Jonathan Rea fired a high-speed warning to his series leading HM Plant Honda team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonari that he intends to be ahead in the Bennetts British Superbike title stakes after the eighth round at Oulton Park.

The Ballyclare rider who has won the three previous races shattered the record at the Cheshire circuit to claim his third consecutive pole start and his fourth of the campaign.

Rea put in two fast laps in the closing stages of the grid deciding session to head off the determined challenges of Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda rider Tom Sykes - the best of them came in a time of 1m 34.914secs, an average speed of 102.10mph, and a little over half a second inside the year old record of Kiyonari.

“We'd been having a few problems deciding on race tyres, given the rains of Friday and then the good weather, but I banged in a couple of qualifiers and went for it,” explained Rea. “I'm ready now for any conditions. Michelin have a good tyre for me for the races, and everything is working good. I've yet to have a good podium finish here but that is something I am determined to put right.”

He goes into these races trailing Kiyonari by just eleven points and is feeling good for the race. “I'm sick and tired of hearing the Spanish and Japanese national anthems booming out after races, so along with Leon Haslam have had to do something about it.”

Sykes had to settle for second best, his best qualifying performance of the season, with a lap of 1m 35.272secs and the Huddersfield rider reflected: “I'm happy enough with that and I felt quite comfortable. I went back out on the last qualifier and thought I could get into the 1m 34secs laps but I struggled on the first flying lap with traffic. When I got a clear track at the end the chequered flag came out. It's another front row start and we've got a good race set up whether it is wet or dry, although I hope it is dry. ”

Leon Haslam, riding Airwaves Ducati, ran third with a best lap of 1m 35.529secs, as Kiyonari, a race winner earlier in the season here, completed the front row with a time of 1m 35.603secs.

Gregorio Lavilla, the other winner here back in May, headed up the second row of the grid, running with a best time of 1m 35.660secs, and a third of a second up Hydrex Honda rider Karl Harris. Cal Crutchlow, riding Rizla Suzuki, and former champion Shane Byrne, who tipped off early in the session, ran seventh and eighth.

Leon Camier, riding the Bike Animal Honda, and Virgin Media Optoma Loans Yamaha's lone rider Tommy Hill completed the top ten while James Buckingham was the best of the British Superbike Cup qualifiers with a lap of 1m 38.994secs aboard the Quay Garage Honda, a tenth of a second up on THR Honda rider Tristan Palmer, with Marty Nutt third, ahead of Tom Tunstall.

Sean Emmett took over the Samsung Suzuki, replacing Dean Thomas who struggled through the pain of rib injuries on the opening day, but ran back in 24th place while Les Shand, deputising for Steve Plater who sustained rib injuries in a crash during Friday free practice, starts the AIM Yamaha from the back row of the grid.

ends