Taylor makes history

From Donald Taylor

Donald Taylor of Welland, ON captured his fifth consecutive Canadian Motorcycle Association dirt track number one plate at the Norm Carr Classic in Belleville, ON Aug. 16.

Taylor becomes the first rider in the CMA's history to win five in a row. Yvon Duhamel of Montreal won four in succession in the 1960s and Doug Sehl equalled that mark in the 1970s.

Riding for the Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada team, Taylor used a stable of Kurt Biegger-prepared racers, including the team's new Harley-Davidson XR750 dirt tracker. At the final championship event of the year in Belleville Taylor truly rode as a man with a mission and soundly defeated the field of Pros in every race he contested.

"I'm just so happy right now I don't know what to say," commented the smiling champion post race. "Kurt's bikes worked awsome tonight just like all year. There's so many people I have to thank for this, Ric Marrero from Deeley's and the Kahn brothers from Nexo and Scott Webb from Scorpion helmets, the people at Clares Cycle, they have been there all along.

"I'm just so happy right now and the history thing hasn't sunk in, I don't think it's registered yet. I mean it's awsome being mentioned in the same way as those guys but like I say I'm not sure if I get it right now.¨

In addition to winning the CMA crown again, Taylor has also set a goal for '08 of repeating as the Canadian Motorsport Racing Club dirt track champion and number one plate holder in the Harley-Davidson National Dirt Track Series. He is tied in points with Doug Lawrence of Mississauga, ON and there is one one round left to run on Sept. 20 in Petrolia, ON on the 3/8-mile Oil Town Oval.

"I got lucky at St-Marcel," said Taylor. "I won the race but if Doug had finished second he would have won the plate. His bike broke while he was chasing me on the last lap and he coasted across the line in fifth so now we're tied. We're taking it to Petrolia."

In addition to his final race in Canada this year Taylor will also contest the final two rounds of the AMA Grand National series to be held in Monticello, NY on Sept. 6 and Topeka, KS on Oct. 4.