Turkington secures crucial pole ahead of finale

British Touring Car Championship leader Colin Turkington has taken a significant step towards claiming a record-equalling fourth title in the series after clinching pole position for tomorrow's opening race at Brands Hatch.

With the 30-minute shootout taking place under fully wet conditions, the defending three-time champion sailed to his third pole position of the year after beating Subaru's Ashley Sutton by over 0.3s.

The Team BMW driver made perfect use of enjoying a clear track towards the start of the session by setting a series of hot laps, which eventually culminated with a 1'40.752s effort.

At one point, the championship leader was a second clear of the rest of the field, but Sutton managed to close the gap to 0.3s, while title contender Andrew Jordan ended the session in third.

Jordan did suffer a huge moment of drama when the BMW Pirtek Racing driver went off at Hawthorns and slammed into the tyre barrier with five-minutes to go.

The 2013 BTCC champion's off ultimately triggered an immediate red flag, but Jordan retained his spot in third position, thanks to a consistent series of laps, which were good enough to keep him on the second row.

Jordan is joined on the second row by his West Surrey Racing Tom Oliphant, who enjoyed his best ever BTCC qualifying result in fourth.

Rory Butcher set the fifth fastest time aboard his Cobra Sport Honda Civic Type R, ahead of Jake Hill and Chris Smiley in sixth and seventh.

BTC Racing's Josh Cook, who goes into the final day of racing with an outside chance of the title, will start race one from eighth, while Mike Bushell and Aiden Moffat complete the remainder of the top-ten grid order in ninth and tenth.

Elsewhere, second placed Dan Cammish will have to fight his way back up the order from twelfth, if he is to remain in championship contention.