Glenn Allerton Gains Championship Ground

Glenn Allerton - Team Valvoline

Valvoline Superbike Team rider and 2008 Superbike titleholder Glenn Allerton proved to be the big mover in the race for the 2010 ASBK title, forging ahead from 5^th place to 3^rd position with a in the 2010 Superbike Championship standings at round five of the ASBK held at Queensland Raceway over the weekend.

Friday’s practice session saw Allerton comfortably setting the third fastest time on a wet and slippery Queensland Raceway surface beaten narrowly out of the top slot by Honda mounted Wayne Maxwell and factory Suzuki rider Shawn Giles.

With the Friday’s inclement weather clearing overnight the Valvoline Superbike Team technicians reverted to dry settings for Saturday’s first qualifying session with Allerton immediately on the pace with the second fastest time of 1:10.857 only 0.091 shy of Factory Ducati mounted Jamie Stauffer. The afternoon session saw Allerton slip down the order to 9^th position at the end of qualifying.

Allerton later commented “As we had a fast set up after the morning qualifier, we tried some experimental settings for the second session and unfortunately went backwards before reverting the mornings set up for the Superpole shoot out”.

Superpole saw Allerton charge through to put his Valvoline CBR1000R in 4^th position joining fellow Honda racers Staring and Maxwell and the lone KTM RC8R of Shannon Johnson on the front row of the grid.

In Sunday’s first Viking Group Superbike race Allerton finish on the podium after battling with Staring (Cougar Bourbon Honda), Maxwell (Demolition Plus Gas Honda) and J Stauffer (Motologic Ducati) until three quarter race distance when Staring and Stauffer stretched their lead and Maxwell faded to fourth.

Race two of the Viking Group Superbike championship saw the same four combatants fight for the honours. The race lead swapped back and fourth between Allerton and former team mate Maxwell until Staring pushed through followed closely by Stauffer. After the 16 lap journey Allerton meet the chequered flag in fourth position.

This 4^th place finish combined with the 3^rd position from race one totalled to a 4^th position overall for the round and advanced Allerton from 5^th to 3^rd in the 2010 Championship standings.

“The Valvoline Honda worked well all weekend and I am looking forward to both Phillip Island and Symmonds Plains, the Valvoline Superbike Team has found the extra horse power we lacked earlier in the year and I have a point to prove, my plan for the rest of the season is to challenge and challenge hard” said Allerton at a post race interview.

Round five of the ASBK also saw the first appearance of a new livery for the Valvoline Superbike Team Honda machinery.

Evolution Sports Group representative, Brett Lloyd said “Although we unveiled the new Valvoline Superbike Team livery at a black tie function held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney’s CBD last Saturday night, this weekend is the first race meeting for the new Valvoline livery, the new look offers greater visibility on track and further emphasises the iconic Valvoline brand. Valvoline have a long and very distinguished history in Australian motor sport and distribute a brilliant range of products that surpass the high demands of today’s performance Superbikes.”

The 2010 Viking Group Australian Superbike Championship resumes in anger at Phillip Island, September 10-12, alongside the L&H V8 Supercar endurance race.