As we went our different ways Graham would join up with different teams and I will list some of them after California he moved to Michigan where he was involved with ; Doug Shierson and Howdy Holmes plus Tom Gloy, Tom Foster, Norm Hunter and Alan Berg in Formula Atlantic. He also spent time with Formula 2 teams in Mexico with Oscar Hidalgo and Rafael Martinez.
I remember catching glimpses of him at the IMSA GTP and Indy Cart races when he worked on cars for Geoff Brabham at "Kraco"
Nissan with Bob Earl and Chip Robinson and Geoff in the GTP ZX Turbo and later with the Hotchkis Race Team with driver Jim Adams.
Graham went on to work alongside renown engine builder Larry Slutter at the Toyota racing engine department "TRD" where he would be for 20 years before finishing his working days and has now begun a well earned retirement.
Here is a glimpse of some of the race cars that Graham Donaldson was involved with.
(1984 Portland CART race. Graham is on the right checking the rear area of Geoff Brabham's KRACO March 84C in which he would finish second the next day. ... photo Bill Wagenblatt)
(Geoff Brabham at speed. Portland. 1984. ..Bill Wagenblatt photo )
1990_Chip Robinson & Geoff Brabham shared this Nissan GTP NPTI for a win at Miami.
(Jim Adams, John Hotchkis at Daytona in the Porsche 962/ 72 Turbo prepared by Graham. 1989 )
This is where Graham worked developing the Toyota engines to being the best in many types of racing.
http://www.trdusa.com/
Well done Graham. You came a long way from being an apprentice in Rotorua.
You probably did not want to take all this credit, you humble buggar, but you were regarded as one of the best and if I had not put this out there for others to read I don't know who would have.
Now go relax and share this with your family and grand kids.
"You did a bloody good job, mate !"
(Ken Hyndman )
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