Bristol ran in 13 tries in a 85-14 demolition of winless Newcastle on Sunday to move into the English Premiership playoff places.
A club record Premiership win for the Bears caps a five-match winning streak that has taken Pat Lam's men into the top four.
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The home side were within sight of 50 points by half-time.
Siva Naulago, James Dun, Max Malins, Magnus Bradbury, James Williams, Ellis Genge and Benhard Janse van Rensburg all scored ties with fly-half AJ MacGinty adding six conversions.
Harry Randall, Kieran Marmion, Jake Heenan and Virimi Vakatawa also touched down after the break.
Bristol edge one point ahead of Harlequins, who lost 37-31 at Sale.
Newcastle have now conceded over 500 points in losing all 15 league games this season.
"It's a tough world out there and we are obviously not up to it in certain areas, which was evident today," said Newcastle's consultant director of rugby Steve Diamond.
"It is 15 games without a win so it is very difficult to have any positivity in the building when you keep losing every week."
Sale closed to within three points of the top four.
Arron Reed scored twice, while Ben Curry, Sam Dugdale and Raffi Quirke also crossed to keep the Sharks in the hunt for the playoffs.
Three defeats in four games have left Quins battling to make the top four, but they did at least manage two losing bonus points.
"I'm so proud of that, proud of the five points, of how we're attacking at the moment, and we are looking much more dangerous," said Sale coach Alex Sanderson.
The battle to be in the top four and reach the end-of-season playoffs looks set to go to the wire.
Just nine points separate second-placed Bath from Exeter in seventh with three rounds of fixtures to go.
