Source: BSB.

Josh Brookes continued his momentum in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship by lapping under the existing record to scorch his Milwaukee Yamaha to his second pole position of the season ahead of the seventh round at Thruxton.

The Australian bids to continue his winning form from the previous round and he held off American John Hopkins by 0.212s to hold the advantage from the Lloyds British Moto Rapido Ducati rider.

Brookes’ main title rival Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne struggled in qualifying and will start on the sixth row in 16th position.

PBM Kawasaki’s Byrne holds a slender five point lead in the standings ahead of Brookes, but struggled throughout practice and qualifying and now faces an uphill battle after his worst qualifying performance since 2011 at the Hampshire circuit.

MCE BSB rookie Luke Mossey makes his debut on the front row of the grid on-board the Quattro Plant Tec-Care Kawasaki ahead of Honda Racing’s Dan Linfoot who leads the second row alongside James Ellison on the JG Speedfit Kawasaki and RAF Reserves BMW rider Peter Hickman.

Christian Iddon heads the third row on the Bennetts Suzuki ahead of Richard Cooper on the Anvil Hire TAG Kawasaki and Danny Buchan on the Be Wiser Kawasaki with the top nine riders representing six different manufacturers.

Honda Racing’s Jason O’Halloran crashed out of the second stage of Datatag Qualifying at Noble, breaking his right femur in the crash.

Next best of the Aussies was Josh Waters (Bennetts Suzuki) in 21st, Jed Metcher (PR Racing Kawasaki) 29th and Billy McConnell (Smith’s Racing BMW) 30th after he was unable to register a time due to an engine failure.

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