British Superbike Championship - Mallory Qualifying

It was lucky number seven for GSE Racing today at Mallory Park circuit when Neil Hodgson qualified on pole again for tomorrow's British Superbike Championship round at the Leicstershire circuit. It is the team's seventh consecutive pole position and Hodgson's fifth British Superbike pole out of just ten rounds this year. Team mate Niall Mackenzie, who qualified on pole position at Knockhill last month, qualified in 11th position, but only 0.7 seconds behind Hodgson.

Hodgson, who is currently leading the British Superbike Championship, was sixth fastest in the morning qualifying session but scorched to a fastest ever time around Mallory Park in the last minute of second qualifying. His time of 47.576 seconds took a third-of-a-second off the existing lap record and puts the 26-year-old in the best possible position for tomorrow's two 28-lap races:

"I was slightly concerned after this morning's qualifying session, because I had been used to dominating during qualifying and I hadn't been able to find an ideal set-up. But I knew what the team and I had to do to get things working well in the afternoon. Fortunately it stayed dry and the changes we made started to work. With just a couple of minutes to go, things just clicked with the INS Ducati and I was able to bang in a fast one. Fortunately, no one could go any quicker and it's great to be on pole again.
You could say that I'm fired-up for tomorrow's races!"

Marty Craggill is still coming to terms with the Mallory Park circuit and qualified on the fourth row of the grid, in 14th position.

"I am losing time on the section between the Hairpin, the chicane and Devil's Elbow, but I will be sitting down with Steve and the rest of my team tonight to study the data and see how I can remedy the problem," said the Australian."

Qualifying Results:
1) N. Hodgson (INS Ducati) - 47.576
2) C. Walker (Suzuki) - 47.623
3) J. Reynolds (Ducati) - 47.660
4) J. Haydon (Ducati) - 47.731
5) S. Plater (Kawasaki) - 47.934
6) D. Jefferies (Yamaha) - 47.969
7) M. Rutter (Yamaha) - 48.143
8) S. Byrne (Honda) - 48.208
9) J. Crawford (Suzuki) - 48.248
10) S. Emmett (Honda) - 48.270
13) P. Young (Yamaha) - 48.423
14) M. Craggill (Team Kawasaki) - 48.515
19) A. Gobert (Yamaha) - 49.302s
22) P. Free (Kawasaki) - 49.911

Castrol Honda’s Kirk McCarthy will start tomorrow’s tenth round British Supersport race at Mallory Park from the front row after setting the third fastest time in today’s two timed qualifying sessions.

Pole position went to Ducati’s Dean Thomas, who bounced back from a heavy crash in this morning’s first qualifying session. Series leader, Jim Moodie, was second fastest, with Rob Frost rounding out the front row.

McCarthy’s team-mate, Steve Brogan, in only his third outing on the Dunlop-shod Castrol Honda CBR600, will start from fifth place on the grid for tomorrow’s 28-lapper around the 1.37-mile Leicestershire circuit.

McCarthy, who was fastest in today’s morning qualifying session, was disappointed not to have held on to his provisional pole position.

"The bike felt fine this morning," said the 30-year-old Australian, "but we tried a few different race tyres in the afternoon session. We still haven’t made a final decision on which Dunlop to run with but we’ll be all right for the race."

Final qualifying times:
1 Dean Thomas (Ducati) 49.336s,
2 Jim Moodie (Yamaha) 49.372,
3 Kirk McCarthy (Castrol Honda) 49.420,
4 Rob Frost (Yamaha) 49.512,
5 Steve Brogan (Castrol Honda) 49.777,
6 Glen Richards (Honda 49.917,
7 Howard Whitby (Honda) 50.000,
8 Stuart Wickens (Ducati) 50.040,
9 Paul Jones (Ducati) 50.151,
10 Mark Heckles (Honda) 50.239.