Image: Keith Muir.

Triple YMF Australian Superbike Champion Glenn Allerton was one of many title threats who made an error at Phillip Island on the weekend, uncertain what caused him to crash out of race two.

Allerton, 36, started the weekend strongly with second in Saturday’s opening affair, but a crash in the first turn of race two spelt the end of his podium hopes at the opener.

“I don’t know what to say,” Allerton told CycleOnline.com.au. “I fell off today and can’t explain how or why it happened – that’s just racing. Fortunately, everybody else pretty much had a problem except for [Daniel] Falzon, so hopefully it doesn’t hurt us too much in the long run. I’m just confused what actually happened in that crash.”

The Yamaha Racing Team rider capped off the weekend in sixth on combined times of a two-part race, despite charging to second across the stripe in the second portion of the red-flagged race. Still, he displayed plenty of pace in the closing stages.

“That crash pretty much ruined the weekend for me,” he added post-race. “I had to go to the spare bike, which never feels the same as your race bike. I was lucky race three got red-flagged, because I was having some issues, so we got to go again.

“Unfortunately though the race was timed in two parts and because I lost time in the first part, the result wasn’t what it could have been. I was coming on strong, got up to second and it was only a matter of time until I passed Wayne [Maxwell] because I had so much grip over everybody, but I found out it was an aggregate race and I got sixth.”

Those inconsistencies ultimately bumped Allerton down to eighth overall in the attrition-filled opening round – an event he won last season – and he will now look to climb the order at Wakefield Park next month.