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REPORT FROM CAMERON DONALD (24/08/05)
Well Its been a hectic month of competition for myself with DMRR
Honda Racing on the roads in Ireland and also a very successful
one.
The Honda CBR600RR and CBR1000RR where very quick machines and I
have to thank Des Moore for asking me to ride for him and also my
Australian mate and mechanic Don Owen for keeping so busy on the
spanners.
But Racing hasn't stopped since leaving Ireland as we made a stop
over in Singapore on the way home to race some Super Motard .
A good friend of mine Joseph Lee has recently been appointed the
Husqvarna dealer of Singapore and asked me to compete in the
Singapore Super Motard event on one of his new Husqvarna TE510
bikes.
It was actually Joe who got me started racing the Asia Pacific
championship back in 2003 so was great to again ride for Joe and
work with my Asia Pac mechanic Henry who works at Joes shop.
Saturday afternoon was qualifying and we took pole by .30sec on my
first time out on the new bike around the all bitumen circuit set
outside Singapore stadium .
Sunday and we where faced with damp conditions for the 15 lap final
so the plan was to keep it smooth and just bring the bike home in
the slippery conditions.
Got a strong start and led the field into the first turn and then
put my head down to gap the field as quickly as I could.
The tires where working real well on the slick track and I managed
to build on my lead to take the flag by a comfortable margin to win
the event.
Was a great effort by Joe and Henry to have the bike ready on such
short notice as the 510 had not even been ridden till we arrived at
the circuit !
A top way to end a top trip racing and a big thanks to all that
helped along the way , so home now to have a couple of weeks rest
and will keep you all informed of what's up next as the racing year
rolls on !
Cheers
Cam#86
CAMERON DONALD, written by John Hope
Hi there
I help out in team DMRR and talked Des Moore into getting Cam over
here to race.
Cam had an awesome race meeting at the Ulster Grand Prix here
on
Saturday, 13th Aug. Strange bikes - strange circuit - (very)
strange
race team and he still took the place by storm. His best lap came
in
the SBK race aboard the DMRR/Honda Racing backed
fireblade.....3m
31.589s which is lap of 125.923 mph.......considering the lap
record
is 129 mph, Cam's time is absolutely mindblowing. He came from 25th
on
the grid due to mechanical problems in the qualifying in this race
to finish 9th.
His best performance of the day came in the second 600 supersport
race
where he finished 3rd, setting a best lap of the race time of
3m
47.411s - 117.152 mph. He hunted down and passed many of the top
riders during this race where he again started from the middle of
the grid. His
performances in the other races were equally as breathtaking in
the
changing conditions from heavy rain to dry and sunny.
He also received a trophy for the best newcomer, and also the
Iceman
Trophy, which I initiated after the death of my friend, Joakim
Karlsson, a Swedish rider who lost his life at the TT earlier
this
year. Cam is the first ever recipient of this trophy, presented
for
'the best performance by an overseas rider'. Cameron said a few
words
on receipt of this trophy, saying that it was a special honour
to
receive it as he had met Joakim and spent some time chatting to him
at the TT. I thank him for that.
Cameron is a credit to Australia and a credit to road racing in
general. A truly nice individual who has a calm, polite demeanor
that
is rare in riders of his ability. I am exremely happy that I played
a
small part in his history. I hope he comes back over here to
Ireland to
race the roads again where I will do anything in my power to
assist
him. He is undoubtedly....the MAN.
NEWS FLASH!!!! 15/08/05
This weekend Cameron Donald competed at the Ulster Grand Prix
Ireland. Racing for DMRR Honda in the Supersport, Superbike and
Superstock classes.
Cameron has finished with sensational results:
SUPERSPORT - 3RD !!
SUPERBIKE - 6TH
SUPERSTOCK - 8TH
Cameron was also awarded the fastest newcomer at this
event.
NEWS 12/08/05!
CAMERON DONALD WINS SUPERSPORT RACE IN THE DUNDROD 150
CHALLENGE, IRELAND.
Cameron has finished first place in the 600cc Supersport class,
racing on the Honda for DMRR.
Stay tuned for further updates.
NEWS !!! 03/08/05
Cameron Donald finished 2nd place at the Faugheen 50 Road Race
Grand Final on Sunday, which was held in Tipperary Ireland. Riding
for DMRR Honda (www.dmrr.net).
"I had a great time at the race and I am very happy with the
result. The DMRR bike was very fast and I have to say a big thanks
to Des and the team for all of their work"
Cameron will be racing this weekend at the Mid-Antrim 150 Road Race
again for DMRR Honda then the Dundrod 150 from the 10th
August.
Stay tuned for results !
CAMERON DONALD REPORTS (1ST AUGUST 2005)
Since arriving in Ireland last Thursday evening things have
been full steam ahead for me and Don my Australian mechanic for
this trip.
Heading two hours south of Dublin on Friday we arrived at the
town of Faugheen to race in the Faugheen 50 Road race.
This was my first race for Team DMRR Honda and was a great
opportunity to work with the team before the Ulster GP in less that
two weeks time.
Saturday was my first time on the DMRR Honda CBR600 RR as
completed fifteen laps practice to learn the tight and technical
3.60km street circuit. Practice went well and I had secured a front
row start for Sunday’s races by posting the fourth fastest time of
the day.
The bike was working well and we improved each session as we
made some small set up changes leaving me feeling confident of a
good debut race with the team.
Sunday and I awoke to the sound of rain so it was great to see
the clouds lifting for my first race of the day
600cc championship event : This race is for tuned 600cc bikes
and as I was riding the tuned bike would not figure in the results
and used the eight lap event as extra practice.
600cc open event :
My first race got off to a strong start as I took the lead into
turn one before Ryan Farquhar passed me into turn two , then
running a little wide into the hairpin was pushed back another
place.
With clear track ahead Ryan was already pulling away so I tried
a late braking pass into Church bend to regain second but
unfortunately I entered the turn a little to fast having to run on
and miss the turn.
By the time I got back in the race was well back in the field
and put my head down to work at consistent lap times to take ninth
place.
Grand Final :
The final event for the day and off to another strong start
following Ryan into turn one before having a coming together with
Richard Britton as he tried to pass around the outside , this
dropping me back to third behind John Burrows.
I decided to slow things down a little in this race and just
held third for a couple of laps before taking second place and
pulling a small gap on the following riders.
Ryan had cleared away for the win and I just worked at being
smooth to keep the gap I had to finish a clear second in the grand
final.
So overall a fantastic event as the bikes worked well and I
ended the event with second overall , fastest newcomer and my
fastest lap of 1:19.23 was under last years record and less than a
second from Ryan Farquhar’s new record set in that race.
A big thanks to my mechanic Don and Des Moore from DMRR Honda
for all there help over the weekend.
Cheers
Cam#86
CAMERON DONALD REPORTS FROM THE ISLE OF MAN TT
2005
This week Cameron Donald is competing at The Isle ofMann TT
in the Supersport class and finished 16th and
11th place in the two races. He has also been awarded a
silver medal and was the fastest newcomer in the class.
On Friday he will race the Shairzal CBR600RR in the senior race
which features bikes of all classes.
Donald reports (6th June 2005):
Monday was my first race at the Isle of Man in the four-lap Junior
Supersport event riding my Shairzal CBR600RR, with the starting
number of 29 in the 92 bike field.
This was my first time at a staggered start as they let each bike
go with ten seconds between them. So there was plenty of time for
the nerves to build as you await your turn.
Fortunately the weather cleared to blue sky's for race day. I left
the line on a dry tack and put my head down. It is a real senses
overload as you have no warm up lap and have not been on the bike
for a day. You jump on and head straight down Bray Hill in sixth
gear between the stone walls and fences which feels even faster
than normal on your opening lap.
My goal was to try and nail all the fast sections, this is where
your time is made up or lost. The track itself has 242 turns is no
easy task to remember just how hard to push through each section. I
was leaving myself a little room for error.
My first lap was over 115mph from a standing start, quicker than I
had been in practice. All was going well with the bike so I put my
head-down for two laps then stopped to pit and refuel.
The refuel takes a good 30 seconds as the pumps are all gravity fed
and it’s the same for everyone so no trick refuel gear and plenty
of time for a drink and visor change. Many of the teams had trouble
getting two laps from a standard tank but my Honda fuel light
starts flashing with about three miles to go, so it was spot
on.
Straight back out and I again put my head down, as the boys had
told me during the pit stop that I had improved my position and to
keep pushing. You have to remember that you are back to a full tank
as you approach Quarter Bridge the first tight right hander and
take it a little easier pushing the front on this tricky down hill
turn.
Then it is back to another two laps of head down and once again
still improving a little each lap as my knowledge of the circuit
improves each time around.
There where several incidents during the last lap involving other
riders. I came upon three sections with waved yellow flags, which
require you to really slow down. Unlike a short circuit, if someone
crashes at the TT there is a very good chance that they and their
bike, are still on the track as there is no where else for it to
go! So I play it safe and wash off speed before getting the green
and get back up to speed.
There are so many spectators waving you on for the last lap. It is
great the way the fans line the course from all kinds of vantage
points, from beer gardens on the edge of the road, to people
peering through the holes in hedges around top-gear sweepers. The
fine weather has brought them out in droves.
One hour eighteen minutes after I had left the start line I take
the checkered flag. Finishing in 16th position and posting a 117+
mph last lap.
8th June 2005
Yesterday I went out for the second Supersport race. I pushed
harder than the first race, as I was more comfortable with the bike
set up and had a little more track experience from race one. I
finished 11th position overall and was the fastest
newcomer in my class.
I couldn’t be happier with my results. It takes years to learn this
track and to this day I have still only done 18 laps!
My respect for the top TT riders has grown a great deal. I assure
you these guys are pushing super hard at every turn to do those
times. They run on a course that is so hard on machines, there
where many non-finishers, even among the top teams due to the time
spent at such high rpm. Many high spec motors will not last, not to
mention how rough the place is in sections, it shakes the bike to
bits.
So for me it’s a rest day then the six lap Senior TT on
Friday.
As they say over here "Keep it between the
hedges"
Cheers,
Cam Donald
NEWS FLASH !!!!! SUNDAY 22ND MAY - 2005
Cameron Donald competed at The International North West 200
yesterday with fantastic results. He finished 13th place in race #1
and 12th place in race#2 and finished fastest newcomer in Superbike
class. Stay tuned for a full race report. Next week Cameron heads
to the Isle of Man to compete at the TT.
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