SHANE Byrne is in a strong position to tighten his grip on the MCE Insurance British Superbike championship after powering to pole at Croft circuit.

The HM Plant Honda rider had worked hard across free practice and qualifying to prepare his bike and he used that to good effect to top the leaderboard for the second time this campaign with a best lap in 1m 20.069secs.

That was just enough to head off the threat posed by Swan Yamaha's Michael Laverty who was 0.125secs down on him.

Byrne who has never enjoyed a race-winning ride at the circuit is determined to set that record straight at the same time as increasing his 11-point advantage over MSS Colchester Kawasaki rider Stuart Easton in the rankings.

"Pole is good, though a bit more by luck than judgement as the rain came when I was at the fastest part of the circuit," said Byrne. "I had Michael Rutter in front of me and used him as a marker - I thought if he stays smooth, then fine, otherwise I would back off. He rode well so I kept on it.

"In the end it worked out fine, and the team has worked hard to sort a setting for the bike that suits this track which is mix of tight and fastflowing corners as well as bumpy.

"We want to get out there for wins as this is the home circuit of our sponsors HM Plant," added Byrne. Laverty, of the Guisborough based Shaun Muir Racing outfit, was disappointed at having to settle for second fastest and said:"I had topped the first two qualifying sessions and as I went out for my lap on the back part of the circuit there was a sprinkle of rain and I backed off and wasn't committed enough to push for the pole time, so fairplay to Shakey." Frenchman Loris Baz set the third fastest time, 1m 20.264secs, to put his Motorpoint Yamaha onto the front row with Rutter on the Rapid Solicitors Bathams Ducati alongside.

James Westmoreland, riding the Motorpoint Yamaha, headed up the second row, running a little over a tenth of a second faster than Easton.

Dan Linfoot, aboard the Sorrymate.com Honda, was seventh fastest ahead of Swan Yamaha's Tommy Hill who was defying the pain of his injured shoulder.

Samsung Crescent Suzuki's John Hopkins starts from the third row in company with Tyco Honda rider Peter Hickman, Gary Mason on the MSS Colchester Kawasaki and Relentless Suzuki's Josh Brookes. Alex Lowes who leads the Mirror.co.uk BSB-EVO class was on the fourth row with reigning BSB Champion Ryuichi Kiyonari, who had a difficult time working with bike settings, sandwiched between him and his WFR Honda team-mate Glen Richards.