Jason Plato will start from pole position for the third time in 2009 on Sunday, after he topped the qualifying times at Snetterton.
It was the second time this year that Plato has put his Racing Silverline Chevrolet Lacetti on pole, having also done so at Oulton Park back in May. His other P1 start came in race three at the season-opener at Brands Hatch - which he went on to win. Plato's lap of 1m12.247s was just over a tenth faster than that of championship leader Colin Turkington, could manage after the pair set the pace in the two free practice sessions earlier in the day.
Not far away from the pair was former champion James Thompson, who is seeking his fourth win since returning to the BTCC with Team Dynamics. Andrew Jordan was the fastest factory Vauxhall driver ahead of double and reigning champion Fabrizio Giovanardi.
All of the top five runners were within 0.250s of Plato's pole time.
Jonathan Adam was sixth fastest in the Airwaves BMW ahead of Plato's team-mate Mat Jackson. Paul O'Neill was eighth, ahead of Matt Neal whose best time (which would have put him fourth) was annulled for missing out a section of the track. Turkington's team-mate Stephen Jelley, completed the top ten.
Pos Driver Car Time Gap
1. Jason Plato Chevrolet 1:12.247
2. Colin Turkington BMW 1:12.348s +0.101s
3. James Thompson Honda 1:12.399s +0.152s
4. Andrew Jordan Vauxhall 1:12.466s +0.219s
5. Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall 1:12.468s +0.221s
6. Jonathan Adam BMW 1:12.618s +0.371s
7. Mat Jackson Chevrolet 1:12.672s +0.425s
8. Paul O'Neill Honda 1:12.695s +0.448s
9. Matt Neal Vauxhall 1:12.743s +0.496s
10. Stephen Jelley BMW 1:12.787s +0.540s
11. Harry Vaulkhard Chevrolet 1:12.830s +0.583s
12. Adam Jones SEAT 1:13.059s +0.812s
13. Gordon Shedden Honda 1:13.149s +0.902s
14. Robert Collard BMW 1:13.250s +1.003s
15. David Pinkney Honda 1:13.319s +1.702s
16. Tom Chilton Ford 1:13.390s +1.143s
17. John George Honda 1:15.106s +1.859s
18. Martin Johnson Vauxhall 1:16.946s +1.699s
19. James Nash Chevrolet no time