Remember him? South Africa’s first motorsport World Champion, Kork Ballington won 31 Grand Prix and four world titles, taking both the 250cc and 350cc crowns for Kawasaki in 1978 and 1979.
Today Kork and his family live in Brisbane, Australia, where he and his wife Bronwyn run a retail fastener business — nuts ‘n bolts, in other words.
“I started the business from the ground up with no previous experience of either the fastener industry or of running a business” he says. “I’m enjoying the new challenge. I treated the business as I did my racing, trying my hardest all the time, and making as few mistakes as possible.” The business is, as expected, very successful, but this success doesn’t bring with it fame — that has to carry over from Kork’s previous career. “I guess I became quite famous in my racing days, and my past will not just lie down. Whenever I think it’s all past, the phone rings and it’s somebody wanting to interview me or get me involved in this or that. I’m surprised and flattered that I’m still known and respected by so many in Australia, though. I’ve enjoyed it thoroughly and would recommend it to the kids — if you can do something that you love and earn truckloads of money at it, there’s nothing better!”
Hmm. Truckloads of money. Surely the pickings in the ’70s and ’80s weren’t as rich as they are today? “I’m not jealous of the riders’ earnings these days,” says the man who left Pietermaritzburg to race in Europe all those years ago. “I know that the media have always exaggerated riders’ earnings so I imagine some of the figures we hear today are probably not true. If I multiply my best year’s earnings by the amount that the buying power of the pound has decreased in 22 years, my income in 1982 was very respectable even by today’s standards. In my day only a handful of the top riders were making a lot of dough and I’d bet that the situation hasn’t changed much.”
Kork’s son Craig is having his own little tilt at fame. A devout musician, he’s an accomplished guitarist and lead singer for his band. “I think to be a success in the music industry is harder than to succeed in motor sport for the simple reason that you have to rely on the same drive and passion from three other people before you can make it ” says the 23-year-old student’s father. “My advice to him has always been to keep working, keep improving and be patient. At some stage, an opportunity will turn up and you’ll be ready to have a go.”
Craig’s younger brother, Jake, is at school in Brisbane. He’s already represented his school at the state athletic finals and was a prolific try scorer as a wing for Northern’s under-12 rugby side.
So does the Ballington clan miss the lifestyle of the grand prix circuit? “Compared with the racing scene our current life is rather tame, but it’s very enjoyable” says Kork. ” I don’t miss the racing so much, but I miss the lifestyle as a factory rider. We travelled around Europe with some great friends and had fun the whole way. The ten years we spent in Europe was a great adventure, and it was fascinating experiencing the different cultures of the places we got to visit. We were incredibly well taken care of by sponsors and associated trade who wined and dined us in the finest restaurants at every venue.
“On the riding front I miss the test days, when Kawasaki would hire a top grand prix circuit like Imola or Misano for a few days and I would have it all to myself to enjoy the enormous thrill of riding a thoroughbred GP500. But Bronwyn and I were smart enough to realise the magic life would end one day and we kept our feet firmly on the ground. We have a stable family life now that we’re established and settled in Australia.”
So how do they find the lifestyle in the land of Bruce ‘n Sheila? Is it much like home? “I maintain that there aren’t a lot of similarities between the two countries. The mindset is very different with the majority of the working class taking a somewhat socialistic viewpoint where the state takes care of you. My experience of South Africa is that you take care of yourself. Australia has had a long and stable development without wars, social problems or political upheavals which has created a peaceful and stable environment.
“I find Australia to be more like an England of some years back, with a fairly strong American influence. It’s unique and interesting and a very nice place to live, but if crime could be brought under control in South Africa, many South Africans would go back.”