Troy Corser returns to his favourite haunt

Australia’s recently retired two-time World Superbike champion, Wollongong’s Troy Corser will be a special guest at this weekend’s (Feb 24-26) opening round of the Superbike World Championship, at his Australian playground Phillip Island.

Corser, 40, is making a last-minute journey from the UK to soak up all the action, and once he arrives at the race track which served him so well during his 15-year career – seven wins, a record; and still holder of the world superbike lap record at the island – he’ll be taking on his ambassadorial role with gusto, including commentating, meeting the fans and doing a celebratory lap of honour on Sunday.

Corser carved out a brilliant road racing career, and is one of only six riders to have won multiple World Superbike titles – in 1996 and 2005.

At his absolute best, Corser was a ruthless practitioner. He could not only produce one-lap flyers in qualifying, but also handle the blowtorch when leading from the front.

It’s that rare talent which saw him retire with a whole host of WSBK records: for the most pole positions -- 43; the most races -- 377; the most podiums -- 130, and the most points -- 4000.

Corser often saved his most imperious work for Phillip Island, and seven of his WSBK wins came on the classic piece of tarmac between 1995 and 2006. Only countrymen Troy Bayliss (six) and Anthony Gobert (four) come close to that figure, although reigning world champion Carlos Checa is currently building his own case for Corser-esque excellence, having won the last three races.

Corser still holds the WSBK lap record around Phillip Island (1:31.826), which he set way back in 2007 on a Yamaha. His parade lap on Sunday will be aboard a BMW, the company which he signed off his WSBK career with at the end of 2011.