Defending MCE Insurance British Superbike champion Shane 'Shakey' Byrne smashed the existing lap record of Snetterton to set the fastest ever lap of the Norfolk circuit on his way to celebrating pole position ahead of tomorrow’s two races.

The top nine riders prepared themselves for the first Superpole shootout of the season and first to exit pitlane was championship leader Luke Mossey. The JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider set the benchmark with his fastest lap of the weekend, with Jakub Smrz making his first appearance in Superpole. The Czech rider made a mistake at Wilson and had to settle for second.

Next up to attack a flying lap was Leon Haslam, who had fired himself into Superpole in the final stages of Q2. He then outpaced his team-mate to move to the top of the times with his flying lap as Dan Linfoot then rolled out of pitlane to start his Superpole bid for the top.

Linfoot’s best effort put him third fastest behind the JG Speedfit Kawasakis of Haslam and Mossey as Jason O'Halloran on the second of the Honda Racing Fireblades began his flying lap. The Australian was gaining momentum and he crossed the line to move ahead and put himself as the new target at the top of the times.

James Ellison was next to shoot out for his Superpole lap on the McAMS Yamaha and he was consistently improving, as he crossed the line he had done just enough to push O’Halloran back into second with just Josh Brookes, Jake Dixon and Byrne left to set a lap.

Brookes was wrestling with the Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha but he could only post the fifth fastest time as Dixon got his flying lap underway at the RAF Reserves Kawasaki’s home circuit. Knockhill double winner Dixon was only marginally faster than Brookes to put himself fourth and then all eyes were on Byrne.

The five-time champion set a blistering pace to lap the 2.968-mile circuit in the fastest ever time, with an incredible lap of 1m:46.024s to put him 0.537s ahead of Ellison to claim pole position ahead of Ellison and O’Halloran who complete the front row.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Snetterton, Datatag Qualifying result:

Shane Byrne (Be Wiser Ducati) 1m:46.024s
James Ellison (McAMS Yamaha) +0.537s
Jason O'Halloran (Honda Racing) +1.082s
Leon Haslam (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +1.096s
Jake Dixon (RAF Reserves Kawasaki) +1.327s
Luke Mossey (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +1.331s
Josh Brookes (Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha) +1.486s
Dan Linfoot (Honda Racing) +2.093s
Jakub Smrz (Lloyd & Jones PR Racing BMW) +2.139s