Sensational start for Aussie ace Cameron Donald

Irish Short Circuit
By Phil Wain
April 20 2006

Cameron Donald got his Irish Short Circuit Championship campaign off to a sensational start at the weekend, with no less than nine podium finishes from nine starts in the two meetings at Bishopscourt and Kirkistown.

Despite only having arrived in Northern Ireland last Tuesday, and having never set eyes on the two circuits before, the Uel Duncan Racing rider was on the pace immediately, and defeated many of Ireland’s best racers.

The Australian ace kicked things off at Bishopscourt on Easter Saturday, and in the first qualifying session he was already on lap record pace - an amazing feat considering all he had seen of the circuit was an exploratory earling morning lap on a mountain bike! When the racing commenced, the 26-year-old piloted his Wilson & Craig 600cc Honda to a brace of thirds, and achieved the same results in the Superbike class on the Robinson Concrete ex-Karl Harris Honda FireBlade. In the feature race of the day, the Enkalon Trophy, he went one better and finished second, only defeated by Alistair Seeley.

The action moved to Kirkistown on Easter Monday, and Cameron secured his first win of the season in the opening 600cc race, backing this up with the runner-up spot in the second outing for the middleweight machines. It was a similar story in the Superbike category and, having taken a close second to Seeley in the first leg, Donald got his second victory of the day in the second leg, ensuring he finished all of his races on the podium - a staggering feat.

Commenting on the two days’ results, team principal Uel Duncan said:
“For Cameron to get the results that he did over the two days was nothing short of sensational. Conditions weren’t ideal, but Cameron showed this weekend what an incredibly talented rider he is and, despite having no knowledge of the circuits, he was able to beat lap records and some top riders. The team gelled straight away, and Cameron’s presence has certainly generated some interest amongst the fans - which can only be good for everyone concerned.

“I cannot speak highly enough of what he achieved, and the whole team is really buzzing about the season ahead. It’s not going to be easy, and it will be a long, tough season, but we’re over the moon with the way it’s started and can’t wait for the road racing season to get underway. We’ve got a lot of work to do, but are confident that we can give both Cameron and Les Shand the support they need to get some top class results.”

Cameron’s next outing will be at the Cookstown 100 on Saturday April 29th, the traditional curtain raiser on the pure road racing calendar.