British Superbike Championship Snetterton Circuit July 2 Qualifying Results, After Superpole (all on Pirelli tires): From Superpole Knockout Session Three: 1. John HOPKINS (Suzuki), 1:47.451 2. Tommy HILL (Yamaha), 1:47.996 3. Jon KIRKHAM (Suzuki), 1:48.320 4. Josh BROOKES (Suzuki), 1:48.457 5. Loris BAZ (Yamaha), 1:48.814 6. Shane BYRNE (Honda), 1:48.928 7. James WESTMORELAND (Yamaha), 1:49.023 8. Ryuichi KIYONARI (Honda), 1:49.156 9. Chris WALKER (Kawasaki), 1:49.225 10. Alex LOWES (Kawasaki), 1:49.768 From Superpole Knockout Session Two: 11. Gary MASON (Kawasaki), 1:48.744 12. Michael LAVERTY (Yamaha), 1:48.761 13. Peter HICKMAN (Honda), 1:48.881 14. Michael RUTTER (Ducati), 1:48.931 15. Graeme GOWLAND (Honda), 1:49.267, EVO 16. Martin JESSOPP (Ducati), 1:49.526 17. Dan LINFOOT (Honda), 1:49.593 18. Simon ANDREWS (Kawasaki), 1:49.763, EVO 19. Steve BROGAN (Honda), 1:50.129 20. Ian LOWRY (BMW), 1:50.139 From Superpole Knockout Session One: 21. Glen RICHARDS (Honda), 1:50.325, EVO 22. Jake ZEMKE (Honda), 1:50.781, EVO 23. Craig FITZPATRICK (Honda), 1:51.193, EVO 24. Patric MUFF (Honda), 1:51.282, EVO 25. John LAVERTY (BMW), 1:51.484 26. Tom TUNSTALL (BMW), 1:51.486, EVO 27. James HILLIER (Kawasaki), 1:51.541, EVO 28. Barry BURRELL (BMW), 1:51.703, EVO 29. Aaron ZANOTTI (BMW), 1:51.948, EVO 30. Hudson KENNAUGH (Aprilia), 1:51.988, EVO 31. Joshua DAY (Kawasaki), 1:52.636, EVO 32. Dan KNEEN (Kawasaki), 1:54.551, EVO 33. Mark MILLER (Aprilia), 1:55.432 34. Matteo MOSSA (Suzuki), 1:56.865, EVO 35. Scott SMART (Ducati), no time recorded More, from a press release issued by Swan Yamaha: FRONT ROW START ON SNETTERTON 300 FOR SWAN YAMAHA Swan Yamaha’s Tommy Hill will start from the front row of the grid in second place for the opening race in tomorrow’s sixth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship on the new Snetterton 300 circuit. Michael Laverty endured a challenging session and he will start from twelfth. Hill had set the pace during free practice and the Swan Yamaha team worked hard between the sessions to put him in a stronger position for qualifying which paid off as he went faster this afternoon to secure second. Laverty will start from the third row in twelfth after some issues halted his early progress but he is confident that he can make amends tomorrow. Hill said: “It is great to be on the front row again for Swan Yamaha on the new Snetterton 300. I have been still getting to grips with the new layout today and we made some drastic changes for qualifying which to be fair was a bit of a risk and it paid off so I have to thank the team for their hard work. We made a big step forward in qualifying and it took us to P2 so I think we are in a strong position for tomorrow. I think the fans are going to see some action tomorrow as there is going to be some elbow-basing and some fairing clashing for sure because we all want to win!” Laverty said: “We were unfortunate in qualifying this afternoon and despite the best efforts of the Swan Yamaha team that was the best result we could achieve in qualifying. We had a few problems that we couldn’t quite get sorted and that’s the way it goes some times. It is obviously disappointing but tomorrow is the important day so we will work hard in warm up to try and get the Swan Yamaha were we need to be.” More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing’s Josh Brookes registered his best British Superbike qualifying position this season today with fourth place, giving him a front-row start in race one at the all-new Snetterton 300 circuit tomorrow. Josh Brookes: “I’m a lot happier and we’re now on the comeback trail. I know the bike’s got it and I’ve hopefully still got some talent to show and we’ve just posted our best qualifying session of the season. We are already getting more out of the bike since the Kirkistown test, which has proved very beneficial, so I can now be more aggressive with my riding. We’re starting to move forward. The changes we made at Kirkistown have transferred well to Snetterton and it has really given us great direction with the bike and opened our eyes. It was great to see P1 at times on my board today, but our race tyre pace is good and consistent so yeah… if the weather is kind, we’re in for a good race day.” Philip Neill – Team Manager: “It’s good to be back where we should be on the front row in BSB. We’re back in the ballpark and will be looking to fight for those podium positions tomorrow. Josh has posted good times on race tyres so that’s a big positive for tomorrow also, but he needs to be smart and hope for that little bit of luck.” BSB Qualifying: 1 John Hopkins [Suzuki] 1:47.451; 2 Tommy Hill [Yamaha] +0.54sec; 3 Jon Kirkham [Suzuki] +0.86; 4 Josh Brookes [Relentless Suzuki by TAS] +0.99. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Samsung Crescent Racing’s John Hopkins has sensationally taken Pole for tomorrow’s sixth round of the British Superbike Championship at Snetterton 300 in Norfolk. It’s his first pole in BSB – also the first for an American – and was secured with the fastest lap yet made of the new Snetterton 300 circuit (over half a second quicker than his nearest rival). His team-mate Jon Kirkham has also found excellent form taking P3 to join Hopkins on the front row. John Hopkins: “I’m simply loving this place. It’s a long and flowing lap and the corners are allowing the bike to two-wheel drift in so many places – I’m sure the fans must be loving it, too. “I have to thank my mechanics again today. We had a shifter issue this morning that was niggling us, so they skipped lunch and made a full engine swap before qualifying. The bike was brilliant; they’d missed nothing. So now I’d like to do the double tomorrow, to say thanks to them!” Jon Kirkham: “Third; absolutely superb! I’m happy with that. The bike’s been good all weekend and with some tweaks before qualifying the bike was better still. I was so happy to get fastest in first qualifying; if I’d repeated that lap in Q3 then we’d have a Samsung Crescent Racing 1-2, but front row is fine. So tomorrow I’ll look to stay out of trouble off the start – I can see there being some action there – and then hopefully I’ll bring home two good results.” Jack Valentine – Team Manager: “We’re well chuffed. We’ve been on the pace from the word go and deserved those start positions. The Samsung Crescent team were brilliant today, swapping the engine on Hopper’s bike in time for qualifying and putting in extra effort to find JK a really good set-up. Both riders felt confident in their bikes and the results reflect that. And that was a phenomenal lap Hopper put in for Pole, something very special. We’re looking forward to some very special results tomorrow, too.” Snetterton Qualifying result: 1 John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki) 1m: 47.451s 2 Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) +0.545s 3 Jon Kirkham (Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki) +0.869s 4 Josh Brookes (Relentless Suzuki) +1.006s 5 Loris Baz (Motorpoint Yamaha) +1.363s 6 Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) +1.477s 7 James Westmoreland (Motorpoint Yamaha) +1.572s 8 Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) +1.705s 9 Chris Walker (Pr1mo Racing Kawasaki) +1.774s 10 Alex Lowes (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +2.317s More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Relentless Suzuki by TAS rider Alastair Seeley backed up his Supersport pole position with an emphatic victory in today’s opening British Supersport Championship opening race at the all-new Snetterton 300 circuit in Lincolnshire. The Irishman took the qualifying pole position and the fastest lap of race one which puts him back on pole for race two tomorrow. Alastair Seeley: “My game plan was to come here and mix it up a bit; get decent times and pull the pin in the races and we’ve done that so far. It’s a new circuit for everyone so no one has the advantage over us of coming here with data. We have been pretty dominant with almost a second over the field, again showing the strength of the new GSX-R600 and if we continue to make progress like we are currently doing with the bike, then the second half of the season is going to be very enjoyable. The package here really is superb – thanks to the team – and the game plan for tomorrow will be much the same as today, but I’ll be looking for a better start. A double would be nice.” Philip Neill – Team Manager: “Alastair Seeley has been prolific so far here at Snetterton. When the wee man turns it on like he did today he really is unbeatable. Yes we’ve made improvements to the bike but it’s certainly not all down to that – it’s more the way Alastair is riding. To watch him at his best gives me unbelievable pleasure. He’s picture perfect. There’s a long way to go in this Championship and one thing he has in abundance, as well as his obvious talent, is race-craft and that will come into play more and more as the season progresses.” Supersport Race 1 (10 laps): 1 Alastair Seeley [Relentless Suzuki by TAS]; 2 Ben Wilson [Kawasaki] +7.6sec; 3 Luke Mossey [Triumph] +10.84; 4 Lee Johnston [Honda] +15.66; 5 Billy McConnell [Triumph] +17.73; 6 Sam Warren [Yamaha] +20.52.