OTHER

Cameron raced the Team Klaffi CBR600CC Honda to third place in Saturday's Macau Grand Prix, making it his fifth podium from five starts at the challenging street circuit.

Crossing the line only half a wheel behind second place Ian Hutchinson, after the two had a race long duel struggling to clear away from super bikes in the mixed grid event ( 600cc supersport and 1000cc super bike start from the same grid )

" It was a tough weekend as the second qualifying session was cancelled leaving me to start from the fourth row. With the back of the circuit so tight leaving little room to pass I had no hope of catching Steve Allan on the Kawasaki"

The third place was also the highest finish of the weekend by the three-man Klaffi team, with super bike team mate Martin Finnegan having gear shift problems and super sport team mate Callum Ramsay riding well before crashing out unhurt.

" A big thanks to Stefan and Klaus from Klaffi for the opportunity to race with their team , I had felt confident of victory this year as the bike was strong but sharing the circuit with the superbikes always makes the race difficult as they slow you down around the back then pull away down the fast straights"

" Also my condolences to the family of Bruno Bonhuil that was tragically killed in practice after crashing his Suzuki. He was a very experienced rider and ex-world endurance champion and will be sadly missed from the Macau paddock "

Cameron's next race event will be the Naza Panglobal Endurance race this weekend at the Sepang circuit Malaysia .

The super bike class was won by Michael Ritter Honda CBR1000RR in his sixth Macau victory from John McGuiness CBR1000RR with Les Shand R1 rounding out the Super Bike top three.

UPDATED: 26/09/05

Moto GP - Sepang, Malaysia

After arriving in Singapore on Wednesday night, it was in the car first thing Thursday morning and across the border to Malaysia for the 400km drive to the Sepang circuit.

We stopped for lunch at a highway truck stop for some malaysian food and to enjoy the warm weather. Later that day we arrived at the circuit to check the race bike over.

Friday and the Moto GP was already in full swing. With the superbike support race event I was riding in not beginning till 4pm, I had plenty of time to go and check out the GP classes as they took to the track for their first sessions.

No matter how many times I see Moto GP live, it's still awesome to hear them as they head onto the track. Each manufactures distinct exhaust note echoing around the circuit.

After getting pumped up all day watching the GP it was a relief to get out there myself for the 20 minute super bike practice session. On the Gareth Williams/Sporting Motors CBR1000RR Honda.

Although only a short session, it gave me enough time to refresh myself with the Sepang layout and see what changes I wanted to make to bike set up.

Soon after practice it was back out for our 30 minute qualifying session. The sun was setting and conditions where cooling off. It was just nice to put my head down and work on a fast lap time to secure a good starting position.

At the end of the session I had posted a 2:16.01 giving me pole position, ahead of the 41 bike field for the two ten lap races.

Saturday, after watching the Moto GP final qualifying session it out for my first race .

After a reasonable start entering turn one in third position, I quickly pushed through to take the lead into turn four from reigning malaysian super bike champion Lee Ching Hooi. I began putting ground between us.

My pit signals where informing me of the lead I was building so stayed smooth to take the flag by 13 seconds from Lee.

Sunday, and once again another hot and sunny day for racing. It was great to see the grand stands so full of people I had many friends from Singapore and Malaysia in the crowd so really wanted to get a good result for their support.

My start was stronger than Saturday's, and although Lee led me down the front straight, I went up the inside under brakes to take the lead in turn one. Then pushing hard to get a break on the pursuing riders as quickly as possible. Once again I began to build on my lead and took the flag twenty seconds ahead of Lee to complete an awesome two race victory for the weekend.

After our podium celebrations it was up to the grandstand to watch fellow Aussie Casey Stoner win the 250 GP. Followed by a thrilling Moto GP with Caparossi taking victory ahead of Rossi, securing his fifth world championship with second place.

*A massive thanks to Gareth Williams for the CBR1000RR that was spot on all weekend.

*Joseph Lee from Sporting Motors who, as always, gave me everything I needed to win.

*Henry my mechanic from Sporting Motors

*Poul Eric for assisting me to come over for the weekend.

Also a big congratulations to Poul on taking sixth place in the super bike class overall. Poul shocked a lot of people by running as high as third in his first race back, after receiving serious injuries in a fall earlier in the year.
I could see the pain he was in after getting off the bike and can tell you this guy is as tough as nails. To race so soon after what to most would be season ending injuries.

Cheers

King of The Mountain

12/01/05

Team of Cameron Donald and Josh Waters Bring home second!

The 2004 King of the Mountain event was held in the usual Queensland hot and humid climate at the Toowoomba circuit. Some of the fastest riders in the country made up the Pro Open class main event with 25 teams taking the start for the two-day event.

Saturdays qualifying race one did not start to plan as at the run to the bike start Cameron was knocked to the ground by the team Kawasaki machine whose rider had fallen next to him, this left cam to play catch up and ended the days qualifying races to start Sundays main event 8th.

Sunday and the Pro open class is an accumulation of points over 4 races x 20 laps, each rider in a team completing 10 laps before the rider change. Cameron and Josh decided that Cam would ride the starting leg of each event and Josh would bring the bike to the flag and the tactic worked well.

Race one and the boys came home 6th after the rear tyre began to come apart
towards the end of the first event.

Race two and the boys came home 3 rd

Race three and another strong finish improving each time with 2nd

This left the boys in 3rd place with one heat to go and looking good for there planned podium finish.

Race four and Cam handed the bike to Josh in second place and all going well, Josh took off after the leading machine and caught him quickly and was on track for a win when the race was stopped short due to a machine dropping oil on the clay surface of the track leaving the boys with 2nd for the heat and 2nd overall for the weekend.

" I am so happy with the result " exclaimed cam after the event " Josh so rode well all weekend and I have to thank his family for giving me the opportunity to ride there bike and Mick Waters for working so hard in the pits, hope to get the chance to do it again 2005 and bring home the crown "

" This is my first time at this event and was great to ride against so many top riders on what would be one of the toughest dirt track circuits in the world "

THURSDAY 02/12/04

This weekend Cameron will contest the annual King OF The Mountain dirt track race teamed with Josh Waters aboard a Yamaha YZ 450. The King Of The Mountain is Australia’s biggest dirt track event of the year held at Toowoomba a town approx 130km from Brisbane and being held as the last major event of the racing calendar always has a strong entry list combining motorcross, roadracing, super motard and enduro riders all testing there skills on this unique circuit layout.

"I am wrapped to get the chance to race this event as I did go in 2002 but the race was cancelled after Saturdays qualifying races due to rain so I have not yet competed in Sundays final".

"I have to thank Josh for asking me to team with him for the event and hope to repay him with some strong results this weekend "

Cam heads to Queensland Friday for the two day event before heading straight back home till Wednesday and then off to China for the final round of the Asian Roadracing Champs so a very busy end to the year for Cam on the bike. " I know it will make the next few weeks pretty hectic doing the dirt track before china but also know there is no better way to practise for roadracing than dirt track and am sure it will be great preparation for my last race of 2004 in china "