RUTTER TAKES POLE FOR SATURDAY RACE MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship ROUND EIGHT BRANDS HATCH 7/8 AUGUST Michael Rutter starts this afternoon’s (Sat) opening race in the eighth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit. The RidersMotorcycles.com Ducati rider put in a scorching time on 1m 25.766secs in the final element of the Swan Combi Roll for Pole to top the qualifying leaderboard for the first time in a couple of years. “We’ve got a good set-up, the bike is working well and I got a good tow from Josh Brookes early on and set the time, so now I’m aiming for strong points in the race,” explained Rutter who ended the session in the gravel at Druids. “It was all so easy till the end I decided to go out for a practice start, but I was bit too keen too early and slid off my own fault, but no harm done.” World Superbike regular Tom Sykes, making a one-off return to the domestic series, ran second fastest, 1m 26.187secs on his Kawasaki, with Ryuichi Kiyonari on the HM Plant Honda and series leading Tommy Hill aboard the Worx Crescent Suzuki completing the front row of the grid. Josh Brookes, on the second HM Plant Honda, headed the second row from Swan Honda’s James Ellison, Alastair Seeley on the Relentless Suzuki and Yukio Kagayama who slid off his Worx Crescent Suzuki in the closing moments of the session. Michael Laverty, riding Relentless Suzuki, and Ian Lowry on the second WSBK Kawasaki completed the top ten qualifiers for the 18 lap race that starts at 16.10 this afternoon. The other two races in this round will be held on Sunday afternoon. For the record Top ten qualifiers for race one round eight Michael Rutter (Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati) 1m:25.766s Tom Sykes (Kawasaki WSB) +0.421s Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) +0.456s Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +0.522s Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) +0.638s James Ellison (Swan Honda) +0.800s Alastair Seeley (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +0.815s Yukio Kagayama (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +0.931s Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +0.981s Ian Lowry (Kawasaki WSB) +1.430s