Motorcycling: Smrz sets track record to pip Rea

Jakub Smrz topped the timesheets at the end of the first qualifying session for tomorrow's FIM World Superbike Championship races at Assen in the Netherlands.

Smrz set a new track record of 1 min 36.041 secs on his Pata B&G Racing Ducati with around five minutes of the hour-long session remaining.

Northern Irishman Jonathan Rea forced a late red flag when he stopped on track with a mechanical issue, and no one was able to displace Smrz when the session resumed. That left Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider Rea in second place on the provisional starting grid, three-tenths behind the pacesetter, with the factory BMW of Troy Corser in third. Championship leader Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) completed the top four. Yamaha's Cal Crutchlow claimed fifth place despite suffering two falls.