Crutchlow snatches pole from Rutter with Byrne third from Haslam BENNETTS BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP Round ten 12/13 September Croft Cal Crutchlow snatched pole start from Michael Rutter in a dramatic finale to qualifying ahead of the tenth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Croft in which the battered and bruised Shane Byrne could clinch the title for a second time. Byrne, riding the Airwaves Ducati, ran third fastest despite being stiff and sore, the after effects of his heavy, high-speed highside of the previous afternoon and the title winner of 2003 is relieved to be back on track. “After the escapade of Friday I’m delighted to be up there on the front of the grid,” said Byrne. “The team did a great job rebuilding the bike for me and getting me back out there and I’ll be OK for the races.” He goes into these races with a 110 points advantage in the title stakes and a pair of top two finishes could be enough to see Byrne regain the crown although Tom Sykes, fifth fastest in the Swan Combi 50 Roll for Pole, could take the fight into the penultimate round if he tastes the winner’s champagne at the North Yorkshire circuit. Crutchlow, meanwhile, is keen to capitalise on his third pole start of the campaign by ending a twelve race run without a victory and improving his current fourth place in the rankings. “We’re up and running for these races now,” said the delighted HM Plant Honda rider. “That was an enjoyable session and the bike was good all of the way through and I knew we had a bit to go, even though we struggled a bit in two corners but that will be sorted overnight.” Rutter closed his North West 200 Ducati within a quarter of a second of Crutchlow at the front of the grid with Haslam, on the second HM Plant bike edged back into fourth spot by the determined Byrne. Rizla Suzuki rider Sykes headed the second row with a lap of 1m 20.787secs to be ahead of Leon Camier, Airwaves Ducati, Karl Harris riding the Rob Mac Yamaha and Relentless Suzuki rider Michael Laverty. Gary Mason, the fastest of the Daily Star Cup contenders, set ninth best time aboard his Quay Garage Honda to head up the third row from Hydrex Bike Animal Honda’s James Ellison, former twice Japanese champion Atsushi Watanabe and Simon Andrews. Scott Smart repaid the Hawk Kawasaki team for completing a rapid engine change with a fourth row start ahead of Guy Martin and series debutant Jason O’Halloran aboard the SMT Honda. John Laverty, who could seal the Cup crown, ran second fastest in class, ahead of Chris Burns and Shannon Etheridge. Leading qualifying times for round ten: 1. Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda) 1m:20.386s 2. Michael Rutter (North West 200 Ducati) +0.211s 3. Shane Byrne (Airwaves Ducati) +0.277s 4. Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda) +0.320s 5. Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) +0.401s 6. Leon Camier (Airwaves Ducati) +0.416s 7. Karl Harris (Rob Mac Yamaha) +0.564s 8. Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +0.643s 9. Gary Mason (Quay Garage Honda) +0.993s 10. James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +1.061s More, from a press release issued by GSE Racing/Airwaves Ducati: AIRWAVES DUCATI QUALIFY ON FIRST AND SECOND ROW AT CROFT Shane Byrne and Leon Camier will start from 3rd and 6th on the grid respectively for tomorrow’s British Superbike race at Croft. Although it was only the second round that the new knockout qualifying format has been used, both riders comfortably qualified in the top 10. Shane improved his times throughout each qualifying sector culminating with a fastest lap of 1:20.663. Having kept up his 100% front row start record for this season Shane commented; ‘I was hoping to go a bit quicker today but I am happy enough with that. I had quite an unusual moment early on in the session, when the teeth that I had fixed back in following my crash yesterday came out in my mouth! I went out and had done 2 or 3 laps when I had to come back into the pit lane and hand some of my teeth to my slightly surprised mechanic! Other than that I am feeling ok, I have bit of a bruise on the shoulder and leg from yesterday but nothing too serious and I am confident for a good performance for Airwaves Ducati tomorrow.’ Leon’s fastest time of 1:20.802 also came in the final session and his performance has filled him with confidence for tomorrow’s races. ‘I am alright with 6th place; I knocked nearly a second off my times from yesterday so I am pretty happy with that. My race pace is good and I have been fairly consistent on the Airwaves Ducati today. I am hoping its dry tomorrow so I can concentrate on getting a good start and overtaking well; my aim is to get back on the podium for the Airwaves Ducati team.’ Tomorrow’s two 20 lap races at Croft commence at 13.15pm followed by race two at 15.35pm. Qualifying Results 1. Cal Crutchlow HM Plant Honda 1:20.386 2. Michael Rutter North West 200 1:20.597 3. Shane Byrne Airwaves Ducati 1:20.663 4. Leon Haslam HM Plant Honda 1:20.706 5. Tom Sykes Rizla Suzuki 1:20.787 6. Leon Camier Airwaves Ducati 1:20.802 More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Rizla Suzuki’s Tom Sykes took a solid fifth place during a dry qualifying session at Croft today for round 10 of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, with his team-mate Atsushi Watanabe coming home in 11th. The 2.125-mile North Yorkshire circuit is Sykes’s home track and he is determined to shine in front of his home crowd. He worked hard during the new Formula One style qualifying session to ensure he made it through to the final top 10 shoot-out. His team fine tuned his Rizla Suzuki as the frantic session continued and Sykes continued to improve finishing in a healthy fifth place, less than half second off pole which was claimed by Honda’s Cal Crutchlow. Watanabe also made progress as he got to grips with the twisting circuit taking his lap times down to 1:21.853secs just one second off pole position. He competed in the first two qualifying sessions but was just outside the top 10 and therefore unable to go through to the final session. His pace has increased over the weekend and there is more to come from the double Japanese Superbike Champion. Superbike racing commences on Sunday at 1315 and race two at 1535. Tom Sykes: “I was working on finalising the front end set-up of my Rizla Suzuki through the fast section. I’m not overly concerned as I’m confident in my team and we have a plan of action for tomorrow. I’d have liked to be front row but I know can still do it from the second row of the grid. I’m really looking forward to racing in front of my home crowd.” Atsushi Watanabe: “I am quite happy today. I have been faster and faster which is good. I am a little disappointed not to make it into the final qualifying session as I was very close to it just 0.11 seconds off. I am on row three of the grid which is not so bad as I can get a result from there. After Cadwell Park, Croft is easy circuit.” Jack Valentine – Team Manager Rizla Suzuki: “It’s been an interesting weekend so far with very little dry track time. Free practice this morning was delayed due to an oil slick on track and a smattering of rain made the conditions treacherous. Tom sat the bulk of the session out while Atsu put in a few laps but admitted it was difficult out there. “Tom’s fifth place isn’t a problem as we know he is good off the line and we have a direction to go in for tomorrow. He picked up his first podium finish in Superbikes here last year so he is going all out for an even better result this time. He is very much on a confidence high at the moment and I feel we are on for a good result. “Atsu has worked very hard with his Rizla Suzuki team and he has steadily improved. He is starting to get to grips with the UK venues and the weather. I think he will grab the top 10 finish that he wants tomorrow. I feel we are in for some close exciting racing and Rizla Suzuki will be in the middle of it.” Qualifying results: 1: Cal Crutchlow (Honda) 1:20.386 2: Michael Rutter (Ducati) 1:20.597 3: Shane Byrne (Ducati) 1:20.663 4: Leon Haslam (Honda) 1:20.706 5: Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) 1:20.787 6: Leon Camier (Ducati) 1:20.802 7: Karl Harris (Yamaha) 1:20.950 8: Michael Laverty (Ducati) 1:21.029 9: Gary Mason (Honda) 1:21.379 10: James Ellison (Honda) 1:21.447 11: Atsushi Watanabe (Rizla Suzuki) 1:21.853