The championship leader - unbeaten so far this season - recorded the fastest ever lap of the 1.39 mile Leicestershire circuit in the final couple of minutes of the session, recording a time of 50.593secs, some 1.2 seconds in side the record, but barely a third of a second faster than Rutter.

“Very good, very fast - I like this circuit and want more victories here, but I also know that these races are very important to Michael,” smiled Kiyonari as he enjoyed his second pole start of the season.

Between them they had dominated the two periods of qualifying. Within five minutes of the start, Kiyonari had bettered the record, and he improved on that time a further four times but it was Rutter who ends the morning with the smiles, having grabbed the initiative with a lap of 51.044secs.

Kiyonari hit back in the afternoon, nosing ahead, but once again Rutter, who lives adjacent to the circuit answered the challenge with a great lap, only be eclipsed once again.

The Hawk Kawasaki duo of Glen Richards and Dean Thomas complete the front row of the grid. Karl Harris heads the second row, with Leon Haslam and Scott Smart just adrift with second in the title stakes Gregorio Lavilla, confirmed now as an Airwaves Ducati rider for the remainder of the season, eighth fastest.

Defending champion John Reynolds, battling bravely on despite the pain from his broken right leg was ninth fastest, 51.497secs, aboard the Rizla Suzuki, a split second up on British Superbike Cup contender James Buckingham riding the privateer Quay Garage Suzuki.

Jeremy McWilliams faces an uphill struggle - the former grand prix rider managed only 21 ^st best time aboard the Stobart Honda, with a best lap time of 52.004secs.

ends