Source: Supplied.

Josh Brookes smashed the current Assen circuit lap record to take his fourth pole position of the season ahead of tomorrow’s opening Showdown round as he bids to extend his two-point lead in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship standings.

The Australian had set the pace throughout the weekend and when it came to Datatag Qualifying the Milwaukee Yamaha turned up the heat on his rivals with a remarkable lap of 1m35.971s.

Title Fighter James Ellison, who has signed a contract extension to ride for the JG Speedfit Kawasaki team through into next season, starts alongside Brookes on the front of the grid which is completed by former MotoGP contender John Hopkins.

The American set an impressive pace to claim the Lloyds British Moto Rapido Ducati team their first front row start of the season.

Michael Laverty has come out fighting in the Showdown and he leapt above PBM Kawasaki’s reigning champion Shane Byrne to claim the fourth best time on the Tyco BMW.

They line up on the second row with MCE BSB rookie Danny Buchan riding the Be Wiser Kawasaki and Luke Mossey who crashed his Quattro Plant Kawasaki moments earlier in the session.

Jack Kennedy, who also crashed in the final session, was eighth fastest on the Team WD40 Kawasaki, heading off Tommy Bridewell on the second Tyco BMW and Bennetts Suzuki’s Christian Iddon.

Bennetts Suzuki’s Josh Waters was close behind his teammate in 12th on the grid, while Billy McConnell was 16th for Smiths Racing BMW and Jed Metcher 19th on the Gearlink Kawasaki.

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