Image: Russell Colvin.

Yamaha Racing Team’s Glenn Allerton has completed a perfect weekend at Phillip Island’s opening round of the 2016 Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul Pirelli.

The three-time ASBK champion was unstoppable on his factory YZF-R1M to win all three races at World Superbikes, relentless in his pursuit of victory.

Sunday afternoon’s third and final 10-lap affair was a scorcher as JD Racing Yamaha privateer Daniel Falzon led the early running, before the likes of Allerton, Mike Jones (DesmoSport Ducati), Wayne Maxwell (Yamaha Racing Team) and Troy Herfoss (Crankt Protein Honda Racing) attacked.

Jones took over the front spot on lap three before Falzon retaliated, but things really heated up on laps four through six – eight riders in the lead group midway through.

Allerton made his way to the front during that period and traded places with Herfoss momentarily, while Maxwell was methodically climbing the order from behind.

Reigning champion Jones returned to the front of the field on the penultimate lap, with Herfoss gaining momentum in the closing stages. Come the final lap it was anybody’s race to win.

After working into position Allerton made a lunge for the lead at turn four, demoting Jones to fourth while Herfoss slipped by the both of them. But was again Allerton aggressive at MG, not denied a perfect weekend as he made the final lead pass of the race.

That saw Allerton take the chequers by 0.081s over Herfoss, with Maxwell just 0.077s outside of the win and Jones 0.537s. The top five was rounded out by the impressive Ben Burke (SA Kawasaki BCperformance) after getting the better of Michael Blair (Blairbuild Yamaha).

“To get three from three is pretty unreal and great to have those going points towards the championship,” Allerton beamed. “As I always say, a lot of work goes in from the team, the hard work to put the bikes together.

“I have been working hard in the off-season trying to stay fit, which can be pretty hard to do when you’ve got two kids. I’m lucky that I have a supportive family that allows me the time to do the things I need to do to be fit and ready.

“A big thanks to everybody involved, I am just really, really happy to come out on top! I am looking forward to the next ASBK round and getting stronger.”

An early casualty was third of the factory Yamahas, Cru Halliday, crashing unschathed at turn 10 on the opening lap of the race. Suzuki-mounted Brayden Elliott was a lap down in 29th come the finish.

Crankt Protein Honda Racing’s Jamie Stauffer salvaged seventh after a difficult weekend, as Robbie Bugden (SA Kawasaki BCperformance), Matt Walters (Kawasaki Connection) and Falzon filled the top 10.

Overall for the three-race Phillip Island round it was early championship leader Allerton the victor on 75 points, ahead of Jones on 57 and Maxwell on 54 – all three winners of the ASBK crown during their career.