Josh Brookes claimed his first pole position of the season for the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team in a hard-fought Bennetts British Superbike Championship eBay Qualifying session at Oulton Park.
As the track continued to dry after this morning's rain, the conditions improved and the final five minutes of the session became a constant change at the top as the times continued to tumble.
In the early stages of eBay Q2, Josh Owens had been one of the first riders to set a flying lap to put him fastest for the Crendon Honda by Hawk Racing team, but as times improved, he dropped down the order before a crash at Lodge ended his session in the closing moments.
Tim Neave then put the McAMS Yamaha at the top, the Bennetts BSB rookie hitting the top in the final seven minutes, but just a lap later it was Danny Kent and the Lovell Kent Racing Honda team who had moved ahead.
Kent continued to set a string of faster laps, but Leon Haslam had been back to the garage, made some changes after an initial sighting lap and was soon attacking for the Omologato pole position. The ROKiT BMW Motorrad rider went fastest with three minutes left on the clock ahead of Kent and Jack Kennedy, but there were plenty of changes still to come.
Storm Stacey proved to be strong in the changing conditions and he moved the Starline Racing Kawasaki to the top with three minutes remaining, but then Brookes was also on a flying lap and he nudged him down to second.
Stacey's next lap put him back at the top, but Haslam then had one last dash for the Omologato pole position, moving ahead with less than a minute of the session remaining.
Brookes though was determined and he excelled in the drying conditions to move ahead with 30 seconds of the session remaining, with Haslam and Stacey completing the front row for this afternoon's race at the chequered flag.
Glenn Irwin had been in the top three too in the final five minutes but the BeerMonster Ducati rider was nudged into fourth in the closing stages when Brookes surged up the order. Jason O'Halloran saved his best lap until the very last of the session to move fifth with Luke Mossey on the Tactix by Lloyd & Jones BMW completing row two.
Andrew Irwin had progressed through eBay Q1 and will head the third row for Honda Racing UK this afternoon ahead of Peter Hickman and Kennedy. Tim Neave completed the top ten to ensure both McAMS Yamahas were inside the top ten.
Christian Iddon was just outside the top ten in eleventh place ahead of Kent and Charlie Nesbitt with Owens starting 14th just ahead of Tommy Bridewell.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, eBay Qualifying result:
- Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) 1m42.543s
- Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad) +0.660s
- Storm Stacey (Starline Racing Kawasaki) +0.920s
- Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) +0.934s
- Jason O'Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +1.072s
- Luke Mossey (Tactix by Lloyd & Jones BMW) +1.972s
- Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +2.011s
- Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) +2.126s
- Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Yamaha) +2.381s
- Tim Neave (McAMS Yamaha) +2.874s
For the full session result please click here