Kork Ballington coup for Classic TT

Former Kawasaki Grand Prix star Kork Ballington will participate in a special parade lap at the inaugural Classic TT races this year.

Ballington, who rode for Kawasaki between 1978 and 1982, won the 250cc and 350cc World Championship titles in 1978 and 1979 before switching to the 500cc class.

The South African, who now lives in Australia, won 31 Grand Prix races from 85 starts.

Ballington will be part of Isle of Man-based Kawasaki parade team, Team Collins and Russell, at the Classic TT in August, which is part of the Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling.

Team Collins and Russell will display a superb collection of Kawasaki machinery, with Ballington completing a lap of the TT circuit in the Classic TT lap of Honour on a Kawasaki H2R 750 Triple.

He will also make an appearance at the Festival of Jurby.

Team Collins and Russell, run by long time enthusiast and sponsor Des Collins and former Manx Grand Prix rider Ronnie Russell, will have up to 12 machines at the event with Hurley Wilvert, one of the first riders signed by Kawasaki in the early 1970s, also confirmed on another H2R.

The American will also be onboard a 250cc A1R along with former Lightweight Manx Grand Prix winner Tony Duncan.

The Manxman, recently appointed as Chief Travelling Marshal for the TT, Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix will have outings on the H2R plus one of the team's 750cc ZX7-RRs and will be joined by fellow Manxman Gary Carswell - the 1997 Senior Manx Grand Prix winner - who is still a regular TT competitor.

All of the unique machines will be on display in their own marquee in the paddock where classic bike collector Chris Wilson will display the immaculate ex-Ballington KR500 as well as one of the formidable KR750s made famous by Mick Grant, Barry Ditchburn and Gregg Hansford.

Paul Phillips, TT & Motorsport Development Manager, said: "Following the commitment we've already had from the Yamaha Classic Racing Team and Team Classic Suzuki, it is great news to have another major manufacturer represented at the inaugural Classic TT with a high quality, professional display of exotic racing machinery.

"Des and Ronnie have a long and distinguished racing pedigree and are quickly establishing themselves on the classic racing parade circuit throughout the UK and Europe.

"I am sure the fans are going to love to see so many iconic Kawasakis all in the one place as well as the excellent list of riders representing the team, not least multiple World Champion Kork Ballington, who is always a crowd-puller wherever he goes."