By Glenn LeSanto

Steve Hislop and Neil Hodgson showed the rest of the world how it’s done in Superpole Saturday afternoon at Donington Park in the British round of the World Superbike Championship. Hislop, who is entered as a non-regular or “wild card” rider, dominated qualifying on Friday and Saturday, then capped that performance with a brilliant Superpole lap to take pole position for tomorrow’s two World Superbike races. Fellow Brit Neil Hodgson pushed Hislop hard all the way, both in qualifying and in the Superpole. Hodgson set a fast Superpole lap (1:32.899), leaving Hislop, who was the last rider out for Superpole, with everything to do. Hislop rose to the challenge and turned a 1:32.680 lap to put his Monster Mob Ducati onto first place on the grid.

Ben Bostrom was third-fastest in Superpole, making it three Ducatis on the front row. Reigning World Champion Colin Edwards on the Castrol Honda qualified fourth-fastest in Superpole. Edwards’ weekend started badly when he crashed out of the first qualifying session on Friday after only three laps. But the Texan got his act together to grab the last place on the front row, in the Superpole session. Championship leader Troy Bayliss is joined by his Infostrada teammate Ruben Xaus, wild card rider John Reynolds and his rival in the Championship Troy Corser on the second row.


In a press conference held after the Superpole session, Hodgson’s GSE Ducati team explained that their bikes had benefited from a raft of new parts from the official factory racing department, Ducati Corse. “We were disappointed with what happened at Monza,” said team boss Colin Wright, referring to the myriad of mechanical problems they suffered at the historic Italian circuit. “We wanted to put those difficulties behind us this weekend and getting Neil Hodgson onto second place on the grid is a great way to do that!”

Superpole Final Qualifying

1. Steve Hislop, GB, Ducati, 1:32.680
2. Neil Hodgson, GB, Ducati, 1:32.899
3. Ben Bostrom, USA, Ducati, 1:33.207
4. Colin Edwards, USA, Honda, 1:33.315
5. Troy Bayliss, Australia, Ducati, 1:33.482
6. John Reynolds, GB, Ducati, 1:33.530
7. Ruben Xaus, Spain, Ducati, 1:33.552
8. Troy Corser, Australia, Aprilia, 1:33.677
9. Akira Yanagawa, Japan, Kawasaki, 1:33.683
10. Pierfrancesco Chili, Italy, Suzuki, 1:34.243
11. James Toseland, GB. Ducati, 1:34.300
12. Gregorio Lavilla, Spain, Kawasaki, 1:34.515
13. Tadayuki Okada, Japan, Honda, 1:34.592
14. L. Pedercini, Italy, Ducati, 1:34.680
15. Stephane Chambon, France, Suzuki, 1:34.751
16. Robert Ulm, Austria, Ducati, 1:35.158
17. Regis Laconi, France, Aprilia, 1:34.493
18. G. Bussei, Italy, Ducati, 1:34.916
19. Marty Craggill, Australia, Ducati, 1:34.976
20. Steve Martin, Australia, Ducati, 1:35.069