Jakub Smrz kept up his fine form around his home Brno circuit to snatch provisional pole position for the ninth round of the World Superbikes in the Czech Republic.
Cheered on by the crowds that have mostly descended on the circuit for to watch him this weekend, Smrz maintained his timesheet topping pace from free practice to repeat the feat in first qualifying.
Edging out
Troy Corser by a fair three tenths of a second, Smrz hit the top just before the halfway point and was never headed again. The second time the man from Jilovice has taken a provisional pole position following his effort at Assen earlier this year, this particular result on home ground will arguably be sweeter though.
Still, despite the length of the Czech circuit, the final times remain remarkably close. Indeed, with the new surface continuing to be bedded in, the times did tumble from those in free practice. With that in mind, final qualifying may well take on a different appearance to that of today.
Nonetheless, while Smrz's effort on the privateer Guanadlini Ducati may come as a surprise to some, there were fewer shocks directly behind. Corser held onto second on the Yamaha Italia, with countryman
Troy Bayliss in third, although the championship leader did leave it late to pop up the order.
Max Biaggi, who ran Smrz closest in free practice, was still comfortably up the order in fourth, ahead of
Lorenzo Lanzi, who joined fellow independent runner Smrz in giving the works Ducatis a run for their money in fifth place.
Fonsi Nieto was once again the fastest of the Alstare Suzuki trio, the Spaniard out pacing the Xerox Ducati duo of
Michel Fabrizio and Niccoló Canepa, the latter showing well in his first World Superbike qualifying session.
Max Neukirchner maintained his reputation as a bit of a ‘slow-starter' in ninth place, ahead of Misano winner
Ruben Xaus, the Spaniard dropping down from his spot at the front of the field in free practice.
