Jelley delighted with first pole position

So surprised were Team RAC at their driver's lap, that they didn't even believe his 49.279 lap was genuine.

"The team didn't believe it," Jelly told autosport.com. "I got into the pits and they'd thought the timing screen had messed up. It was crazy.

"They didn't even say on the radio what was going on. I was expecting to hear people screaming and shouting, but it never came. I knew it was quick because I only needed a tenth of a second for pole and that was what I improved by."

Jelley, a single-seater convert this year, says he will try to help his teammate Colin Turkington win the Independents' title by taking his first BTCC victory.

Should he do that, he would prevent Turkington's chief rival, Mat Jackson, from taking maximum points help to Turkington secure in what is currently a 22-point lead.

"I don't think Colin will have many problems tomorrow," he added. "For him to qualify just behind Jackson despite having more success ballast just shows how quick he is around here. In fact, I should have been this far in front of him in the past, given the weight he's had.

"Now I've just got to keep a level head and see what comes. I've got to be mature and drive a sensible race. I'd love to win, but I need to keep my nose clean most importantly."