Source: BSB.

Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne smashed the Cadwell Park lap record to put his Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki onto pole position for Monday’s eighth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship.

The series leader bounced back after a crash on Sunday morning at Hall Bends with an inch-perfect lap of the Lincolnshire circuit in a time of 1m26.001, over half a second inside the record.

“I saw from my pit-board I had 0.9s in front of everyone and was faster than I had been all weekend so I was very happy,” Byrne beamed. “But good as pole is, it is the races that are the more important.”

Byrne is aiming to end a run of seven races without a win but despite his speed in qualifying knows that he will have a fight on his hands as Ryuichi Kiyonari, also chasing a record fourth title, starts his Buildbase BMW alongside him on a front row. Milwaukee Yamaha’s Tommy Bridewell completes the front row as he scored his first top three qualifying result of the season.

Chris Walker heads the second row on the lone Lloyds British GBmoto Kawasaki, with local rider Peter Hickman fifth fastest on the RAF Reserves Honda at his home round just ahead of Aussie Josh Waters riding for Tyco Suzuki.

Jon Kirkham (Halsall Bike Gear Kawasaki) John Hopkins (Tyco Suzuki) and Dan Linfoot (Quattro Plant Kawasaki) start from the third row with title-chasing Josh Brookes frustrated as he starts from 10th place on the grid after a problem spoiled his challenge in the third element of the qualifying session.

James Ellison has decided to withdraw for the remainder of the event despite his heroic attempt to return to racing from his Brands Hatch injury. He now looks ahead to Donington Park and his hopes of securing a Showdown position.

Billy McConnell won an incredible dash to the line by inches, or, officially 0.001secs, ahead of his Smiths Triumph teammate Graeme Gowland after an epic duel for supremacy throughout the sprit race of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship.

The win was just enough to put McConnell back on top of the title stakes, four points ahead of Gowland.

“We are both going for the title but everything about that was clean with lots of moves,” McConnell said. “I was giving it a real go, but making little mistakes and then pushed on really hard. Going into the final corner I ran a bit deep but then I was down hard on the bar down the straight giving it everything.”

Gowland said: “I knew we went over the line together at the same time but thought he was just in front – it was a good clean race and we will give it another go tomorrow.”

Luke Stapleford took a distant third almost eight seconds back on the Profile Triumph, after tangling with teammate Luke Mossey at the Hairpin on the penultimate lap. Stapleford was comfortably clear of Glenn Irwin on the Gearlink Kawasaki with Luke Jones fifth.

Danny Buchan is all set to continue his charge to the title having beaten off the challenge of Honda’s Jason O’Halloran for the Superstock 1000 pole position, while David Johnson slotted his Kawasaki into 11th.

Kyle Ryde, the leader in the Superstock 600 title stakes, will be starting his PacedayZ Trackdays Yamaha from pole position, as Aussie duo Levi Day and Benjamin Currie rode to seventh and 10th respectively.

2014 MCE British Superbike Championship
Round eight – Cadwell Park

Superbike qualifying results:
1. Shane Byrne 1m26.017
2. Ryuichi Kiyonari 1m26.921
3. Tommy Bridewell 1m27.681
4. Chris Walker 1m27.717
5. Peter Hickman 1m27.771
6. Josh Waters (AUS) 1m27.977
7. Jon Kirkham 1m27.995
8. John Hopkins 1m28.054
9. Dan Linfoot 1m28.214
10. Josh Brookes (AUS) 1m27.099

Supersport race results:
1. Billy McConnell
2. Graeme Gowland
3. Luke Stapleford
4. Glenn Irwin
5. Luke Jones
6. Alastair Seely
7. Luke Hedger
8. James Rispoli
9. Samuel Hornsey
10. Bjorn Estment

Supersport championship standings:
1. Billy McConnell 252
2. Graeme Gowland 248
3. Alastair Seeley 234
4. Luke Jones 186
5. Glenn Irwin 171
6. Luke Stapleford 168
7. Luke Mossey 138
8. Jake Dixon 111
9. Taylor Mackenzie 89
10. James Rispoli 89

Click here for detailed results