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Checa had been even faster around the 4.005km circuit today than Crutchlow was in Superpole 2, but not in the final Superpole session when the final grid places were determined, leaving Carlos second overall.

Crutchlow had set pole at the previous round in Portugal but this one was maybe even more of a surprise, as he had only been 15th in regular qualifying before Superpole started.

The second row will be headed by Troy Corser on his BMW Motorrad Motorsport S1000RR, the best Superpole qualifying result for the German manufacturer in WSBK. Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare), Jonathan Rea (HANNspree ten Kate Honda) and Lorenzo Lanzi (DFX Ducati) were ranged out behind Corser, with Lanzi crashing in the final section of Superpole, and sticking in eighth place. The top seven places featured machines from six of the championship's seven manufacturers, after a day of incredibly close competition for grid spots.

BIG NAMES JUST MISS OUT

An intense Superpole 2 session saw some big names out of the final session, notably both factory Ducati riders, Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio, who went tenth and 11th respectively.

James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda) missed Superpole three by one thousandth of a second, and starts ninth.

Max Neukirchner (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) had a major issue in Superpole 2 and had to pull off the track in a plume of smoke.

Michel Fabrizio set the fastest time in Superpole 1, the Suzukis of Leon Haslam and Sylvain Guintoli close behind him. The first four riders to miss the Superpole cut proved to Sheridan Morais, Andrew Pitt, Tom Sykes and Ruben Xaus, with Xaus 17th and only missing out on a higher starting place by one thousandth of a second.

CLOSE COMBINED QUALIFYING BEOFRE SUPERPOLE FIGHT

Max Biaggi (Alitalia Aprilia) was the fastest man in the final regulation qualifying session, beating Carlos Checa (Ducati Althea) to second place by only 0.002 seconds. The provisional front row was the same as the first day, with Jakub Smrz (Pata B&G Ducati) and Shane Byrne (Althea Ducati) third and fourth. Fifth place went to Leon Haslam (Alstare Suzuki), with the top five separated by only 0.068 seconds. A remarkable 11 riders in total went within 0.258 seconds of each other in combined qualifying, and 18 riders were covered by a single second.

Cal Crutchlow: "I hope when we get to Silverstone I will have a reception like Carlos had here! We had a lot of pole positions in Supersport and had one here last year, so to come again and do it on the Superbike is really good. I feel we could have been quicker, but that is just me. If someone gets away at the front we could be in trouble so if we keep it a close race it should be good."

Carlos Checa: "It is fantastic to be here in front of a home race crowd especially with the performance of this year, because I am feeling very strong with this bike. I really like this track and I hope to make a good race weekend. We worked quite well in practice and the bike works here. We are on the pace with the other people and it will be a very close race, I believe."

Max Biaggi: "I feel good on the bike and Portimao was a good race for us last time out. I was happier for the team than myself. Back in Valencia we have not such good memories of last year but in the winter test we were pretty good, and now we are quite consistent with out lap times. Front row was the real goal because at this track it is very difficult to overtake. I think we have not such a bad pace and we will try our best. Our target is to put many heavy points on the table."

Leon Haslam: "Our main objective was to get on the front row, and at Valencia there are such tight times, from front four to tenth place. We messed up a little bit in Superpole two, I used my qualifying tyre but got balked on my lap and had to use a second qualifier, which meant In the last part I was using a two or three lap old qualifier. I am feeling pretty good for tomorrow."

Times: 1. Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'33.615; 2. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1198 1'33.840; 3. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F 1'33.860; 4. Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'33.961; 5. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'34.059; 6. Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'34.073; 7. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR 1000 RR 1'34.235; 8. Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1198 1'34.261; 9. Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'33.988; 10. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1198 1'34.021; 11. Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1198 1'34.100; 12. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1198 1'34.246; 13. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F 1'34.273; 14. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1198 1'34.280; 15. Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1198 1'34''730; 16. Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR 1000 RR 1'34.394; 17. Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'34.756; 18. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'34''894; 19. Pitt A. (AUS) BMW S 1000 RR 1'36.088; 20. Morais S. (RSA) Honda CBR 1000 RR 1'36.072; 21. Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'36.104; 22. Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'36.117; 23. Andrews S. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'36.329; 24. Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR 1000 RR 1'36.524; 25. Resch R. (AUT) BMW S1000 RR 1'36.639

Supersport Qualifying

Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) set the pole time with the final throw of the dice in the second qualifying session, posting a 1'35.658, a new track best that took him by surprise. Just behind was long-time qualifying leader Joan Lascorz (Motocard.com Kawasaki), with Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Katsuaki Fujiwara (Motocard.com Kawasaki) filling the front row places. The best Triumph machine belonged to local rider David Salom (ParkinGOBE-1 Triumph)

1.Laverty E. (IRL) Honda CBR 600RR 1'35.658; 2. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'35.740; 3. Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR 600 RR 1'36.002; 4. Fujiwara K. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'36.015; 5. Salom D. (ESP) Triumph Daytona 675 1'36.252; 6. Davies C. (GBR) Triumph Daytona 675 1'36.291; 7. Foret F. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'36.346; 8. Pirro M. (ITA) Honda CBR 600 RR 1'36.593; 9. DiSalvo J. (USA) Triumph 675 Daytona 1'36.698; 10. Harms R. (DEN) Honda CBR 600 RR 1'37.064

Superstock 1000 FIM Cup Qualifying

Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia) took pole with his Friday best time of 1'36.952, making this his second pole success in two attempts. Andrea Antonelli (Team Lorini Honda) was second quickest, and Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Race Junior Honda) third. Davide Giugliano (Team06 Suzuki) improved his time today but starts fourth in tomorrow's race.

Times: 1. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1'36.952 (148,713 kmh); 2. Antonelli A. (ITA) Honda CBR 1000 RR 1'37.418; 3. Berger M. (FRA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'37.482; 4. Giugliano D. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 1'37.495; 5. Baz L. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'37.502; 6. Barrier S.(FRA) BMW S 1000 RR 1'37.594; 7. Lussiana M. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 1'37.784; 8. Lammert D. (GER) BMW S 1000 RR 1'37.886; 9. Bussolotti M. (ITA) Honda CBR 1000 RR 1'37.984; 10. Magnoni M. (ITA) Honda CBR 1000 RR 1'38.491

Superstock 600 European Championship Race

Florian Marino (Ten Kate Race Junior), Fred Karlsen (MTM Yamaha) and Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Racing Yamaha) battled it out in the 11-lap Superstock 600 race in Spain, but there was to be a late change of the final result.

Marino finally took the win, by 0.413 seconds from Karlsen, although Karlsen was later disqualified for non-conformity to technical regulations. Guarnoni is now classified second, and Bernardino Lombardi (Martini Corse Yamaha) third.

In the championship Guarnoni now leads on 45 points, while Marino and Lombardi are tied on 25.

Times: 1. Marino F. (FRA) Honda CBR 600 RR 18'31.319 (142,711 km/h); 2. Guarnoni J. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 0.441; 3. Lombardi B. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 4.668; 4. D'Annunzio F. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 16.637; 5. Fanelli D. (ITA) Honda CBR 600 RR 16.883; 6. Elliot J. (GBR) Honda CBR 600 RR 17.410; 7. Krajci T. (SVK) Yamaha YZF R6 23.806; 8. Le Coquen S. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 26.262; 9. Vrajitoru (ROU) Yamaha YZF R6 35.197; 10. Carvalho (POR) Yamaha YZF R6 39.683

Championship standing (after 2 Rounds of 10): 1. Guarnoni 45; 2. Marino 25; 3. Lomabardi 25; 4. Fanelli 22; 5. Lanusse 20; 6. D'Annunzio 20; 7.Karlsen 16; 8. Elliot 14; 9. Carlero Perez 13; 10. Major 13

Stk600 - Pirelli BEST JUMP FORWARD

Davide Fanelli (All Service System by QDP), from 15th to 6th (9 positions).