Leon Haslam grabbed pole start for the eighth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Snetterton at lap record breaking pace as he headed off the threat of the title chasing HM Plant Honda duo of Ryuichi Kiyonari and Michael Rutter.

The Airwaves Ducati rider smashed half a second off the record, lapping the 1.953 mile Norfolk circuit in a time of 1m 05.403s, an average speed of 107.44mph: “I am feeling really confident for the races now - the bike is going well and I see no reasons why I cannot win here.”

Haslam, currently fifth in the title stakes, has won once this season, but is planning to add to that: “We have a really good set-up for the bike, and everything is in place. Now it is down to me to provide the results.”

He was just 0.032 seconds faster than Kiyonari, the eight times race winner who is determined to make inroads into the 43 points advantage held by Rutter, third fastest with a lap of 1m 05.653s, and that despite taking a heavy tumble in the morning session that left him battered and bruised.

“I'm a bit sore, but OK for the races which I need to win - I was pushing on, possibly a bit too hard when I crashed. The bike just came round on me, and that was it,” Rutter explained.

Michael Laverty, riding the Stobart Honda, completes the front row of the grid, his best ever qualifying performance in Superbikes. “I'm really delighted with that and now I am aiming for at least a second place here. I know that I can stay with Rutter.”

James Haydon, sore from two tumbles, heads the second row aboard the Rizla Suzuki, with Steve Plater marking his debut with the Hydrex Honda team sixth fastest, and just inside the record.

Gregorio Lavilla, the Airwaves Ducati rider who is currently third in the title rankings, set the seventh best time, ahead of John Reynolds, the reigning champion.

James Buckingham, the Quay Garage Suzuki rider, who heads the British Superbike Cup points, topped the qualifying for the race within a race for privateer teams and riders, but only by a tenth of a second from Danny Beaumont.