2010 Miller World Superbike Superpole: Updated

Results and summary of Superpole, as it happens:

Superpole 1

Tom Sykes was the first rider to be knocked out of superpole, after a huge highside in the first few minutes of the session. While Sykes was picking himself up out of the gravel, Althea's Carlos Checa took provisional pole with nearly 10 minutes to go, shattering the lap record with a time of 1'47.918. He was joined in the 1'47s by Max Biaggi, the Aprilia now fitted with gear-driven cams, but the bike plenty fast enough as it is. With 4 minutes of the session left, the top 13 were all sat in the pits, with the only men out on track those looking to ensure their spot in the next Superpole session. The sole exception was Biaggi, circulating at high speed, but not fast enough to improve his qualifying time.

Out after Superpole 1: Chris Vermeulen, Tom Sykes, Broc Parkes, Roger Lee Hayden

Results

Superpole 2

It was the Ducatis who made the early running once again, Carlos Checa getting the jump on Jakub Smrz, both men dipping into the 1'47s. Leon Haslam muscled in between Checa and Smrz with 5 minutes to go, with Shane Byrne and Max Biaggi not far behind. Meanwhile the list of victims was full of big names: both Sterilgarda Yamahas looked like being knocked out with 3 minutes to go, as did the 3rd-placed man in the championship, Ten Kate Honda's Johnny Rea. Crutchlow saved himself with a minute to go, leaping up to 4th, while Rea jumped up to 7th, but Toseland could not save himself, as did Michel Fabrizio. To cap the session, Max Biaggi put in one more blistering lap, smashing the pole record once again.

Out after Superpole 2:  Ruben Xaus, Michel Fabrizio, Shane Byrne, Sylvain Guintoli, Luca Scassa, James Toseland, Troy Corser, Max Neukirchner

Results

Superpole 3

First blood in the final session of Superpole went to Carlos Checa, putting in an astonishing lap of 1'47.081 from the off. While the others gave chase - Cal Crutchlow getting closest - Johnny Rea and Jakub Smrz had huge highsides, causing the session to be red flagged with less than 5 minutes to go. Both men looked shaken up, Rea being particularly unlucky to be run over by his own bike.

The session restarted, but with just 4'55 left in the session, there was not much time to put in a fast lap, a situation exacerbated by the length of the layout that World Superbikes use at Miller. Max Biaggi looked to have the best credentials, leaping up to 2nd with the chance of putting in another lap. In the final seconds, Leon Haslam started off on a hot lap, but made a mistake in the second section, leaving him stuck on the second row, behind his title rival Max Biaggi but at least ahead of Noriyuki Haga.

And so Carlos Checa took the second Superpole of his career, and with a genuinely sensational time. The Althea Ducati rider finished ahead of Max Biaggi, Cal Crutchlow and Jakub Smrz. Leon Haslam heads up the second row, ahead of Noriyuki Haga, Johnny Rea and Leon Camier.

Results and final grid: