Jason Plato qualified on pole position for the first of Sunday's three British Touring Car Championship races at Knockhill.

Plato, driving his Racing Silverline Chevrolet, set a best lap of 53.370seconds to claim his third pole of the season - and score a bonus point.

Sunday will give Plato - currently in fourth - a chance to get back into the title race after losing touch with the championship leaders at Snetterton two weeks ago.

Current championship leader Colin Turkington qualified fourth fastest with his closest title rival Fabrizio Giovanardi down in 11th.

Former champion Plato, who has an unrivalled previous six wins at Knockhill, said: "I've said before it's win or bust from now on.

"It's my only way back and even then it requires the others to make a bit of a mess of it. While it's still possible I'll never give up, but I expect three very hard races on Sunday."

Scottish pair Gordon Shedden of SEAT, and BMW's Jonathan Adam were second and third with the former's efforts marking the first front row qualifying for his team run by Colin Neill.

The Dalgety Bay racer said: "It's a great result - we're a one-car team this weekend and to be second to Jason Plato and the might and experience of the RML team that runs his car is no disgrace."

Adam, 24, added: "I'm pretty happy with that, but maybe it could have been better had I not gone off the road early in the session.

"Whether I can make the BMW's rear-wheel-drive pay off the start I don't know - it's pretty narrow here and the run to the first corner is quite short. I just want three good races."