Glenn Allerton taking strong form and confidence to Phillip Island this weekend

ASBK 2023
Round Six – Phillip Island

Preview with Glenn Allerton

Three times Australian Champion Glenn Allerton is champing at the bit to get going at the Island this weekend. After a rough start to the year when broken promises went so close to derailing his year before it even started, he found new support, arranged to purchase his bikes from last year and jumped back on the old faithful BMW. After the early year set-backs, he is in great form scoring two from three podiums in Darwin and a brace of third places at Morgan Park.

Presently he sits fourth in the title, 66-points off championship leader Troy Herfoss, and 52-points off Josh Waters in second, but only six points behind third-placed Mike Jones so the dangling carrot of third place in the title is tantalisingly close, although as in any top-flight racer’s mindset, combined with the vagaries of racing, a fourth title is still a slim possibility very slim, but stranger things have happened…

At last month’s Vic Champs at the Island Allerton won the three legs of the state title as well as taking out the 70th running of the prestigious Harvey Wiltshire Trophy Race, so the team has a very solid set-up to come out of the pit-box swinging on Friday morning.

Mark Bracks: How much did the Vic Champs help?

Glenn Allerton: “The track is weird in the sense that it can change so much. We mightn’t have been on lap record pace, but the racing was extremely close, and we were all going for it. We weren’t just riding around. Jonesy crashed trying to stay in front. It was a good weekend. We bring a lot of confidence going there knowing that I can beat them and for the rest of the year too. Phillip Island is a great track for me. Tailem Bend is a great track for me too so a lot of confidence for the end of the year.

“It’s no secret that Josh is good around at Phillip Island but he’s not unbeatable as we have seen. The plan is to try and win as many races as possible for the rest of the year and obviously I’d like to get into the top three in the championship, but you never know what could happen. All it takes is for the front two to have a couple of bad rounds and we could be on.

“I think the pressure has been on with all stuff going on behind the scenes off track between the two teams – the rivalry there. For me, it has been great. Everyone has been battling each other for supremacy and they want to be the top dogs and I’ve just been quietly going about my business with the team and making sure the bikes are the best we can get them, and we’ve been achieving results. Since Darwin we haven’t missed a podium other when I crashed in race three at Darwin – I was in second when I crashed. We are in a pretty good position, and we are looking strong and we’re only getting better every time we roll out.  

“The prime goal is to improve every time we go out on track.”

Bracksy: Did you find anything at Phillip Island that helped, or it’s been a matter of getting the geometry and the electronics right?

Allerton: “We tried a bunch of different stuff with the rear shock, setting the geometry. A lot of it is in the electronics. We found speed with engine brake mapping and cutting a bit of power out of the corners to save tyre life. It was definitely a good test for us, and I am really confident going into the race that we are going to be strong. Mate, it’s Phillip Island and as you know anything can happen there as far as the weather. I know if it is wet, we are going to be strong, so my confidence is really high.”

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Bracksy: Especially after the way the year started for you, you must be pretty happy with how it’s ended up.

Allerton: “I’ve got good people around me and the way it has panned out it’s been really good for me. Trevor’s (Groeneveld) supporting the whole thing with his belief in my ability to ride the motorbikes and he keeps saying to me when I get the right piece of equipment, I am going to win races and we are starting to show that by winning that Victorian Title round.

“We have made a lot of progress now that we have sorted a few things out with the electronics. It all started at Darwin. We were good there. If you looked at the form guide going to Darwin, we shouldn’t have been on the podium as I have been terrible there and we got two pretty good podiums in Darwin. They had every opportunity to pass me, and they couldn’t do it. We were strong there. The second race, we… we literally had no front brakes. I had to let them go, [the opposition] because I was going to hit someone. The last race was ours to take, and I fell off on the first lap.”

Bracksy: Where do you think Josh’s weaknesses can be around the Island as he’s been unstoppable on the Duke?

Allerton: “It’s hard to say as I just can’t pick it. Troy is really good at trying to apply the pressure. I don’t know. When it comes to Josh, he is a bit of an enigma ‘cos you think he’s off the pace here and he’s going to struggle, and he comes out and does some amazing lap times. I think it is going to be the case, if he gets out in front and no one can make it a race with him, lure him into a duel. That’s the ultimate scenario for him but for the rest of us the best plan to beat him is engage him in battle and hope he wants to battle with us or otherwise he might quite possibly check out.

“That is just my honest opinion of his form at the track of late. When we get there, things can change. Every time we go racing things change. We could get there, and he might struggle. He’s got a very good package with that team and that bike.  They know what they are doing so they are going to give him a good motorbike. For me I’ve got to try and beat him in the areas where I am stronger. I am really good on the brakes, and I am really good in the first couple of laps so that’s where if I can turn it into a race, it will be the best for me and probably everyone else. It gives everyone else a chance to beat him if we turn it into a duel.

“We’ll just keep doing what we are doing. We’re really well prepared for this race. The bike is ready to go. I just can’t wait to get there and get going. The bikes dialled in for Phillip Island, so we are all very happy and confident.”

Bracksy: Was Max Stauffer a bit of a surprise at the Vic Champs?

Allerton: “No not at all. He’s been coming for a while. I’ve been noticing he’s been getting stronger. At some point these young kids HAVE to come and beat us. I am more than ready for it. Physically and mentally it’s so difficult for these young kids to overcome somebody who has the experience of a Troy Herfoss, a Josh Waters, or myself. At the end of the day that’s what it comes down to.

“My focus for the rest of the year is to beat Troy, Mike and Josh. Phillip Island, the weather is always going to throw up the variables, but at Tailem Bend we have an amazing package. We had an amazing package there last year and now our package is even better. We have a package to win every race at Tailem Bend – we will be really strong.”

Bracksy: Sounds by the tone of your voice you are in no hurry to retire.

Allerton: “No, I want to keep going. Trevor and I have an agreement to keep going for next year as well. Beyond that we haven’t made any decisions yet. Obviously, it’s going to be based on our results. I am sure if we keep going the way we are going we’ll probably be winning races and that’s going to lead to another year. See how we go.”

Bracksy: Now that Shane is focused in other areas is he still putting in input?

Allerton: “He helps us with engines. He’s our engine builder.”

Bracksy: With the electronics is that still talking to Germany all the time.

Allerton: “That relationship is going well.”

Bracksy: So distance isn’t a problem. A problem but not a real problem.

Allerton: “We’ve got a pretty good electronics guy with us at the moment; Cody Bower. The distance would be an issue if we didn’t have Cody. Because we have him looking at it all, he can decipher the information and he’s also learning off the Alpha guys.”

Bracksy: It sounds like you are in a really good place at the moment. The bike is getting better, the team is getting stronger so this weekend should be a cracker and at this stage the forecast is a lot better for race day than last Sunday!

Allerton: “I can’t wait to get there!”

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Phillip Island ASBK Schedule

ASBK 2023 Calendar