Aussie Ace for Classic TT
Russell Fairburn, a Central Coast tiler and part time motorcycle racer, is to realise a long held dream this year when he competes on the Isle of Man Mountain Course. Fairbairn, from Terrigal, on the New South Wales central coast is to ride in this year’s Isle of Man GP on a motorcycle that once raced there in the ‘80s.
He owns and rides one of the few competing Cotton EM-34 Rotax machines in the world today. He will also compete on a variety of Yamahas.
Fairbairn has entered in three races. The Cotton is entered to compete in the Classic TT Formula Two 250TT and the Yamaha TZ250 ‘E’ in the MGP Newcomer ‘B’ event and the MGP Super Twin event.
Fairbairn has entered his Cotton Rotax and a Yamaha YZ250 ‘E’ model owned by Geoff Hayton, who will also be part of the team on the Isle of Man. Hayton’s own credentials are impressive; he was a member of Kel Carruthers GP team in the US when Carruthers was a dominant force on the international scene.
Along with Hayton, also making up Team Fairbairn is bike restorer, ex-Bathurst winner and Kawasaki team rider Marcus Decaux and former Castrol Six-Hour and Bathurst competitor, Paul Newham.
“Four laps doesn’t sound much but that’s almost 150 miles for each race and a total of close to 450 miles for the three races combined – yes, I am on a training program,” he said.
Fairbairn, a veteran of the Post Classic scene is a five-times winner of the prestigious Phil Irving Trophy, held annually at the Island Classic on Phillip Island including four outright victories in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006. He shared the Phil Irving Trophy with World Champion Wayne Gardner in 2008 when each won a race.
Fairbairn is the current 350cc Australian Champion and the winner of the Forgotten Era 250 class at this year’s Island Classic, held in January at Philip Island.
In 2008 Fairbairn won the Australian Titles on the Cotton Rotax and has also won the Australian Titles four times riding his Yamaha TA 125.
He has also notched up numerous wins at the New South Wales Titles and still holds the 125cc lap record at Phillip Island, set in 2005.
In 2007, riding the Cotton Rotax he won the “Forgotten Era 250” class at the Barry Sheene Festival of Speed at Sydney’s Eastern Creek.
“I’ve certainly got the runs on the board but appreciate the Isle of Man circuit is the most demanding of its type in the world,” he said.
“The team I’ve assembled have years of top notch experience – the trick is for me to learn the gruelling 37.73 mile circuit.”