Image: Russell Colvin (Yamaha).

Three-time Australian Superbike champion Glenn Allerton has conceded that he won’t be fit in time for next month’s Winton round, setting his sights on a Darwin return.

Allerton, 36, broke his left humerus in two places during Friday practice at Wakefield Park last weekend and underwent surgery on Saturday.

With a plate and 12 screws inserted, the Yamaha Racing Team rider is hoping to regain adequate fitness in time for Hidden Valley’s fourth round on 7-9 July.

“I just don’t know where I really stand at the moment as the injuries are so fresh,” Allerton explained. “I just have to give myself some time to heal and then see what is actually going on with my arm. If my arm is good and I feel strong on the bike when I do some practicing at Sydney Motorsport Park, then I’ll go to Darwin.”

Allerton crashed during FP2 in Goulburn under braking into turn 10. The back-end of his YZF-R1M came around, gripped and high-sided him out of title contention for 2017.

“I started to straighten the bike out, then started to let go of the brakes to turn in,” he added. “I then put my balance and weight forward and the back-end came right around and flicked me over the handlebars. I landed on my elbow pretty hard, as I broke my humerus bone in two places really badly.”

After spending both Friday and Saturday night hospitalised in Goulburn, Allerton was back trackside at Wakefield Park to watch teammate Wayne Maxwell win race two and claim second overall on Sunday afternoon.

There’s been no indication whether Yamaha Racing Team will opt to have anybody stand-in alongside Maxwell at Winton’s third stop of the season on 28-30 April.