CASTROL Honda rider Carl Fogarty set a blistering pace during Friday's opening qualifying session to grab provisional pole position for Sunday's 12th round of the World Superbike Championship at Phillip Island in Australia.

Fogarty grabbed the fastest time in Friday's session as the track dried following rain throughout the first day of the final round of the 1996 championship.

"I'm determined to end the year on a winning note," blasted Fogarty, who enters Sunday's two 22-lap races 45 points adrift of series leader and title favourite Troy Corser. He added: "I'm just cruising, I could have gone quicker but I think everyone could say that. The Castrol Honda is working very well around here and it's also a circuit I really like."

Fogarty's Castrol Honda team mate Aaron Slight qualified third behind American Yamaha rider Colin Edwards while Corser struggled to 12th place and another possible title winner, John Kocinski ended the opening one hour session in eighth place as the highest placed Ducati.

Friday qualifying times: Carl Fogarty, GB (Castrol Honda) 1m 36.407s; Colin Edwards, USA (Yamaha) 1m 36.618s; Aaron Slight (Castrol Honda) 1m 36.821s; Simon Crafar, New Zealand (Kawasaki) 1m 36.937s; Wataru Yoshikawa, Japan (Yamaha) 1m 37.168s: Peter Godard, Australia (Suzuki) 1m 37.429s; Anthony Gobert, Australia (Kawasaki) 1m 37.526s; John Kocinski, USA (Ducati) 1m 37.605s; John Reynolds, GB (Suzuki) 1m 37.880s; Pier-Francesco Chili, Italy (Ducati) 1m 37.901s.

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