Throwback Thursday: Four-Time World Champ Wins Daytona 250 Grand Prix
Larry Lawrence | April 27, 2017
Photo by Henny Ray Abrams
Kork Ballington was a four-time World Champion (twice each in 250cc Grand Prix and 350cc Grand Prix) before leaving the GP circuit after the 1982 season. But the Rhodesian wasn’t done with racing. When he was 36 he came to race in America in the Castrol AMA 250 Grand Prix Championship.
The opening round of the 1987 series was the Daytona International Lightweight race, then the most prestigious 250GP race in the world outside of the world championships. The race drew a slew of World Championship riders over the years.
Ballington won when Randy Renfrow came up short in a thrilling finish that featured a last-lap fight for victory. Ballington passed Renfrow in the horseshoe to take the lead, and the duo went neck-and-neck until the pair entered the chicane and Ballington got completely out of shape trying to pass a lapper.
After he’d gather back his Honda RS250 after the near crash, Ballington thought he’d lost the race. He was surprised to see the checkered flag come out for him when he approached the finish line. He didn’t realize that Renfrow’s machine sputtered and ran out of gas at the chicane.
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