Alex Lowes and the MSS Colchester Kawasaki team have scored a maiden pole position at Thruxton this afternoon in the qualifying session for the fourth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship ahead of John Hopkins.

Lowes said:

"That was for Stuart Easton and we all want to see him back on the bike as soon as possible, it has been a great day for myself and the MSS Colchester Kawasaki team."



It was a dramatic opening qualifying session as championship leader Shane 'Shakey' Byrne crashed out after just one lap at the Club Chicane, he will now start from the back row of the grid tomorrow for race one. He was taken to the medical centre where he was x-rayed for a thumb injury before he was passed fit to race tomorrow.

Byrne said:

"It wasn't what I needed that's for sure, but I have only got cuts and bruises so it could have been worse. Fortunately it is only the first race I have to start from the back row as until then we had been having a good weekend here at Thruxton. I think everyone will see how much I want it tomorrow when I have to try and get on that podium from the back row!"

The second HM Plant Honda of Ryuichi Kiyonari topped the first session, setting a time of 1m:15.143s to remain at the top after opening qualifying. Michael Laverty though waited until the final five minutes to move second whilst Peter Hickman dropped to third after improvement from the Swan Yamaha rider ahead of his team-mate Tommy Hill and Alex Lowes on the MSS Colchester Kawasaki rounding out the top five.

In the second qualifying session there was even more tension as Jon Kirkham and Josh Brookes just missed out on the final top ten shootout for the pole position. Croft race winner Kirkham was thirteenth whilst Brookes suffered a technical problem with the Relentless Suzuki at Brooklands in the final minute and will start race one tomorrow from fourteenth.

Hill took the advantage to top the second session for Swan Yamaha with a faster time than Kiyonari in Q1 with a time of 1m:14.890s ahead of Hickman as he improved his pace in the final two minutes to displace Lowes and Laverty who ended that session third and fourth respectively. Samsung Crescent Racing's John Hopkins rounded out the top five ahead of the final session.

In the final session Kiyonari was the first rider to set a flying lap but then Hopkins dipped into the 1m:14s lap time to put the Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki fastest, but then a lap later Lowes put in an impressive lap to put the MSS Colchester Kawasaki fastest.

Lowes held on to take a maiden BSB pole position from Hopkins, Hill and Michael Rutter who completes the front row for tomorrow's opening race.

UPDATE: Shortly after qualifying ended Loris Baz received a 4 place grid penalty after he made a practice start during the live session.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Thruxton, qualifying result:

Alex Lowes (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) 1m:14.891s
John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing) +0.016s
Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) +0.022s
Michael Rutter (Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati) +0.126s
Peter Hickman (Tyco Honda) +0.154s
Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) +0.199s
Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) +0.235s
Loris Baz (Motorpoint Yamaha) +0.277s
James Westmoreland (Motorpoint Yamaha) +0.441s
Dan Linfoot (Sorrymate.com Honda) +1.206s