Bevo Forte, who had European connections from his work with Scott Goggles, contacted Sylvain Geboers, the manager of the Suzuki Grand Prix team, about signing Donny for the 1990 125 GPs. Geboers was familiar with Donny, and his potential, from when Donny rode for US Suzuki. A deal was struck and Donny's career trajectory would be forever altered.

Europe would be Donny and Carrie's primary home for the next five years. They embraced the adventure of living overseas. It helped to have that attitude. This was before open borders in Western Europe, and the Iron Curtain was just coming down in the East. Add in the language barrier and just getting from race to race could be quite eventful.

Donny won both motos in his Grand Prix debut in Italy. He tightened his grip on the title at the fourth round in France when he ran away with both races. He clinched the title one round early, winning out to close the season. After a tough race at Millville in 89, he came back as World Champion in 1990 and just missed the overall.

He started 1991 the same way that he ended 1990. He won the first two GPs and had built a 20-point lead. Going back to the previous season, Donny had five GP wins in a row. But then came the Hungarian Grand Prix. After finishing second in the first moto, it all came apart in the second race. Donny crashed and lay injured at the back of the track, eventually getting hauled out with a donkey cart. Things were still quite primitive in the rural areas of Eastern Europe.

The injuries required a long recovery period. Donny spent time in Minnesota when he raced in the US but didn't come home very often during his GP years. The forced time off, as against his nature as it was, allowed him to connect with family and friends back home, something he always appreciated.

After winning the 1990 125 World Championship, Donny came back to Minnesota that fall and went riding with his good friends Tim Bernloehr (left) and Jimmy Olson (right) out at Floods.

Donny left Bieffe Suzuki and signed with the Rinaldi Chesterfield Yamaha team to race the 250 class in 1992. After a relatively slow start, Donny went on a tear and controlled the championship from the front. He would clinch the 250 World title one round early. This is the last time an American has won the premier Grand Prix class.

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