Edwards threatens with provisional pole

A new engine has given Honda’s Colin Edwards fresh hope and provisional pole in Oschersleben today ahead of Sunday’s World Superbike race in Germany.

The Texan smashed the lap record by half a second, posting a time of 1:26.609, three tenths ahead of defending champ and series leader Troy Bayliss.

Afterwards he told MCN: ” Everyone thinks it’s all over, and that Troy has got the title in the bag. I don’t. ”

Bayliss said: ” It doesn’t bother me. I’m back to A1 fitness (he cracked a rib crashing at Brands Hatch in July) and I know I can go faster in Superpole. ”

The engine is a new specification, developed and refined by HRC from the special SP-2 Suzuka Eight Hour machine Edwards rode to victory on earlier this year.

1)C Edwards 2)T Bayliss 3)N Hodgson 4)R Xaus 5)B Bostrom 6)C Walker 7)J Toseland 8)PF Chili 9)M Borciani 10)G Lavilla 11)N Haga 12)S Martin 13)JB Borja 14)E Bostrom 15)L Pedercini 16)B Parkes 17)H izutsu 18)P Goddard 19)A Antonello 20)S Foti 21)M Sanchini 22)I Clementi 23)M Heckles 24)J Mrkyvka 25)T Mulot 26)Y Gyger 27)G Santoni 28)T Myszkowski

World Supersports qualifying:

1)F Foret 2)K Fujiwara 3)C Cogan 4)C Vermuelen 5)A Pitt 6)J Teuchert 7)I MacPherson 8)C Kellner 9)K Muggeridge 10)P Casoli 11)A Carlacci 12)R Ulm 13)K Curtain 14)S Chambon 15)W Daemen 16)M Schultenn 17)J Hanson 18)P Bontempi 19)S Cruciani 20)M Lagrive 21)A Corradi 22)J Oelschlager 23)G Scalvini 24)R Frost 25)S Chapentier 26)J McGuinness 27)J Ellison 28)C Cipriani 29)G Nanelli 30)R Penzkofer 31)B Laurent