Allerton shows BMW’s potential in Superbike practice Former Australian Superbike Champion Glenn Allerton has wasted little time in getting up to speed on his new BMW S 1000 RR, setting the day’s fastest practice time at round 1 of the Viking Group Australian Superbike Championships at Phillip Island. Though a recent shakedown indicated the European bike would be quick, few would have predicted this immediate impact. Allerton pounced on the last of his 8 laps, delivering a tidy time of 1:34.354 to hold off Team Honda Racing’s Wayne Maxwell by a 0.241-second margin. With only a few days of on-track development behind it, the Procom Racing machine, campaigned by Hepburn Motorsport, must surely be considered a championship chance with Allerton on board. The 30-year-old was pleased with his lap times and thanked his team for their effort. “I’m really happy with how the bike felt today, it was fast and worked well on the tyres – I had a heap of fun,” said Allerton. “I’m excited about the weekend ahead and feel we can be a real factor in the results. “I can’t fault the effort of the team at Hepburn Motorsport. We’ve had only two weeks to prepare for the round and everyone has worked tirelessly to build a bike that is quick and handles well.” Team Suzuki’s Troy Herfoss was third-fastest, the result making for three different manufacturers at the top of the timesheets. Young gun Cru Halliday was the quickest of the Prostock competitors today, setting a 1:39.053 lap aboard his Yamaha R1. With their brother Josh making an impact on the World Superbike stage, Brodie and Nick Waters were quick to respond in the Supersport class. The Victorian siblings were first and second-fastest respectively aboard their Suzuki GSX-R600 racers. Yamaha’s R6 claimed the three fastest times in a packed Superstock field today. Reece Bancell Scholarship recipient, Mike Jones, was the standout with an electrifying 1:38.901 lap. Sean Condon and Andrew Kings, both New South Welshmen, filled positions two and three. The Superbike/Prostock field, backed this weekend by ASBK presenting sponsor QBE, will contest a further practice session tomorrow, followed by the first of two qualifying sessions. The Supersport and Superstock classes will contest two 20-minute qualifying sessions apiece. Superbike Round 1, Practice 1 1. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW) / Procom Racing, BMW S 1000 RR, 1:34.354 2. Wayne MAXWELL (VIC) / Team Honda Racing, Honda CBR-RR, 1:34.595 3. Troy HERFOSS (VIC) / Team Suzuki, Suzuki GSX-R, 1:35.001 4. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW) / Team Honda Racing , Honda CBR-RR, 1:36.050 5. Craig COXHELL (VIC) / Demolition Plus Gas Honda, Honda CBR, 1:36.211 6. Robert BUGDEN (QLD) / Team Mack Trucks Suzuki, Suzuki GSX-R, 1:36.253 7. Beau BEATON (NSW) / North Coast V-Twins, Ducati 1198 R 1:36.287 8. Ben ATTARD (QLD) Aprilia RSV4, 1:36.707 9. Ben HENRY (QLD) Suzuki GSX-R, 1:37.597 10. Kris McLAREN (VIC) / Kirk McCarthy Memorial Award, Honda CBR-RR, 1:38.221 Supersport Round 1, Practice 1 1. Brodie WATERS (VIC) / Team Suzuki, Suzuki GSX-R, 1:38.634 2. Nicholas WATERS (VIC) / Waters Racing, Suzuki GSX-R, 1:39.140 3. Kevin CURTAIN (VIC) / Yamaha Racing Team, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:39.616 4. Aaron GOBERT (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R6 1:39.758 5. Rick OLSON (VIC) / Yamaha Racing Team, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:40.064 6. Blake LEIGH-SMITH (QLD), Suzuki GSX-R, 1:40.207 7. Mitchell CARR (NSW) / Carr Bros. Motorsport, Triumph Daytona, 1:40.584 8. Christan CASELLA (VIC) Triumph Daytona, 1:40.594 9. Chris QUINN (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:40.837 10. Dylan MAVIN (QLD) / Champion’s Ride Days Race Team, Honda CBR-RR, 1:41.188 Superstock Round 1, Practice 1 1. Michael JONES (QLD) / Reece Bancell Scholarship, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:38.901 2. Sean CONDON (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:41.089 3. Andrew KINGS (NSW) Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:41.660 4. Josh HOOK (NSW) Honda CBRR, 1:42.032 5. Mark WILKINSON (VIC) Kawasaki ZX6, 1:42.124 6. Timothy McGREGOR (NSW) Kawasaki ZX6R, 1:42.950 7. Daniel FALZON (SA) Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:43.210 8. Adrian DI GIANDOMENICO (VIC) Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:44.353 9. James BECK (NSW) / Evermil Pty Ltd, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:44.760 10. James MUTTON (QLD) / Brisbane Motorcycles, Suzuki GSX-R, 1:45.008 More, from a press release issued by Team Honda Racing: Round 1 ASBK Thursday Practice 24thFebruary 2011 The World Superbike Event begins this weekend at Phillip Island, also marking the beginning of the Australian Superbike Championship. Today’s practice session was brief yet valuable for Team Honda Racing with #47 Wayne Maxwell appearing second on the timesheets, just 0.241 second behind Glenn Allerton. #27 Jamie Stauffer is ready to get back on the track tomorrow after trying some changes to set-up which have provided yet more information on the new systems employed on the CBR1000RR. #47 Wayne Maxwell: “I am very excited to be starting the season at my favourite track. The bike development is coming along well and although we still have some things to work on I am feeling optimistic that we’ll have a good weekend at Phillip Island.” #27 Jamie Stauffer: “It was great to have some time on the track today for practice although it was a brief session. We tried a few different things on the CBR1000RR and made some good headway I think, so we’ll see how we go tomorrow. The team have worked really hard in the lead-up to the event so we should have a strong weekend.” Tomorrow provides one more practice session for the new Team Honda Racing and their first qualifying session will be held in the afternoon.