Hodgson takes pole after near crash

Neil Hodgson has taken his fourth pole position at the fifth round of the World Superbike championship in Oschersleben, Germany, setting the best time of the session on his final lap.

A heavy rain shower that hit the morning’s qualifying session slowed things down considerably. The slow session mean that the 12 fastest riders from Friday’s session went through to a Superole run under wet rules just in case the rains returned.

The wet rules mean that riders are allowed a total of 12 laps, including in and out laps, to set their fastest time. By his second flying lap Hodgson had managed to take his Ducati 999 to the top spot but as he sat in the pits Frankie Chili managed to nudge ahead.

Hodgson immediately went out to try and better the time but missed a gear change running wide on to the grass and nearly dropping the bike. The British rider regained his composure and proceeded to better Chili’s time by 0.035 seconds on his next go round.

The HM Plant Ducatis filled the last two places on the front row of the grid with James Toesland in third and Chris Walker fourth.

Regis Laconi, Steve Martin, Gregorio Lavilla, and Hodgson’s team mate Ruben Xaus make up the second row of the grid. But Lavilla’s new team-mate, 2002 World Superstock champion, Vittorio Ianuzzo was the man that impressed most, riding to ninth place on the grid in just his second superbike race.

Troy Corser managed to take the Foggy FP1 to 12th position but team-mate James Haydon will start from last place after an exhaust fire in the morning session forced him to abandon his bike at the side of the track.

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