Tom Sykes has put his Rizla Suzuki firmly on the front row of the grid in third place for round three of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park in Cheshire. The single 50-minute qualifying session was held in difficult conditions as the track was drying out following heavy rain which had fallen until just prior to the session. Sykes’s team spent the weekend honing the chassis settings on his Rizla Suzuki which paid dividends during qualifying. His team opted to run the same tyre which he intends to use on race day; this allowed Sykes to build up to his fast lap in the tricky conditions. Just as the chequered flag came out Sykes posted his fastest time sealing third place. His team-mate Atsushi Watanabe started the session on his number one machine running wet settings. As the track was drying rapidly he came in to change to dry settings which cost him some time. Once back out on track his number one machine stopped leaving him to make his way back to pick up his second bike which he ran for the remainder of the session, working hard to achieve 17th place. Both riders are confident for race day and have spent time on the undulating 2.69 mile track in both wet and dry conditions so they are well prepared for either. Racing takes place on Bank Holiday Monday May 5th with race one at 1300 and race two at 1530. Tom Sykes: “I started the session on intermediate tyres but when I got on track I realised it was pretty dry. I came in changed to slicks and got back out there. I stayed on the same race tyre and posted my fastest lap on lap 20, so to pull off third place on the front row of the grid is not too shabby. I’m happy with my front row start, I just want to get away well and see what happens. I’m not bothered either way if it is wet or dry, I was second fastest this morning in the wet and third in qualifying in the dry. My Rizla Suzuki technicians have worked really hard to give me ideal setting on my Rizla Suzuki so a big thinks to them.” Atsushi Watanabe: “The conditions were difficult today as the track was drying out. It is still a new track for me so I am learning every lap. I’m not happy with 17th but I like the track and will do better in the race.” Jack Valentine – Team Manager: “I’m very pleased with today as the team did a superb job. They found a good race set-up to claim third place on a tyre that has done over race distance. I’m really looking forward to the race; we need a good start and then we should be battling for a win. Atsushi had a difficult time due to the conditions, however, but he is only just outside the top 16 and I’m confident he will pull of an improved result.” Qualifying Results: 1: Cal Crutchlow (Honda) 1:36.605 2: Shane Byrne (Ducati) +0.583 3: Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) +0.639 4: Leon Haslam (Ducati) +0.785 5: Michael Rutter (Ducati) +0.905 6: Karl Harris (Yamaha) +1.303 7: Leon Camier (Ducati) +1.484 8: Michael Laverty (Suzuki) +1.960 9: James Ellison (Honda) +2.048 10: Simon Andrews (Yamaha) +2.107 17: Atsushi Watanabe (Rizla Suzuki) +3.139 More, from a press release issued by Hydrex Bike Animal Honda: ROW THREE START FOR ELLISON AT OULTON Hydrex Bike Animal Honda rider James Ellison posted ninth fastest time in difficult damp conditions at Oulton Park, Cheshire today, and as a result will start tomorrow’s two races in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship from row three of the grid. The 27 year old Cumbrian was consistently inside the top seven riders throughout the session which was held on a wet track to start off with, but dried out throughout the 50 minutes of the session. But with a number of quicker laps coming in the dying minutes, Ellison found himself bumped back to ninth position meaning he heads row three of the grid for the two 18-lap races. Starting directly behind him on row four will be team mate Guy Martin who set thirteenth fastest time, despite sliding off late in the session. The 26 year old Humbersider set a number of consistent laps in the difficult conditions and is confident going into tomorrow’s two races. James Ellison: “We’ve still got some issues but we’ll get there. The first two races at Thruxton were like a test for us and we haven’t been out since then and this is such a different track that it’s like starting from scratch again with our settings. The conditions were not ideal today and also because of the new tyre rule meaning you have to use the tyres that you have stickered up, we ended up not using the ones we wanted. I’d have been happier if I’d been on the second row but we’ll just have to see how it goes tomorrow and hope I get a good start.” Guy Martin: “I want sacking after I slid off, but I didn’t think I’d done anything wrong on the bike, it was just one of those things. The boys want me to use the new forks so coming here is just like another test really but if we keep plugging away it will come, and hope we have a good couple of races tomorrow. A lot worse happens at sea!” Shaun Muir (Team Owner): “I’m generally happy with both riders’ performance, their times were improving each time out. James is making good moves forwards and will have a reasonably good start position to keep him up with the fast guys in front of him. I expect him to be in the top four and a podium isn’t out of question. Guy is gaining confidence all the time in his build up to the roads and I expect him to be in the top twelve. I’m looking forward to seeing what James can do on a circuit he likes and we’re looking forward to race day.” Race one gets underway at 1.00pm on Sunday, with race two at 3.30pm. Qualifying 1, Cal Crutchlow (Honda) 1m36.605s, 2, Shane Byrne (Ducati) 1m37.188s, 3, Tom Sykes (Suzuki) 1m37.244s, 4, Leon Haslam (Honda) 1m37.390s, 5, Michael Rutter (Honda) 1m37.510s, 6, Karl Harris (Yamaha) 1m37.908s, 7, Leon Camier (Ducati) 1m38.089s, 8, Michael Laverty (Suzuki) 1m38.565s, 9, James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) 1m38.653s, 10, Simon Andrews (Yamaha) 1m38.712s..13, Guy Martin (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) 1m39.335s. More, from a press release issued by British Superbike Championship organizers: 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