Cameron Donald aiming for Classic victory

Can 2015 be Cameron Donald’s year at the Island Classic? By Russell Colvin

‘What if’s’ are sometimes asked in in life in general and motorsport racing its self. What if Mick Doohan never had crashed in Jerez in 1999, could he have gone on to win six world championships in row? What if Mark Webber didn’t crash in Korea in 2010, could he have gone on to win the 2010 F1 world championship?

What if Cam Donald’s bike didn’t go “pop” in the final International Challenge race last year at the AMCN Island Classic, the 37-year-old could he have gone on to claim his very first overall win and bring the famous Ken Wootton Memorial Trophy back to his home town in Warrandyte.

This weekend will mark Cameron Donald’s fifth appearance at this iconic event. In 2010, Donald piloted an 1962 Norton Manx 500 to fourth position in the 500cc Classic. 2011 saw the 2008 IOM TT Superbike and Superstock winner pick up a second position in the International Challenge, his first crack at the main races where Donald finished just two points behind the leading UK rider, Jeremy McWilliams. 2011 also saw the now chief road tester of Motorcycle Trader magazine claim the win in the 500cc Classic, smashing the field with four wins from four starts.

Unfortunately Donald was forced to withdraw from the 2012 Island Classic after breaking his jaw in a dirt bike crash. His jaw was so swollen that he was unable to put his helmet on. Taking his place in the Aussie team was Josh Brookes, a pretty well credentialled replacement himself!

2013 saw Donald claim third place in the run for the Ken Wootton Memorial Trophy after he scored a 3-4-8-4 result to score 145-points. Another victory was seen in the 500cc Classic division aboard the Norton Manx 500 and in the process was awarded the Phil Irving trophy, that Donald regards as very “special”, as like Donald, Phil Irving lived in Warrandyte.

Last year, Donald jumped out of the box early in qualifying one to set the tone with a 1min38.368 on his John Trease Suzuki XR69, .403 faster than fellow Aussie, Beau Beaton on the Irving Vincent.

Donald was pipped to pole by a slender .017 when McWilliams stopped the clock with a 1min38.376.

In race one and two Donald came home in second, behind McWilliams, it was in race three where Donald just got the nod over Shawn Giles (TBR/D&D/Springwood Suzuki Katana) by .044, which set the tone for the final bout.

Heading into the last race of the day, Donald headed the points table with 118-points from McWilliams on 117-points with Giles four points behind the Victorian ace. On the opening lap the bike expired which forced him to retire.

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“It vibrated and went pop,” Donald said at the time before continuing in a more positive tone, “Practice went well, qualifying went well, two seconds and a win, it was a fantastic weekend all in all. It was a shame to end the weekend on a sour note with a mechanical problem, but that’s racing!”

McWilliams has also said the reason why he and the rest of the motorcycle racing nuts go to the Island Classic is to have a “good time!” “We go there to have a good time, but at the end of the day, we want to win!!” Yep, that’s a racer right there…

“Once again we have done our best to prepare, so let’s wait and see what happens this weekend.”

Donald also added that he would dearly love to win the International Challenge as it’s such a huge race meeting and so iconic.

This weekend, expect to see a very hungry Cam Donald as he tries to win that famous trophy  that only Giles and McWilliams have held.

Action gets underway this Friday kicking off at 9am!

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