Tom Sykes will start from third on the grid at
Oulton Park after a solid performance in qualifying for the latest round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship.
The Rizla Suzuki team elected to send Sykes out in the session on race tyres to chase after his initial laps were completed on intermediate rubber and it proved to be a wise move as he built up to a quick lap and posted the third fastest time as the chequered flag came out.
I started the session on intermediate tyres but when I got on track I realised it was pretty dry, he said. I came in changed to slicks and got back out there. I stayed on the same race tyre and posted my fastest lap on lap 20, so to pull off third place on the front row of the grid is not too shabby. I'm happy with my front row start.
I just want to get away well and see what happens. I'm not bothered either way if it is wet or dry, I was second fastest this morning in the wet and third in qualifying in the dry. My Rizla Suzuki technicians have worked really hard to give me ideal setting on my Rizla Suzuki so a big thinks to them.
Team-mate Atsushi Watanabe started the session on his number one machine running wet settings. As the track was drying rapidly he came in to change to dry settings which cost him some time. Once back out on track his number one machine stopped, leaving him to make his way back to pick up his second bike which he ran for the remainder of the session, working hard to achieve 17th place.
The conditions were difficult today as the track was drying out, he said. It is still new track for me so I am learning every lap. I'm not happy with 17th but I like track and will do better in the race.
