BSB: Byrne takes pole from O'Halloran by 0.001sec

Shane Byrne will start on pole position for tomorrow’s opening MCE British Superbike race at Knockhill after holding off a hard-charging Jason O’Halloran by just 0.001 seconds.

The session saw a long delay as the heavens opened ahead of Q2. A half an hour downpour flooded the track leaving the marshals with the big task of sweeping away masses of standing water.

As the session was restarted an hour later, it was Shane Byrne who led the way on the sodden 1.3 mile circuit but the conditions weren’t friendly to everyone, with a number of riders caught out during the 12 minute session. Big named casualties included Christian Iddon, who fell at turn two mid-way through while James Ellison was pushed down outside the top nine in the closing moments and will start tomorrow’s opening race tenth.

BSB rookie Glenn Irwin led the way in the early stages of the session before being toppled by team-mate Shane Byrne, with the pair then trading the top spot for the next few laps in a dominant display from the Be Wiser Ducati squad.  

It was Honda’s Jason O’Halloran who was on the charge towards the end of the session as he booted Irwin out of second place before the Ducati man lost his front row spot to Leon Haslam.

Aussie O’Halloran looked set to take pole with his final lap but crossed the line 0.001sec off Byrne’s fastest time as the chequered flag came out.

Peter Hickman got the better of Glen Irwin to start fourth with the Northern Irishman in the middle of the JG Speedfit Kawasaki and ePayMe Yamaha’s John Hopkins.

Dan Linfoot and Richard Cooper lie seventh and eighth with Danny Buchan completing the third row.