Brookes on top at Knockhill

Added on Saturday, July 3rd, 2010 by Carole Nash Editor

Josh Brookes set the British Superbike pace at Knockhill this afternoon, as he roared to pole position at the Scottish circuit.

As the three Roll for Pole sessions took form, it was the usual suspects fighting it out for top spot, all eager to take the advantage. Tommy Hill controlled the pace during the first outing, however as the final session came to an end it was Brookes who proved quickest, picking up another pole position start.

Brookes was forced to fight off his HM Plant Honda teammate, Ryuichi Kiyonari, with the latter placing second for race one at the end of the last session. Hill was eventually pushed back to third, with Michael Rutter completing the front row of the grid alongside him in fourth.

Row two starts with a strong performance from James Ellison in fifth, with Dan Linfoot sixth, local hero Stuart Easton seventh and Tommy Bridewell eighth. Alastair Seeley and Andrew Pitt complete the top ten, in ninth and tenth respectively.

The Relentless Suzuki by TAS team were met by dramam in the first qualifying outing, when Michael Laverty crashed at the infamous Leslie’s section of the track. With a bike too badly damaged to repair before the end of the session, Laverty will have to start tomorrow’s first race from twentieth on the grid.

Commenting on his pole position, Brookes said: “This morning we didn’t do too many laps as I heard a noise with the engine and we wanted to make sure there was nothing wrong that could have affected us in qualifying and that was why I was so down the order. We put a new engine in and I was a bit worried but in Q1 the HM Plant Honda was feeling good, but we just made a slight change and then in Q3 it felt great and I just managed to get a good lap together and do the job. Another Honda one-two is good for the team and I think the races will be tough tomorrow but I am ready for it.”

BSB, Knockhill, Qualifying Positions: