James Haydon set the fastest ever two-wheeled lap of the Brands Hatch grand prix circuit to claim pole start for the double race finale to the Bennetts British Superbike Championship - the Rizla Suzuki rider upstaged the title chasing duo of Gregorio Lavilla and Ryuichi Kiyonari who again had contrasting fortunes.

Neither of the leading duo in the title stakes could match the raw speed of Hayden, who not only gave the Suzuki team their first pole of the campaign, but enjoyed topping qualifying for the first time ever in Superbikes.

Haydon powered around the 2.623 mile Kent grand prix circuit in 1m 25.920secs, an average speed of 109.28mph: “Unbelievable - I knew it was a good lap, but not that good. The team has worked hard for me to achieve that, and I have to thank them for that, and also say a big thank you to Dunlop for the tyres.”

There were also words from Haydon for his team-mate, John Reynolds, who is hospitalised after a heavy crash in free practice: He's a great guy and we miss him - I would like to dedicate that lap to him and wish him a speedy recovery.”

The outgoing champion sustained multiple rib fractures, a punctured lung and broken collar-bone and will not see the continuing shoot-out for the crown in which Lavilla now has the upper-hand.

The Spanish rider has a 13 points advantage over Kiyonari, and also was comfortably the faster of the two in qualifying. The Airwaves Ducati rider was fourth fastest, with a lap of 1m 26.331secs, marginally down on his team-mate Leon Haslam and Karl Harris, riding Honda, but, importantly he has a front row start.

“Yes, I am in a good position, but nothing can be taken for granted,” said Lavilla. “We have worked hard, and I will be trying very hard to take the title and will see how the races develop - I know what I have to do.”

Kiyonari was struggling. In the morning, a broken chain cost him track time, but although he improved his lap times in the second session, he was making little progress on a track that he find difficult to ride.

That was reflected in his best time, 1m 26.922secs, tenth on the leaderboard, with a third row start, alongside his HM Plant Honda team-mate Michael Rutter, Sean Emmett and the returning former Grand Prix rider Jeremy McWilliams .

In between the exciting Japanese rider who has won a dozen times this season is a tough second row. Both Hawk Kawasaki riders, Dean Thomas and Glen Richards, despite a couple of tumbles over the weekend, are there, together with Gary Mason on the Stobart Honda and the Virgin Mobile Samsung Yamaha of Tommy Hill.

With James Buckingham, already assured of the British Superbike Cup, stepping in to ride the second Rizla Suzuki in place of the injured Reynolds, and running 22 ^nd fastest, Danny Beaumont was the top privateer in qualifying, 16 ^th overall, with a lap of 1m 27.885secs, just ahead of Marty Nutt.

ends