Scott Smart dominated throughout qualifying to ensure his Hawk Kawasaki starts the Holiday Monday double race eleventh round of the THINK! British Superbike Championship at Cadwell Park from pole position.

The 28 year old, who has worked extensively on the engine development of the bike, made good use of his all-round skills as he lapped the difficult 2.18 mile Lincolnshire circuit consistently, with a best time of 1m 28.131s.

Smart, third overall in the rankings was delighted: “It is a physical circuit, but fun to ride, especially when you are on top of the pile.”

His time was enough to hold off the late challenge to his supremacy from title chasing Michael Rutter, who closed to within 0.422secs to ensure a front row start for his HM Plant Honda.

He goes into the races needing a repeat of his winning double of the previous round at Croft if he is to maintain his hopes of taking the crown for the first time - currently he trails John Reynolds by 50 points.

“If I am to have any chance of catching John, then I really need to win these races,” said Rutter as he noted that his title rival had saved the best for last, grabbing a front row start for his Rizla Suzuki with the day's fourth best time of 1m 28.789s, marginally slower than that of Tommy Hill, riding the Virgin Mobile Samsung Yamaha.

Reynolds, twice the former champion, insists that he is riding to win, not settling for strong points: “If I am to win the title, then I need to win more races, starting with these.”

Smart will pose a real threat to the two title protagonists, with a further challenge expected from Yukio Kagayama. The Japanese rider maybe team-mate to Reynolds, but with no team orders, is intent on winning as he returns to the circuit where in last year's corresponding round he suffered life threatening injuries in a horror crash.

Kagayama was sixth fastest: “this is a big weekend for me and my team - last year I have nearly fatal accident and I am happy to be here and able to race. I want to win as I think that I have unfinished business at this track.”

Meanwhile, Jon Kirkham, riding Suzuki, was the fastest of the qualifiers for the Superbike Cup race within a race, with the leader of that series James Ellison, who rode in last Sunday's Czech Republic MotoGP races, having to settle for fifth best.

ends