April 26th, 2012 | 
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Allerton sizzles, smashing Eastern Creek Lap Record
Race wins, lap records and a gutsy run from last on the grid to victory lane capped off an exciting weekend of racing at Eastern Creek for Glenn Allerton and the Procon Maxima BMW team.
Allerton and his team used the weekend’s round 1 of the Formula Xtreme Championship as a test before April’s round 2 of the ASBK Championship in Darwin. Highlighting just how fast the BMW is, the RR was Dynoed twice and thoroughly examined by race officials, with various bits pulled down, measured and checked.
The Procon Maxima S 1000 RR is the only ASBK front runner that, in ASBK trim, is eligible to compete in the more production-oriented Formula Xtreme FX Championship. The rules of FX-Superbikes are different to those of ASBK and race officials needed to ensure the RR’s engine was indeed stock.
Overall, the team was happy with the weekend’s results, despite the outing being focussed on testing rather than garnering points.
Race 1 on Saturday saw Allerton qualify 7th in the wet. But a shocking start meant he slipped back through the pack to about 14th before charging back to the front, setting a lap record on his way to 3rd.
Unfortunately, the chase through the pack took its toll on the front tyre, so in Race 2 the team chose to change the tyre and wear the 30 second penalty, rather than risk a potential problem with the worn tyre. Allerton showed superior pace and crossed the line first, but the penalty pushed his actual result back down the list.
Saturday’s great racing pumped the crowd, teams and racers for more of the same on Sunday and they weren’t disappointed.
Allerton only completed 3 laps of qualifying in order to save the front tyre, yet still managed to qualify in second position. Race 1 was frantic, with Allerton’s Procon Maxima BMW and Yamaha riders, Kev Curtain and Rick Olson swapping places every lap. Allerton was determined to cross the line first and took a well deserved victory.
Race 2 was shaping up to be very similar, but a mistake by Allerton on lap 5,while leading, saw him tuck the front on the last turn and slide into the grass, finishing in 23rd place.
With red mist pooling inside his KBC helmet, Allerton lined up for Race 3 in 23rd position, but incredibly, he was dicing with the leaders by the second lap. Allerton pushed himself, his RR and his front tyre to the edge and took a satisfying victory in front of his home crowd to top off a great weekend for the whole team.
Procon Maxima Team Principal, Wayne Hepburn was pleased with the weekend.
“It could have been perfect, but Glen made a small error in Race 2. That’s racing. The final race was amazing. It was stunning to watch Glenn and the BMW S 1000 RR at full throttle. It shows that we are on the right path in developing the 2012 race bike,” said Wayne.
Along with Glenn, BMW S 1000 RR riders Brayden Carr and Matt Thornton also had good weekends. Carr, riding the Carr Bros. Motorsport/City Coast Motorcycles RR, finished sixth in all three races and 6th overall for the Round. Matt Thornton, on the Auto Passion RR, took out the B Grade prize for Round 1.
General Manager BMW Motorrad Australia and New Zealand, Tony Sesto, was excited by the results, saying, “It was a pity Glenn had the incident in Race 2, but the sizzling performance in the final race augurs well for the next round of the ASBK round in Darwin”.
BMW S 1000 RR on Phillip Island podium.
The 2012 ASBK season started positively for Procon Maxima BMW S 1000 RR riders, Glenn Allerton and Linden Magee. Both achieved podium finishes at Phillip Island.
Before the large and enthusiastic Phillip Island crowd and an even larger TV audience, the 2012 season was underway. Glenn had his BMW S 1000 RR straight into the action. The battle raged for the race distance with Glenn moving clear to take 2nd place.
Race 2 was again raced with the sun beating down and a strong wind blowing straight down Gardner Straight. Glenn battled hard with deteriorating tyres to grab 5th place and finish in 2nd position overall for Round 1.
‘’The 2012 BMW S 1000 RR is a very different bike than the one I rode last year. The team worked hard in setting the bike up. Winning is always the aim but second in Race1 and second overall was a reasonable start to the season. The new bike is an improvement on what was already a great motorcycle and it will only get better” said Glenn.
Procon Maxima BMW Team Principal, Wayne Hepburn pleased with the start to the year. “We have a great team and the 2012 BMW S 1000 RR is a fantastic motorcycle that has potential far above the previous RR. We always like to win but both riders can be satisfied with their Round 1 results”, said Wayne.
General Manager BMW Motorrad Australia and New Zealand, Tony Sesto, was one of the many thousands on hand to watch the BMW S 1000 RR action in both the Australian and World Championships.
“It was a good start to the year for both Glenn and Linden and I wish them all the very best for the season ahead’ said Tony.
Also can you put up that Glenn is racing in the Formula Xtreme Eastern Creek this weekend
the webpage link is http://www.formula-xtreme.com.au
- Video Of The Week – 2011 ASBK Champion Glenn Allerton on season 2012 and GS Adventuring
Trevor Hedge talks with 2011 ASBK Champion Glenn Allerton about his recent Victorian High Country BMW GS Ride and ASBK season 2012 and the changes to the BMW S 1000 RR for 2012.
Allerton & Procon sticking with BMW for season 2012
Glenn Allerton, the 2011 ASBK Champion, has re signed with Procon BMW for the 2012 season and will be aiming for back-to-back titles on the new 2012 BMW S 1000 RR.
This year’s historic title win was the first Australian title for the BMW S 1000 RR and with the enhanced 2012 model set to land soon, Glenn will again be the man to beat.
Procon BMW Team Principal, Wayne Hepburn, was also excited by Glenn’s decision. “It was great news and along with Glenn we are already working on the task ahead. The Procon BMW team has been reconfigured so that our total focus will now be on supporting Glenn as he chases the ASBK crown in 2012″ said Wayne.
General Manager BMW Motorrad Australia and New Zealand, Tony Sesto, was excited with news of Glenn’s re-commitment for 2012.
“Glenn and the Procon BMW Team did a fantastic job in 2011. Their commitment, professionalism and Glenn’s immense talent showcased the dynamic ability and power of the BMW S 1000 RR. Winning the title was fantastic. I am excited that Glenn has committed for 2012 and look forward with great optimism to his title defence,” said Tony.
For Glenn, it will be aiming for ASBK title number three and the second on the BMW S 1000 RR.
“The BMW S 1000 RR was a fantastic motorcycle to ride and winning the 2011 title in the RR’s first complete ASBK season was a career highlight. I am excited that we will be testing the new 2012 RR very soon and head into the new season full of confidence” said Glenn.
The 2012 ASBK season begins February 24-26 at the Phillip Island WSBK Round.
Redemption for Waters, elation for Allerton
Josh Waters ran away with today’s second race of the QBE Australian Superbike Championships at Tasmania’s Symmons Plains on a day where Glenn Allerton battled injury to secure his second premier class title.
The Suzuki-mounted Waters annihilated his own lap record, set in February, to win by a comfortable margin after a race-long battle between the factory Honda and Suzuki teams.
Crucially, it was the fifth place finish for Procon Maxima BMW’s Glenn Allerton which saw him lock away an unbeatable points lead and secure a triumphant second Superbike title, only the fifth rider in the ASBK’s history to do so.
Yesterday’s clash with Robbie Bugden resulted in a severely-swollen arm for Allerton, who dismissed the discomfort and finished the job he had come to do.
The 30-year-old won his first championship in 2008, and his success in 2011 has been led largely by his own determination and the chances taken by his Hepburn Motorsport crew on a potent but unknown quantity in the BMW S 1000 RR.
“We have to race this bike this year,” were the words spoken by the Sydney-based rider after the team’s first test just weeks before the ASBK season-opener in February.
11 consecutive podiums, including 6 race wins, validate the decision which sees him crowned the 23rd Australian Superbike Champion.
“I didn’t get a great start today and though I passed a few people straight up I just didn’t feel strong enough under brakes with my arm the way it is,” said Allerton.
“I kept pushing and pushing but in the end held onto 5th, at the end of the race I honestly thought I was a point off taking home the championship but my team let me know I’d done it which was a great feeling.
“So many people in the team have worked hard for this, I have to thank everyone at Procon Maxima BMW for their hard work week in, week out but also all of those people behind the scenes as well that have helped me make the most of this opportunity including BMW who have been so supportive.
“I’d like to dedicate the win to my grandfather who passed away last week, he’s played a huge part in my career and my life.”
For Waters, the result was redemption after he retired to the pits yesterday while enjoying a similar lead in the opening race.
“Yesterday was just one of those things, the engine problem was disappointing but we bounced back today,” said Waters.
“I got a good start but made a mistake at the hairpin on the first lap. It probably made for a great race for the crowd to see us all battling it out at the start.
“I worked my way through and made a bit of a break, I was lucky to be fast enough to keep the other guys just behind me.
“Breaking the lap record again shows just how fast the bike is here and I’m looking forward to getting to Phillip Island and finishing the year off really well.”
Race 1 winner Jamie Stauffer finished second on the Team Honda machine, while Troy Herfoss added another race podium to his name in third.
Stauffer locked down another round win with the result today, and was only 2 points shy of forcing Glenn Allerton to wait another week to race for the title.
“It was a pretty hard race again from seventh on the grid, I attacked early on and was able to move forward but there was no catching Josh in today’s race,” said Stauffer.
“It’s good to get the round win and keep focused on the goal of second in the championship.
“Congratulations to Glenn on a great win, he was always going to be tough to beat with such a big lead.”
As it did yesterday, the 2.4km circuit’s hairpin proved a challenge to riders who pushed their bikes to the limit under brakes.
A heart-stopping moment for Allerton typified the nature of the corner, missed by a narrow margin after a late-braking lunge by Waters.
Like yesterday, the large Tasmanian crowd was treated to a spectacular display of racing, with the Superbikes proving an exceptionally-popular support class to the V8 Supercars.
Brodie Waters won both Prostock Challenge races this weekend, showing versatility in switching between his regular ride in the 600cc Supersport class to step up to Suzuki’s 1000cc machine.
It wasn’t, however, enough to prevent Linden Magee from claiming top honours in the championship, with the Coastline Motorrad BMW winning by a 20-point margin at the conclusion of the three-round showdown at the 2+4 events.
The final round of the QBE Australian Superbike Championships, a multi-discipline ‘festival’ of two-wheel racing, will be held at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit from November 18-20.
Race 2, Symmons Plains Results
1. Joshua WATERS (VIC) / Team Suzuki
2. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW) / Team Honda Racing
3. Troy HERFOSS (NSW) / Team Suzuki
4. Wayne MAXWELL (NSW) / Team Honda Racing
5. Glenn ALLERTON (NSW) / Procon Maxima BMW
6. Robert BUGDEN (QLD) / Team Mack Trucks Suzuki
7. Craig COXHELL (VIC) / GAS Honda / Demolition Plus
8. Brodie WATERS (VIC) / Team Suzuki
9. Ben HENRY (QLD) / CUBE Racing / Australian Outdoor Living / Weld West
10. Chris TROUNSON (VIC) / Procon Maxima BMW
Round 7 Overall Results
1. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW), 45
2. Joshua WATERS (VIC), 38
3. Troy HERFOSS (VIC), 38
4. Wayne MAXWELL (VIC), 33
5. Craig COXHELL (VIC), 32
6. Robert BUGDEN (QLD), 31
7. Glenn ALLERTON (VIC), 30
8. Ben HENRY (QLD), 30
9. Chris TROUNSON (VIC), 24
Championship Points after round 7 of 8
1. Glenn ALLERTON (VIC), 293
2. Jamie STAUFFER (NSW), 241
3. Troy HERFOSS (VIC), 223
4. Craig COXHELL (VIC), 213
5. Wayne MAXWELL (VIC), 210
6. Joshua WATERS (VIC), 97
7. Ben ATTARD (QLD), 196
8. Robert BUGDEN (QLD), 179
9. Ben HENRY (QLD), 151
10. Cole ODENDAAL (NSW), 123
