Emmett slides to Snetterton pole

Sean Emmett sits on pole position for tomorrow’s fifth round of the MCN British Superbike championship at Snetterton.

The IFC Ducati rider survived two big slides, one at Riches and the other at the Bombhole to score his first-ever Superpole with a 1:06.394s lap.

He said: ” The last time I was pole was back in 1998 but I’ve never qualified fastest under the current one-lap SuperPole systems. Normally I’m really nervous before I go out but today I felt totally relaxed. I couldn’t believe when I nearly lost the front a couple of times but it obviously didn’t lose me too much time. ”

Michael Rutter was second quickest on the Renegade Ducati. He also had to save a front-end slide at Riches on his way to a 1:06.459s lap, 0.065s off the pole time.

Rutter said: ” Once I had that front wheel slide it knocked my confidence for the whole lap. I just wanted to ride safe and not risk anything. ”

Steve Hislop was third quickest but far from happy with his bike and tyre set-up, even though he was only 0.234s off pole.

He said: ” I’ve had problems all weekend. The brake lever’s coming back to the bar. I’m still not happy with the chassis set-up and we’ve bee plagued with tyre problems. We should be into the 1:5s laps today, it’s ridiculous. ”

John Reynolds was the quickest of the four-cylinder bikes, completing the front row on the Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000 but it was Matt Llewellyn who created the biggest shock of the day with the MotoPower Honda FireBlade. He jumped form 15th quickest in qualifying to seventh in SuperPole in his first meeting back after breaking his right scaphoid at Brands Hatch in April.

Steve Plater had another dismal SuperPole on the Virgin Yamaha R1. After running top six all weekend in the practice sessions he dropped to 13th on the grid with his bike some 15mph down in the second speed trap at the end of the Revett straight.

1)S Emmett 1:06.394 2) M Rutter 1:06.459 3) S Hislop 1:06.628 4) J Reynolds 1:06.667 5) S Byrne 1:06.709 6) D Ellison 1:06.927 7) M Llewellyn 1: 07.274 8) G Bussei 1:07 353 9) S Crafar 1:07.464 10) D Thomas 1:07.479 11) P Brown 12) G Mason 13) S Plater 14)G Richards 15) P Jones