Cam Donald wins Australian Historic Championship
Cameron Donald (Manta Enterprises Suzuki XR69) took out the 2012 Australian Historic Championship at Sydney Motorsport Park held over November 16-18, securing his first-ever national road racing title.
The two-time IoM TT winner successfully reacquainted himself with the 1981 Manta Suzuki XR69 replica to blitz both Forgotten Era Championship races. His winning bike had been re-built after a massive crash at the 2012 Island Classic in the hands of Josh Brookes, who was deputising for the injured Donald who was forced out after sustaining a broken jaw in a dirtbike crash in the lead-up to the event. Brookes’s crash at the Doohan Corner was caused when the muffler bracket broke and became entangled in the rear wheel.
The Harris-built chassis was only slightly bent in the crash, the swingarm more seriously so, but the 1260cc Suzuki looked a million dollars in its all-new Texaco Suzuki livery of the late 70s.
It was Donald’s first trip to the former Eastern Creek Raceway since 2003, and topped off his weekend with a new lap record of 1m37.56, eclipsing by 0.09 seconds Shawn Giles’ previous record set at the 2012 Barry Sheene Festival of Speed.
It was a solid result for the Manta team that has its eyes firmly set on the International Island Classic at Phillip Island, 25-27 January, 2013. The only hiccup was a warped disc rotor that necessitated a front-end swap with the squad’s back-up Suzuki Katana.
“I’m happy with how the bike went and obviously with winning the championship,” a delighted Donald said. “These bikes provide a lot of direct feedback compared to modern bikes, but we only get to ride them once or twice a year so you don’t have as much time as you’d like to set them up. Still, it has enormous grunt, sits on the road nicely and I have a lot of confidence in it. The team did a great job getting it back together after the crash at Phillip Island.”
Donald was followed home by Queensland’s Leo Cash, who despite his best efforts, could only watch on from his 1982 Team Hasbeens Suzuki Katana as Donald took early control of each race to claim two decisive victories.
“We had a few issues with the jetting, and I think we went too far going up on the main jet and it would load up off the corners,” Cash said after his first race on Sunday. “We did all we could to get it on on-song, but Cam proved what a world class rider he is.”
Donald’s path to the championship was somewhat smoothed by the non-appearance of Robbie Phillis and his formidable QBE Suzuki Katana. ‘Mr Post-Classic’, who had entered the event, was reportedly stuck at customs in Port Melbourne where he was waiting for the clearance of a recently purchased motorhome.
Robbie’s old sparring partner Laurie Fyfe (Suzuki 1100) claimed a third and a second to secure third overall in the Forgotten Era standings.
Levi Day (Ron Angel Class Racing Honda 500) rode superbly to claim the Classic 500cc Championship with a pair of wins ahead of team-mate and fellow crow-eater Jack Wright (Manx Norton). Cam Donald rode his underpowered Manx Norton to two third placings, with Keith Campbell (Murrumong Vineyard Honda) finishing fourth overall. Day (Honda 350) backed up his winning form to secure the Classic 350cc Championship from Phil Paton (Bultaco 265) and Keith Campbell (Honda CB77).
A jubilant Drmsby Middleton (Steve Battison Laverda SFC 917) claimed his first ever national title after clean-sweeping both Post Classic Unlimited races. “I can’t thank my crew enough for their support; this championship was a really a team effort,” said Middleton. “We had a few gearbox issues, a few false neutrals, but we managed to hold it together and claim those two wins. I couldn’t be happier.”
Glen Kelleher (Yamaha TZ350) won the Forgotten Era 350cc Championship after a 2-1 finish from Adam Senior (Yamaha TZ350) with Terry Morris’s Nico Bakker-framed 350 third. Stephen Ward (Armstrong 250) dominated the Forgotten Era 250cc Championship from former Tasmanian proddie gun of the early 1980s Mick Damon (Shearwater MC Yamaha TZ250), with Derek Brown (NGS Performance Yamaha TZ250) third overall.
Riding a raucous, wailing and snarling Kawasaki H1500, Sam Muldoon captured the Post Classic 500cc Championship with a win and a second from Bob Marriner (Old Gold Motorcycles Honda CB500) and Martin Pearson on the T-Rex Suzuki GT380. Glenn Hindle ran away with the second race on his perennially quick Maxton 350.
Post Classic 250cc Championship
1 Lindsay McKay Yamaha TD3 50
2 Dave Keehan Yamaha TD2 42
3 Michael Hockley Yamaha TD3 38
New Era 250cc Championship
1 Jason Dunn Honda RS125 50
2 Alan Johnston Yamaha TZ250 42
3 Paul Borg Honda RS125 42 (eq)
Classic 250cc Championship
1 Phillip Paton Bultaco 250 50
2 Graham Roberts Velocette 250 44
3 Craig Keenan Bultaco 250 40
Post Classic 350cc Championship
1 Russell Fairbairn Yamaha TR3 47
2 Adam Senior Yamaha TR3 38
3 Keith Campbell Honda CB72 36
Forgotten Era Formula 750 Championship
1 Dave Mason Ducati 750 47
2 Mitchell Mulligan Ducati 500 45
3 Bob Garner Ducati 750 42
New Era 788-1300cc Unlimited Championship
1 Murray Clark Suzuki GSX-R1100 50
2 Nigel Taylor Yamaha FZR1000 44
3 Brett Clark Yamaha 0W01 40
Classic Unlimited Championship
1 Jack Wright Matchless 638 50
2 Joe Ahern Norton 750 44
3 David Woolsey Triton 808 40
Forgotten Era Sidecar Championship
1 Doug Chivas/Matt McKinnon Peterbuilt 750 50
2 Peter Selke/Lionel Cornwell Suzuki 1000 44
3 Eddie Poucher/Bronson Poucher Windle Suzuki 40
