Australia’s Dave Johnson set a last lap blitzer in afternoon qualifying to snare pole for the home team at the Phillip Island Classic head of this weekend's races.
Thirty-five year-old Johnson, who hails from Adelaide but races primarily in the UK, took the lead spot for the weekend’s four six lap races to put Australia in a solid position as it attempts to reclaim the title from the UK.
His time of 1'37.352s on his 1982 Suzuki XR69, knocked the UK’s star rider and defending Island Classic champ, Jeremy McWilliams back to second place on the leader board.
McWilliams had set the pace in first and second qualifying before Johnson’s late dash. His time of 1'37.642s aboard his Yamaha Harris F1 will see 53 year old McWilliams start second in racing, with Australia’s Paul Byrne third on the grid (McIntosh Suzuki).
The top ten were separated by just 1.5 seconds, with the UK showing their strength with five riders in the ten including BSB campaigners Peter Hickman and Dan Linfoot, the experienced Michael Rutter and Glen Richards.
The UK has dominated the Challenge in recent years, winning the past three titles, but this year the competition has stepped up a notch with the USA and Australia being boosted by the inclusion of former MotoGP rider Colin Edwards and Australia with world superbike star Troy Corser.
Edwards, despite only two laps on the bike before yesterday, will start sixth on the grid aboard his Suzuki XR69, with the US also strong with former AMA stars Jason Pridmore qualifying seventh and Jake Zemke 11th.
Australia also looks solid with Beau Beaton on the Vincent Irving in 10th, Corser 12th as he sorts his Harris F1, Steve Martin 13th and Shawn Giles taking 14th on the Suzuki Katana.
Combined qualifying
1st David Johnson AUS 1min37.352
2nd Jeremy McWilliams UK 1min37.642
3rd Paul Byrne AUS 1min37.892
4th Glen Richards UK 1min38.139
5th Peter Hickman UK 1min38.188
6th Colin Edwards USA 1min38.423
7th Jason Pridmore USA 1min38.424
8th Dan Linfoot UK 1min38.569
9th Michael Rutter UK 1min38.712
10th Beau Beaton AUS 1min38.827
11th Jake Zemke USA 1min38.924
12th Troy Corser AUS 1min39.237
13th Steve Martin AUS 1min39.565
14th Shawn Giles AUS 1min39.713
15th Lee Johnson UK 1min40.620
16th Craig Ditchburn AUS 1min41.421
17th Cam Donald AUS 1min42.871
18th Ken Watson AUS 1min44.388
19th Scott Webster AUS 1min44.639
20th Damien Kavney NZ 1min45.004
