Allerton Storms to Sensational Wet-Weather Victory

Ducati star carves through chaos to win race 2 from the back as Queensland rain shakes up ASBK pecking order

Queensland Raceway produced a thrilling second Superbike race in changing conditions, with Glen Allerton emerging victorious in one of the most dramatic contests of the season.

At the initial start, it was Josh Waters and Mike Jones who launched well, but Waters edged ahead through the opening corners. Jones struck back at Turn 2, while Anthony West seized the opportunity to slot into second place. By lap two, Waters had muscled back past West and began to press Jones hard at the front as the leaders began to gap the field. Broc Pearson was locked in a close contest with West for the final podium spot, with a sizeable gap back to Max Stauffer in fifth.

Storm clouds darkened the skies by lap three, but the battle at the front intensified. Jones, aboard the Yamaha, threw everything at containing Waters, who was beginning to apply serious pressure, setting the fastest lap as he zeroed in. The Ducati’s superior corner exit traction was becoming a factor, forcing Jones to brake later and take more risks to defend. West and Pearson, meanwhile, could not maintain the searing pace of the front two.

Pearson copped a 10-second penalty for a false start, effectively scuppering his podium hopes. A few drops of rain began to fall on lap six, with Jones holding a narrow advantage over Waters. But by lap seven, the rain started to intensify, forcing a red flag and a race stoppage to allow the field to change to wet tyres. The drama was just getting started.

On the restart, Allerton launched like a missile, charging into second behind Jones. West also suffered a messy start, spinning the rear tyre, but recovered to settle into fourth.

By lap two of the restart, the wet weather specialist in West began to shine. He capitalised on a mistake from Jones to take second, setting his sights on the now-leading Allerton, who had built a narrow gap out front. It was a wide-open race as multiple riders sensed a rare chance at glory. Arthur Nahlhous also made a strong run in the wet, grabbing third briefly before running off the track at Kawasaki Corner.

The conditions remained sketchy, with West emerging as the fastest rider on the track. After getting past Jones he began cutting into Allerton’s advantage as the field grappled with grip. Allerton, though, remained composed despite a scare on the entry to Turn 1. On lap five, a determined Waters finally found a way through on Jones with a committed move.

Allerton continued to keep West at bay through lap six, matching the former GP rider’s pace and setting the fastest wet lap. Meanwhile, Waters remained locked in a slugfest with Jones, the pair swapping positions as the race entered its closing stages.

As the final lap began, Jones pulled out a huge move into Turn 3, lunging ahead momentarily, but Waters responded on the exit with superior drive, evening the score. The pair drifted side-by-side through Kawasaki corner in treacherous conditions. But up ahead, it was Glen Allerton who took the chequered flag first, capping an incredible ride from the back of the grid of the two part race with the fastest lap of the race on the final tour. West crossed the line in second, while the duel between Waters and Jones saw Waters narrowly claim the final podium spot.

With four rounds now complete, Josh Waters holds a commanding lead in the championship on 169 points, with Mike Jones his closest challenger on 137. Anthony West remains firmly in the hunt on 123, while Glen Allerton’s wet-weather heroics have vaulted him into a tie for fourth with Jonathan Nahlous on 99 points.

QLD Raceway ASBK Race 2

ASBK Championship Standings