Taylor triumphs once more

From Donald Taylor

WELLAND, ON -- Deeley Harley-Davidson Buell-sponsored Donald Taylor capped off a brilliant 2009 CMA Dirt Track National Championship season with a powerful performance under the lights at Niagara Motorcycle Raceway last Saturday night.

Taylor swept all three Expert divisions, 450, 600 and Open. In what was a surprise to many riders the evening's races were given championship points status and Taylor simply added to his unassailable cushion with this ride. A potentially embarrassing situation was avoided when none of the pre-published championships were affected by the evening’s results. As an example New York rider Ryan Wells captured the CMA Intermediate crowns in the 450 and 600 divisions but did not attend the final round as he thought it was a non-points paying event.

Taylor had his Deeley XR750 carefully massaged for short track competition by George Evans and dominated the Open class for all but one short and exciting segment.

“I kind of goofed on the start of my heat race," Taylor explained. "I think I spun it up a bit much coming off the line and Jon Cornwell (XR750) and Joey Hartrich (XR750) beat me into turn 1. I knew it was going to be hard to pass on the short track and I knew I had to make my way past as quick as possible so I drove it up on the cushion and just motored past them on the exit of turn 2.

“The fans were unreal. The place was packed and they stayed for the whole evening. Even the pits were clogged up with fans after the races, it was really cool. They gave us a standing ovation on the cool-down lap after the final.”

That same crowd cheered boisterously once more in the National Championship Expert final, but this time Taylor needed no heroics.

“I guess I just checked out on them,” he explained. “I got the holeshot, took the lead and rode my own race. I don’t think I ever had so much fun on my XR. George did a great job for me again, it was so smooth and just pulled like crazy coming out of the turns.

"We usually don’t ride XRs on the short track and I thought it was going to be a real handful but like I said it was fun, and yeah the crowd was unreal. A lot of them know me so it was really cool to win my last race in Canada for this year for them.”

Taylor will be back in action in the final round of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championships in Pomona, CA on Oct. 24. His goal of course is to win and to move into the top 10 in the 2009 AMA Pro standings.