Carlos Checa set an astonishing pace to clinch his first career pole position at the sixth round of the World Superbikes series in Salt Lake City.
The Spaniard, who had fallen earlier in second qualifying, clocked one minute 48.193 seconds - more than a second faster than Troy Corser's provisional pole - on his Hannspree Ten Kate Honda in the Superpole session at the Miller Motorsports Park.
Germany's Max Neukirchner (Alstare Suzuki) was four tenths behind in second, while championship leader Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) was third fastest ahead of the series' first race in the United States for four years.
Bayliss' team-mate Michel Fabrizio was fourth on the grid after becoming the first rider to dip below one minute 49secs, while Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB) was fifth and Ruben Xaus (SPA Sterilgarda Go Eleven) sixth on the 3.048-mile track, which opened in 2006.
Corser's Yamaha team-mate Noriyuki Haga fractured his right collarbone in second qualifying but took part in Superpole to claim a place on the third row.
Checa, who is in his maiden campaign in Superbikes having swapped places with Britain's James Toseland who switched to MotoGP, has claimed four podiums in 10 races in 2008.
The 35-year-old, chasing his first win, was thrilled with pole in just his sixth event.
"I knew that I was able to be in the 48s but I didn't expect 48 low and when I saw that time it was a great surprise and a great satisfaction to be on the pole for the first time," he said.
"We worked well today, I had an incident this morning so there is always something to improve and something to fix.
"But finally I was so concentrated in the lap I did, I tried to be as clean and effective as possible."
Checa now hopes to convert his grid position into a first win in the series.
"Now the start tomorrow is the next step - we need to improve," he added.
"I will try to do a good race tomorrow, for sure we have some chance of winning because we have shown our potential in the last few races, and especially here.
"The bike is now working well and I'm also confident with the tyres, so you never know."
Bayliss, who leads second-placed Checa by 78 points in the riders' standings, thought he had secured pole in the Superpole session before the Spaniard's flying lap.
"I thought a 48.6 would be good enough for the pole," he said.
"I thought I did everything right and it was still half a second out but it was the best I could do.
"Tomorrow's another day and the bike seems to be working good.
"I've been down on the track once today, had a bit of an off, but everything's working quite well."
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