Young American star P.J. Jacobsen qualified 12th for Monday’s British Superbike races at Oulton Park, turning a best lap of 1:37.326 aboard his Tyco Suzuki GSX-R1000. Jacobsen made it through two of the three knock-out qualifying sessions. Jacobsen was marginally quicker than World Superbike refugee Jakub Smrz of the Czech Republic, who will start 13th on the grid after a best lap of 1:37.338. Alex Lowes earned pole position on his Samsung Honda CBR1000RR with a fastest lap of 1:34.884 in what series organizers described as being “the fastest lap of the Cheshire circuit since the change in technical regulations.” Defending series Champion Shane Byrne was second-fastest on his Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki ZX-10R at 1:35.344, followed by Australian Josh Brookes on another Tyco Suzuki GSX-R1000 at 1:35.784. Overall final qualifying times follow: 1. Alex Lowes, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:34.884 2. Shane Bryne, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:35.344 3. Josh Brookes, Australia (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:35.784 4. Keith Farmer, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:36.014 5. Jon Kirkham, UK (BMW S1000RR), 1:36.026 6. Chris Walker, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:36.098 7. Tommy Bridewell, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:36.099 8. Peter Hickman, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:36.670 9. Karl Harris, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:37.230 10. James Ellison, UK (Yam YZF-R1), 1:36.046 11.James Westmoreland, UK (BMW S1000RR), 1:37.309 12. P.J. Jacobsen, USA (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:37.326 13. Jakub Smrz, Czech Republic (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:37.338 14. Ryuichi Kiyonari, Japan (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:37.406 15. Tristan Palmer, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:37.411 16. Howie Mainwaring, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:37.473 17. Josh Waters, Australia (Yam YZF-R1), 1:37.612 18. Robbin Harms, Denmark (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:37.967 19. Michael Rutter, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:38.190 20. Martin Jessop, UK (BMW S1000RR), 1:38.229 21. Matteo Baiocco, Italy (Ducati), 1:38.562 22. Danny Buchan, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:39.029 23. Lee Costello, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:39.117 24. Aaron Zanotti, UK (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:40.145 25. Jenny Tinmouth, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:41.227 26. Michael Howarth, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:42.122 More, from a press release issued by British Superbike: MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship Round 3, OULTON PARK MAY 5-6, 2013 LOWES SETS STUNNING POLE AS HE TAKES FIGHT TO DEFENDING CHAMPION BYRNE Results Datatag Extreme Qualifying for Race one: 1: Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda) 1m:34.884s 2: Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +0.460s 3: Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) +0.900s 4: Keith Farmer (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +1.130s 5: Jon Kirkham (Buildbase BMW) +1.142s 6: Chris Walker (Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki) +1.214s 7: Tommy Bridewell (Bathams Honda) +1.326s 8: Peter Hickman (Lloyds British GBmoto Honda) +1.786s 9: Karl Harris (PR Racing Kawasaki) +2.346s 10: James Ellison (Milwaukee Yamaha) Report Alex Lowes scorched his Samsung Honda to pole position for the Bank Holiday Monday third round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park as he set the fastest lap of the Cheshire circuit since the change in technical regulations. Lowes had been on the pace across the weekend but he slashed the time when it mattered most to power ahead of triple champion and current series leader Shane Byrne aboard the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki to take his second consecutive pole start. “That was a pretty good lap although I never expected to be able to set a time in the 34s – that is a credit to how well the bike works,” said Lowes after his stunning lap time of 1m 34.834s. “I am feeling good for the races, tyre life is good, the bike is fantastic, so now it is down to me but there will be nothing easy out there with so many good riders,” added Lowes who has finished all four races so far in the top three. Byrne is determined to hit back in the races after missing out on the pole position, he said: “I’m not here to finish second – we have done a lot of work this weekend so we are ready for the races. That was probably one of my fastest laps around here and I couldn’t believe it when I saw P2 on my pit board.” Aussie Josh Brookes set the third fastest time while Keith Farmer claimed his first front row start in his rookie season for the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki team. Jon Kirkham was fifth fastest on the Buildbase BMW, marginally faster than the winner of the corresponding round of last year, Chris Walker aboard the Quattro Plant Kawasaki. But there was no luck for Bathams Honda rider Michael Rutter who starts his 400th race from the fifth row of the grid having been dogged throughout qualifying by machine problems. Milwaukee Yamaha’s James Ellison was also left disappointed after he was unable to set a time in the final qualifying session with a technical issue after setting the pace in the earlier free practice today. More, from a press release issued by Milwaukee Yamaha: MILWAUKEE YAMAHA SET TO BOUNCE BACK FROM TOUGH QUALIFYING The Milwaukee Yamaha team endured a tough qualifying session at Oulton Park today ahead of the third round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship with James Ellison starting tenth and Josh Waters in seventeenth on the grid for tomorrow’s opening race. The team had high hopes heading into qualifying after Ellison had set the pace in the earlier free practice and was confident that he would be able to challenge for a front row start this afternoon; however with a technical issue that developed in the second qualifying session the team decided to be cautious and sit out the final qualifying phase. Ellison is now determined to fight back tomorrow from the third row of the grid. Waters meanwhile is hoping to make amends in the races as he starts from row five. Ellison said: “Before this weekend I said I really needed two good races so that I can try and close the gap in the points and it was all going to plan before qualifying. I was up there in free practice and although Alex’s lap was incredible I knew we would have had the pace to challenge for the front row, we just never had the chance. We did some laps in Q2 and I was losing a bit of power and then we started another lap and the problem was still there, so we decided to play it safe as we were not sure what caused it and then push tomorrow. It might seem bold but we have come back from worse situations in the past and we will change some things so we can try and have a good fight in the races.” Waters said: “I am obviously disappointed with qualifying because that isn’t where we want to be. We had moved forward over the weekend but it just didn’t come together when we needed it to. We made some changes for qualifying which we thought would be heaps better but it is always that fine balance, which today just didn’t pay off for us. We just need to sleep on it, regroup and then try and push in the races tomorrow.”