JOHN Hopkins became the first American rider to take a pole start in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship with a sensational lap of the all-new Snetterton 300 circuit. The Samsung Crescent Suzuki rider has been on the pace throughout the weekend and he saved the best for last with a scorching time of 1m47.451secs around the three-mile long Norfolk circuit.

Hopkins enjoyed the sound of the Star Spangled banner ringing out following his maiden victory at Oulton Park and this lap was the start of what he intends to be a real celebration of Independence Day.

He is aiming to become the first American rider to complete a winning double in the series tomorrow.

"It is great to have pole but it is the races that count and thanks to the hard work of my team I have a good race pace.

"No American has had a polestart before me, and no American has taken a double win in the series so that is what I am aiming for in these races," said Hopkins. "I am enjoying this circuit more than any other so far. We had some niggling problems this morning but the team swapped the engines and did a great job giving me a great bike to go out there and do my job," added Hopkins, who is determined to take the fight to the rider above him in the title stakes, Shane Byrne.

The HM Plant Honda rider in contrast to Hopkins had little to smile about.

Byrne was sixth fastest, with a best lap in 1m 48.928sec and he was left frustrated with a rear tyre issue on his bike. He faces an uphill struggle in these races given the strength of the riders ahead of him on the grid.

Tommy Hill fresh from his double victory last time out at Knockhill powered his Guisborough-based Swan Yamaha alongside Hopkins at the front of the grid, while Jon Kirkham who took a race victory at Croft claimed his first front row start of the season in third aboard the second Samsung Crescent Suzuki.

Josh Brookes, who was the winner of two races in the corresponding round last year, enjoyed his best qualifying performance of the campaign as he set the fourth best time of 1m 48.457secs aboard the Relentless Suzuki.

French teenager Loris Baz headed up the second row on his Motorpoint Yamaha, having lapped marginally faster than Byrne.

James Westmoreland, on the second Motorpoint bike, and reigning champion Ryuichi Kiyonari lined up alongside them, while Chris Walker was a third row starter on the Pr1mo Kawasaki, just ahead of Alex Lowes riding the MSS Colchester Kawasaki.

Graeme Gowland, 15th fastest overall, was the leading qualifier in theMirror.co.uk BSB-EVO class aboard the WFR Honda, half-a-second clear of Simon Andrews on the Buy-Force.com PR Kawasaki.

Series leader Glen Richards was third fastest ahead of his WFR Honda team-mate Jake Zemke.