Castrol Honda Notes from Sugo

I thought that with the championship situation much the same in the WSC sereis that I'd upload my friend Chris Herring's (the Castrol WSC press officer,) notes.
This is final qualifying:

Media Information

Issued: Saturday October 3 1998

                   CORSER  WINS  POLE  POSITION

Troy Corser will start Sunday's exciting 12th and final round of the World
Superbike championship from pole position after setting the fastest time in
Saturday afternoon's Superpole competition at the Sugo circuit in Japan.

The Australian rider achieved the fastest time in perfect conditions at the
2.32-mile circuit to take the number place and head a front row which
includes Suzuki's Akira Ryo, Noriyuki Haga and Carl Fogarty.

Championship leader Corser is just half a point ahead of Castrol Honda's
Aaron Slight with Carl Fogarty 5.5 points behind Slight as the trio do
battle for the title over two 25-lap races on Sunday afternoon.

Slight qualified in 10th place and was disappointed to be on the third row
but believes his title chances are still alive.

"I've got every chance of winning this title despite where I qualified,"
claimed Slight, winner of five races this year. "I know I've got the
machine and the tyres to do the business in tomorrow's races, it's down to
me."

Kawasaki's Akira Yanagawa, a winner at Sugo 12 months ago, took fifth place
and heads a second row of: Neil Hodgson, Keiichi Kitigawa and Wataru
Yoshikawa with Peter Goddard grabbing a third row, ninth place.

Honda's Shinichi Itoh qualified in 11th place with Shinya Takeishi 12th,
Pier-Francesco Chili 13th and Slight's Castrol Honda team-mate Colin
Edwards 14th.

Final qualifying times: 1 Troy Corser, Australia (Ducati) 1m 30.160s, 2
Akira Ryo, Japan (Suzuki) 1m 30.285s, 3 Noriyuki Haga, Japan (Yamaha) 1m
30.538s, 4 Carl Fogarty, GB (Ducati) 1m 30.599s, 5 Akira Yanagawa, Japan
(Kawasaki) 1m 30.767s, 6 Neil Hodgson, GB (Kawasaki) 1m 30.929s, 7 Keiichi
Kitigawa, Japan (Suzuki) 1m 30.967s, 8 Wataru Yoshikawa, Japan (Yamaha) 1m
31.274s, 9 Peter Goddard, Australia (Suzuki) 1m 31.286s, 10 Aaron Slight,
New Zealand (Castrol Honda) 1m 31.310s.
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