snetterton. The Airwaves Ducati rider, who had made the early running in the session, had come under fire from HM Plant Honda rider Leon Haslam before Crutchlow, currently second into the title stakes, though 68 points down on Byrne, took over at the top of the qualifying leaderboard.