If someone would have said that Tom Sykes would be in pole position for tomorrows’s World Superbike round at Misano, they would have been judged nuts, but they didn’t take in account a rain shower that drenched the Italian circuit would throw a big wrench in the Superpole session.
The Brit, who is known as a wet weather specialist, went through all three stints in the top two and finally layed down 1′55.
197 lap in SP3 that let him beat Carlos Checa and take his second ever pole position after Imola 2010.
Due to the treacherous conditions, SP1 saw numerous riders fall on their fast laps, Ruben Xaus, Carlos Checa, Leon Camier binned it twice, Eugene Laverty and Jakub Smrz, who would later set the fastest lap.
Max Biaggi busted the engine on his Aprilia which spewed oil on the track and had to run to get his spare bike before the timed session ended, that saw Michel Fabrizio, Maxime Berger, Ruben Xaus and Leon Camier not making it to SP2.
Gaining more confidence in SP2, but not enjoying the situation as he almost didn’t make the cut was Carlos Checa, who managed a last lap lunge to grab top of the chart with a best lap of 1.
55.
730 with Tom Sykes in second spot followed by the Effenbert Ducati duo Jakub Smrz and Sylvain Guintoli, Max Biaggi, Marco Melandri, Troy Corser and Leon Haslam.
With the raining stopping in time for SP3 the full wet track saw Tom Sykes fend off all of Carlos Checa’s attacks to grab the pole with the Spaniard coming in second a little less than two tenths adrift.
Closing the front row will be fast lap do or die Jakub Smrz and Marco Melandri.
Leon Haslam who lost the front end of his BMW will take off in fifth, followed by his bruised and battered team mate Troy Corser, Max Biaggi and Sylvain Guintoli.
WSBK Misano starting grid:01- Tom Sykes – Kawasaki Racing Team – Kawasaki ZX-10R02- Carlos Checa – Althea Racing – Ducati 119803- Jakub Smrz – Team Effenbert Liberty Racing – Ducati 119804- Marco Melandri – Yamaha World Superbike Team – Yamaha YZF R105- Leon Haslam – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR06- Troy Corser – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR07- Max Biaggi – Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team – Aprilia RSV4 Factory08- Sylvain Guintoli – Team Effenbert Liberty Racing – Ducati 119809- Ayrton Badovini – BMW Motorrad Italia – BMW S1000RR10- Eugene Laverty – Yamaha World Superbike Team – Yamaha YZF R111- Jonathan Rea – Castrol Honda – Honda CBR 1000RR12- Joan Lascorz – Kawasaki Racing Team – Kawasaki ZX-10R13- Michel Fabrizio – Team Suzuki Alstare – Suzuki GSX-R 100014- Maxime Berger – Supersonic Racing Team – Ducati 119815- Ruben Xaus – Castrol Honda – Honda CBR 1000RR16- Leon Camier – Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team – Aprilia RSV4 Factory17- Noriyuki Haga – Pata Racing Team Aprilia – Aprilia RSV4 Factory18- Matteo Baiocco – Barni Racing Team – Ducati 119819- Lorenzo Lanzi – BMW Motorrad Italia – BMW S1000RR20- Alex Polita – Barni Racing Team – Ducati 119821- Roberto Rolfo – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX-10R22- Chris Vermeulen – Kawasaki Racing Team – Kawasaki ZX-10R23- Mark Aitchison – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX-10R