A former Southlander has added a $40,000 race bike to his garage, though he admits high-speed action will remain in the air rather than on the track.
Auckland-based pilot Trevor Lawson was drawn as the winner of a brand new Yamaha YZF-R6 race-prepped motorcycle at the Burt Munro Challenge. The raffle was held to support young Southland road racers competing on the international stage. The bike is a replica of the machine Moto3 World Championship rider Cormac Buchanan, from Invercargill, rode to his final 600 SuperSport title at the 2024 New Zealand Superbike Championship.
“I’m absolutely thrilled and humbled to win this incredible MacAttack Yamaha R6. When I bought those five tickets, I was backing the future of Southland road racing – I never imagined I’d be standing here as the winner,” Lawson said.
“Now, I need to be honest when it comes to the bike blasting around the track and clarify that while I love speed, I am a pilot, not a racer. My two-wheeled skills are more pushbike than superbike.
“What I am is a passionate supporter and sponsor of up-and-coming kiwi racing talent, especially young Southlanders making their mark on the world stage.”
Born in Gore, Lawson grew up in Mataura before leaving the region at 18 to pursue a career in aviation.
“Like a lot of young Southlanders with speed in their blood, I had to leave to chase my dreams – in my case, I moved to Auckland to pursue aviation. But you never really leave Southland behind. That can-do spirit, that determination to prove what’s possible from the deep south – it stays with you,” he said.
Lawson said the legacy of Burt Munro continues to inspire new generations of racers.
“Burt Munro embodied that spirit. He showed the world what a bloke from Invercargill could achieve with ingenuity, determination, and an unshakeable belief in himself. Now I’m seeing the same thing in young racers like Cormac Buchanan, who started right here at the Burt Munro Challenge and is now competing in the 2026 Moto3 World Championship across 22 venues worldwide.
“Whether it’s speed on the salt flats, speed on the track, or speed in the air – it’s all about pushing boundaries and refusing to let geography define your limits.”
Lawson also acknowledged the Burt Munro Challenge committee, Yamaha Motor New Zealand, raffle organiser Steve Lloyd and event sponsors for making the initiative possible.
Burt Munro Challenge committee chair Bill Moffatt said the raffle strongly reflected the values of its namesake.
“The legend of Burt taking on the world from Invercargill is well documented. This initiative gave us a platform to help fuel the dreams of the next generation aiming to do exactly that,” he said.