#86 UPDATE

12/12/09

G'day everybody

I hope you are all well and looking forward to the holiday season that's just around the corner. Since my last update I have been non stop busy and after a frustrating time dealing with my shoulder injury things are starting to fall into place.

Since getting back on the bike I have been doing plenty of time in the saddle as the best way to get back to race fitness is to ride the bike! 

My first major ride was the "Two Wheels" magazine bike of the year test where I got to put some of the newest model bikes to the Australian market through their paces. While in Sydney I also spent some time with Suzuki at the National motorcycle show, a great chance to catch up with some familiar faces and check out the huge expo.

Heading down to Phillip Island the other week to watch the action of the final round of the Australian Superbike title and it was brilliant to see Josh Waters take the 2009 Superbike Crown aboard the Suzuki Australia GSXR1000. Josh has been a mate from years ago racing dirt track and I was thrilled for him to do so well in his debut superbike year.

In between training I have been working weekends at Bikemart and getting a bit of work done around the house before Christmas and my usual camping trip up the bush. 

Before I head away there will be time for at least one more track day, I have been able to get to one track day a week for the past month and am becoming more comfortable on the bike each time. 

A big thanks to Perry and all the team at Suzuki Australia for lending me a new 2009 model GSXR1000 so I can spend as much time on the new model bike as possible before my return to the UK in 2010.

I thought that I should include a photo of me having some fun in the sun on the new GSXR, just in stock trim with a few suspension adjustments the standard bike has been up to the job of getting my eye back in on the racetrack! 

A massive thanks to everybody that has supported me this year, enjoy the holidays and I hope to see you at the racetrack real soon!

Cheers 

Cam

Cam & Team Relentless Suzuki by TAS team up again for 2010

10/10/2009

Hi everybody Firstly I apologize for not updating my site for so long but as I have been injured and not racing there has not been a lot to report on.

Since my last update I have re signed with the TAS team and could not be happier about again joining forces with the team for another assault on the real road races come season 2010. My team mate Bruce Anstey will again be my team mate for next year so it will be an Aussie and a Kiwi representing the southern hemisphere aboard the Relentless GSXR Suzuki's.

This year has been a very tough year for me after setting a new lap record at this years Isle Of Man TT and then injuring my shoulder the very next day I am still unable to race due to that injury but there is light at the end of the tunnel... 

The good news for me is that I had surgery on my shoulder friday and all went well so from here it should be the home straight of recovery as I work my way back to the racetrack. As the surgery was to release the pressure in my shoulder that has been restricting my range of motion I am now able to begin some stretching exercises and soon I will be able to work at regaining strength to get back on the bike.

Anyway from here on in I will be checking in with regular updates to keep you posted on my progress.

Cheers 

Cam

my TT superbike at the Northwest 200

17/05/2009 

Northwest 200 Race day

Once again the fickle UK weather spoiled what should have been a great day's racing at the 2009 Northwest 200. 

After very limited track time during the weeks timed sessions due to rain I had taken a gamble on my dry set up for the first superbike race. After getting away to a steady start I soon made my way into fourth place behind John McGuinnuss Bruce Anstey and Steve Plater, Steve and Bruce and a small gap ahead of John and myself and we had all broken away from the race behind us.

I quickly realized that I had over geared my GSXR as riding into the strong head wind I was struggling to pull top gear and this was not going to make it easy to pass and hold off John. As I was working on where I could make a pass the race was stopped with the red flag coming out due to a incident and that was race over at the second lap! 

Due to the race program already running late due to early rain and race delays there was no restart and the race results stood after two laps!

Race Classification
1 SBK 1 Steve PLATER Honda - HM Plant Honda a 2 8:45.964 121.779 4:22.577 122.926 2
2 SBK 5 Bruce ANSTEY Suzuki - Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing a 2 8:46.603 0.639 121.631 4:23.347 122.567 2
3 SBK 2 John McGUINNESS Honda - HM Plant Honda a 2 8:47.983 2.019 121.313 4:24.943 121.828 2
4 SBK 6 Cameron DONALD Suzuki - Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing a 2 8:48.452 2.488 121.205 4:24.730 121.926 2
5 SBK 49 Conor CUMMINS Kawasaki - McAdoo Kawasaki Racing a 2 8:49.230 3.266 121.027 4:25.110 121.752 2

Next up it was out on the 600cc supersport bike and although I was starting from 13th on the grid was confident of a strong finnish.

After another on track incident causing this race to be red flagged on the first lap it was restarted and again I had to work my way through the bikes ahead. All was going well and I was already up to eighth position half way around the first lap and on the back of the lead bunch when an electrical problem caused my bike to stop and it was race over for me...

With the Superstock race up next i was looking forward to turning my disappointing morning around and get a score on the board!

After a reasonable start I was in third position behind my team mate Alastair Seeley and Kawasaki mounted Ryan Farquhar who were trying to make a break on the field.

There was a fallen rider on the circuit on the second lap and I slowed to avoid the debris from the bike and marshals assisting the rider but some other riders took advantage of the situation and made up ground and positions under the waved yellow flags and I finished the lap in fourth position.

Once again the race was stopped due to a heavy shower of rain and the race result was called at the end of the second lap.

 1 STK 1 Alastair SEELEY Suzuki - Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing a 2 8:50.296 120.784 4:27.040 120.872 2
2 STK 8 Ryan FARQUHAR Kawasaki - Kenny Harker Racing a 2 8:51.195 0.899 120.579 4:28.715 120.118 2
3 STK 2 Keith AMOR Honda - Wilson Craig Racing a 2 8:54.098 3.802 119.924 4:28.656 120.145 2
4 STK 6 Cameron DONALD Suzuki - Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing a 2 8:54.538 4.242 119.825 4:29.450 119.791 2
5 STK 7 Guy MARTIN Honda - Hydrex Honda a 2 8:55.429 5.133 119.626 4:29.221 119.893 2

And from there the day just got worse....

As we took to the grid for the main event of the day the NW 200 superbike final the heavens opened with heavy rain and the remainder of the event was cancelled...

To say I am gutted is an understatement as my team had worked so hard towards this event and I had also been training and focused on my first win for 2009 but it was not to be.

The whole day was a joke in my eyes as to call race results at less than half race distance is hard to get my head around but on a positive note I am off to the Isle of Man TT in the next week with body and all bikes in one piece and ready to take on the Mountain course!

15/05/2009

 Northwest 200 Thursday Qualifying

 Today the weather decided to throw a spanner in the works and we had dark clouds and rain instead of sun to qualify in. I used the beginning of the superbike session to try some minor set up changes but there was only so much we could do in the damp conditions and I sat most of the session out. After the superbike timed session it was the 600cc supersport bikes up next but before we got on track the organizers cancelled the remainder of the days schedule due to the wet conditions and poor light. So tuesday nights qualifying times will stand for saturdays race day, this is not such a bad thing for myself and the team as although it would be good to improve my supersport grid position the superbike and superstock bikes are both up the front of the grid and ready to make the most of it. Northwest 2oo race day will be by far the busiest day of the racing year for myself as I am competing in two superbike, two supersport and superstock race so five events in all on the one day! 

You can tune into www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/nw200/ the for all the live racing action on the day and wish me well as I will be giving it my all to be the first Aussie to win a race at the Northwest 200 in its 80 year history! 

SATURDAY, 16th MAY
11.00am approx.  Race 1 - 250cc (4 laps)
11.45am approx.  Race 2 - Superbike (5 laps)
12.45pm approx.  Race 3 - 600cc Supersport (5 laps)
  1.45pm approx.  Race 4 - 125cc (4 laps)
  3.00pm approx.  Race 5 - Superstock (5 laps)
  4.00pm approx.  Race 6 - NW200 Superbike (6 laps)
  5.15pm approx.  Race 7 - 600cc Supersport (5 laps)

All of Saturday's racing will be streamed live on this website from 11.00am - 6.00pm (approx)

13/05/2009 

Northwest 200 Tuesday Qualifying 

 The first International rood race of the year got underway in ideal conditions last night as the sky was clear for the first night of timed practice. I had two on track sessions, session one being for superbike/superstock bikes and session two for 600cc supersport/superstock.

Due to there being such limited track time the sessions are run so that you have to ride both bikes in the same session, this always makes for a very hectic job of trying to set up and then post fast times on multiple bikes!

After making some minor adjustments on the superbike that cost me valuable on track time I was happy to set the fifth fastest time followed by securing second fastest on the 1000cc superstock bike.

The final session on the 600cc supersport bike did not go just as well with the session being cut short due to an on track incident, this leaving me without enough time to put together a hot lap.

As the weather forecast for thursdays second qualifying is for rain the current positions may stand but with a little dry weather I do hope to move a little further up the superbike and supersport  grid!

Superbike: 

1:B Anstey 2:J McGuinness 3: K Amor 4: S Plater 5: C Donald 6: M Rutter

Superstock:

1: A Seeley 2: C Donald 3: B Anstey 4: R Farquar 5: G Johnson 6: K Amor  

Waiting on the superbike for practice to begin and enjoying the sun!

04/05/2009 

Oulton Park BSB 

  I am just back from Oulton Park and round two of the British championships, this was also my first race of the 2009 season. The weekend was as much a test session for the new 2009 model GSXR1000 as bike time for myself before the Northwest 200 that begins next week.

Overall the weekend went ok as I worked at a base set up for the new bike and at the end of qualifying I had secured 9th position on the grid for the 15 lap race to be held on bank holiday monday. This was not as high up the order as I would have liked but I had struggled to get a clear run through traffic in the final timed session and if I could string my best sector times together would be on the pace.

On saturday and sunday we had clear skies and sunshine but as I opened the motel curtains monday morning I was greeted by grey sky and rain! Bike set up was now out the window as we swapped our dry settings to set the bike up to handle the wet conditions. I have always been able to finish well in the wet back home in Australia or Asia but in the UK all riders are very fast in the wet as they end up racing in the rain as much as the dry during the uk summer, so I knew it was going to be a tough race. 

As the lights went out and the race begun I got an awesome launch off the line and was straight amongst the front group through the first turn. As I made my way around the outside of the group to push for the lead I got a little eager on the throttle and the rear tire spun up sitting me out of the seat and costing me many positions. I had just found out how slippery the conditions were going to be and knew then it would be a race of attrition. 

Entering the second chicane while still on the first lap two riders fell beside me during braking, one of the bikes slid straight into the side of my GSXR causing me to run straight on missing the chicane and out on the grass. I was lucky to keep the bike upright and the only damage was a flattened exhaust and loose foot peg. Re entering the race well down in the field I completed the first lap well outside the top 20.

My chance of a podium finish now all but gone I decided to just put my head down and try to use the race as wet weather practice. My bike was working well and I quickly began working through the field ahead, my lap times continued to improve during the race and by the end of the fifteen laps I had made my way to seventh position.

So considering how far back I was on the first lap I have to be happy with seventh, studying the time sheets after the race it was painful to see that I  had been lapping fast enough to run with the podium finishers and had set the third fastest lap of the race through traffic! 

Oh well the first race is now out of the way and bring on the Northwest 200 next week!

I have a full day testing the bikes later this week and then it is back to the real roads and the first International race of the year.

Cheers 

Cam

Putting in some laps on the 2009 model GSXR1000 super stock bike...

"Finally Back In the UK" 

After a stressful couple of months waiting for my uk visa to be processed I am finally back in the uk and ready to race! The UK have implemented a new visa application system and due to problems with the new system and a backlog of applications I was starting to think I may never get back here.

After arriving it was straight to the  racing team workshop, the boys  have been working hard during the off season and the workshop has had a total refit. It looks first class, as do the new 2009 model GSXR 1000 super and superstock machines just waiting to cut some laps in testing this week.

It has been great to get back to Northern Ireland and see my team who have all become such good mates, now it is time to get down to work and prepare for my first race.

This will be round two of the British superstock championship at Oulton Park, I like the layout of this circuit and its mix of fast turns should be good set up practice for the quickly approaching Northwest 200 road race.

As well as my monthly column in "Irish Racer" magazine I am now also writing a monthly column in the Australian "Two Wheels" magazine.

The first column in Two Wheels will be out soon so grab yourself a copy and let me know what you think.

I will be updating my site weekly from now on so please keep dropping past to hear the latest.

Cheers 

Cam 

Out getting some practice on my GSXR1000 before leaving oz... Pic by Alec Simpson

CAMERONMAKES IT A DOUBLE!!!!!

BREAKING NEWS: 02/06/08

Cameron Donald wins his second race at this years Isle Of Man TT races, the Scottish International Superstock race. Riding his 2008 Suzuki GSXR1000 for Relentless Suzuki he lead John McGuinness at the chequered flag by 15.07 seconds. In third place was Guy Martin.

CAMERON DONALD WINS 2008 ISLE OF MAN TT SUPERBIKE RACE

Racing a 2008 Suzuki GSXR1000 for TAS Suzuki, Cameron Donald has finished 1st place in the opening race of the 2008 Isle of Man TT, the Dainese Superbike Race. Following Cameron by just under 11 seconds was teammate Bruce Anstey and in third place was Adrian Archibald.

2008 is Cameron's third year racing at the Isle of Man TT, he finished 2nd place in the Senior TT in 2006. Cameron missed last years centennial TT races due to injury.  

Stay tuned this week for more TT results.

Photo by Stephen Davidson, Pacemaker Press Intl

#86 UPDATE

TT 2008 !!

30 May 2008

G,day everybody

After a strong start to practice week the weather at the Isle Of Man stepped in with cloud and rain causing us to miss both tuesday and wednesday nights practice.

With the sun returning for thursday we made the most of the conditions and put in another two laps on the superbike and my first two laps out on the GSXR600 supersport machine.

As we have lost valuable on track set up time it is now a case of making some educated guess work and settling on a race set up.

With the weather looking clear we should get another good run tonight before the TT race week begins tomorrow.

Race one of the five race schedule is the six lap Superbike race kicking off at noon Saturday.

After missing last years TT I could have done with the extra laps we missed in practice this week but overall I am happy with all three bikes and cant wait to get that first race done!

Bring It On !!

Cam

Northwest 200 Podium !! 

20 May 2008

G'day everybody !  

The northwest 200 is now done and dusted and what a huge week it was!

After a positive two evenings of practice I was confident heading into saturdays five races.

It turned into an up and down day when sitting in a strong third position in the first superbike race a small stone became jammed in the throttle body to stick my throttle wide open on the entry to Metrapole corner!

Then after a thrilling superstock battle I led the race down the final section of the coast road only to be passed into the final chicane having to settle for third place.

In the Feature race of the day on the superbike all was looking good as I sat back while the riders ahead traded places and on the final lap I took the lead and almost had it until Michael Rutter and Steve Plater passed up the inside into the final chicane both running onto the grass ! I passed Michael back to take second place !

So overall some great results in the closest racing ever seen at the Northwest 200 and a perfect lead up to TT.

This week the team is over the water to the Isle Of Man where practice for TT 2008 begins this saturday evening.

Bring It On...

Cheers

Cam

Cheers

Cam

www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/nw200  

Cheers

Cam

Podium Finish For Round One Of The British Superstock Championship

21 April, 2008 

G'Day everybody

After round one of the 2008 British Superstock Championship at Brands Hatch was postponed due to snow it was clear skies when the tittle finally kicked off at Thruxton on the weekend. 

In my first race on the Relentless Suzuki GSXR1000 superstock bike I was thrilled to take third place in round one of the tittle and setting the fastest lap of the race in the process !

Check out the 2008 "results page" for the weekends report.

Cheers,

Cam #86