Michael Rutter scorched to pole start for the fifth round of the THINK!

British Superbike Championship by shattering the Mondello Park lap record

in the final seconds of a dramatic session in which he had duelled for

supremacy with the series leading John Reynolds.

The Rizla Suzuki rider, fastest in the morning session, just from Rutter,

looked to have done enough to secure a third pole start when he clocked a

time of 1m 39.743s, but his HM Plant Honda Fireblade rival had other ideas,

leaving it late, but the blitzing the opposition with the fastest ever lap

by a bike rider around this 2.177 mile Irish circuit.

Rutter, who earlier in the session had ensured his bike is perfectly set-up

by completing a full race distance, returned to the track with just enough

time to put in a final couple of laps, the second of which started with

three seconds remaining, assuring him of a virtually clear track.

The winner of last week's NorthWest 200 Superbike races at record speed,

Rutter powered his Honda to a time that was some 1.5 seconds faster than

last year's pole time, and almost two seconds inside the record to claim

his second pole of the season as he bids to peg back the 18 points by which

he trailed Reynolds in the title stakes.

"It's good to get one over John," Rutter smiled. "It's not easy to get a

clear run on this track, so I left it late, and it worked - the bike has

been consistent all of the way through, and I am feeling confident."

Dean Thomas riding the Dienza Ducati and Scott Smart on the Hawk Kawasaki

completed the front row of the grid, with his team-mate Glen Richards fifth

fastest, ahead of the title chasing Yukio Kagayama. Sean Emmett, riding

MonsterMob Ducati, with Tommy Hill edging out his Virgin Mobile Samsung

Yamaha team-mates Gary Mason and James Haydon in the scrap for the fourth

spot on the second row.

ends