Ryuichi Kiyonari smashed the Knockhill lap record to claim pole start for the double race seventh round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship but the 22 year old Japanese rider was only a tenth of a second faster than his HM Plant Honda team-mate Michael Rutter.

Both however need to be mindful of the rising challenge of young Ulsterman Jonathan Rea, third fastest aboard the Red Bull Honda, and the returning force of the reigning champion John Reynolds aboard the Rizla Suzuki.

The Nottingham rider is well on the way to recovery after breaking his right leg in five places in a crash during pre-season testing and his fourth place on the grid, with a time of 49.736secs, for the Scottish races underlines he is ready for action.

"That is fantastic, I am really happy with that and cannot start to thank everyone who has helped me so much over the past few months - it has been a long hard struggle but now my season starts here," smiled Reynolds.

"The bike has always been good, it's just that I've not been performing on it, and am still struggling a bit because the pace out there is so hot, so qualifying for the front row is really good.

"It will be a tough old race, physically hard work, but I am ready for it," Reynolds warned the pretenders to his crown.

Kiyonari goes into the races playing catch-up in the title stakes, currently third overall. "I need strong results here to maintain my position and am feeling good now," he smiled after his 49.351secs lap that took some 0.7 seconds off the three year old record set by the late, former champion Steve Hislop.

Rutter, uninjured in a spectacular high-side during the afternoon session, is feeling confident after his 49.499secs lap of the 1.3 mile Scottish circuit he should increase his 45 points lead in the title stakes, considering his nearest rival, Gregorio Lavilla, riding the Airwaves Ducati, starts from the third row of the grid, twelfth fastest.

Dean Thomas, riding Hawk Kawasaki, heads the second row, with Leon Haslam, Michael Laverty, and James Haydon, returning to the Suzuki team, alongside him.

James Buckingham was the fastest of the British Superbike Cup contenders, again embarrassing a number of factory backed riders with a strong performance aboard the Quay Garage Suzuki, as he lapped in 50.270secs.

ends