AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike Riders Set to
Compete in 72nd Running of DAYTONA 200
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 12, 2013)
- The most historic motorcycle
race in America has constantly evolved over the years, beginning as a race held
on public roads and the beach to a contest held on the famed high banks of
Daytona International Speedway. The machinery has changed over the years and the
AMA Pro GoPro Daytona Sport Bikes have delivered close and exciting battles in
recent seasons. The final outcome has often came down to the sprint to the line
on the final lap, with the draft playing a major role after 199 miles of
jockeying for position.
With reigning
champ Martin Cardenas moving to AMA Pro National Guard
SuperBike this season, the face of the series has changed. As a two-time champ,
Cardenas could always be counted on to fight near the front. The class has plenty of
up-and-comers vying for glory along with a nice mix of veteran riders. The
preseason favorites to replace Cardenas at the top include Cameron
Beaubier of Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha and Dane
Westby of GEICO Honda.
Eventual winner Joey Pascarella #52 leads Jason DiSalvo #9, Martin Cardenas #36 and Dane Westby #5 during the running of the 2012 Daytona 200, the opening round in the Geico Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing Series.
SpeedTV is scheduled to air a tape-delayed version of the race on Sunday, March 17 at 1:30 PM EDT. AMA Pro Road Racing photo by Brian J. Nelson.
After an early injury,
Beaubier rose to the front last season and battled with Cardenas on numerous
occasions, winning his share of the battles along the way. Beaubier is fast on
the Yamaha and proved his prowess last year. The Californian's smooth and
precise style has served him well in the middleweight class. His biggest issue
this season will be staying healthy in order to gain maximum points for the
championship. Westby earned second in the
championship last season. The Honda-mounted rider (a change for this season)
continued to hone his game throughout the year in 2012 and the consistency paid
off in the points. "The Wolverine" is known for his hot streaks in which he's
almost untouchable. Westby has won Daytona
SportBike races previously, so the next step for the Oklahoman is
another championship run.
Last year's
winner, Joey Pascarella, returns to the scene on a Triumph. The
Californian will attempt to defend his win on the Riders Discount Racing
Triumph Daytona 675. Last year,
Pascarella rode a masterful race, showing good form to stay at or near the front
before crossing the line and winning the biggest race of the year. Another star
from last year's race is Jason DiSalvo. The veteran put on a
spirited charge after issues early in the race and nearly won. DiSalvo will once
again race for Latus Motors Triumph. The English brand last won the 200 in 1967
with Gary Nixon and this year has arguably been their best hope since
then.
Bobby
Fong has joined the Triple Crown/RMR squad for 2013. Fong has
shown he can charge hard and run up front in Daytona SportBike and is one of the
most aggressive riders in the class. Among the veterans looking
to make his mark is former Daytona 200 winner Jake
Zemke who will be riding the Desmo Veloce Ducati.
Zemke won the race in 2006 and will fill in for the injured Garrett
Willis. RoadRace Factory returns
with Jake Gagne and J.D. Beach, two young
riders with a lot of potential. Gagne won last year in Miami and took pole in
New Orleans. Beach, the former Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup champ, also earned
the podium in 2012. The two young riders are poised to make another leap in
competitiveness this year.
Another young rider of
interest is Garrett Gerloff. Beaubier's teammate on the
Y.E.S./Graves/Yamaha squad, Gerloff's 2012 was a washout after an injury at
Daytona. The Texan is one of the youngest riders in the field and has impressed
in his limited time with the Graves squad. Two rides with potential to
make a Pascarella-like surprise in this year's race are Benny
Solis and Huntley Nash. Solis, on the M4 Broaster
Chicken Honda, has flashed potential
in AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport. Nash,
on his LTD Racing bike, is also entering his third year in Daytona
SportBike.
Winning riders moving up
from the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport class include two-time
champ James Rispoli (National
Guard/ Celtic Racing) and last year's Daytona winner Elena
Myers (Sturgess Cycle Triumph). Jake Lewis has
replaced Fong with Meen Motorsports. John
Ashmead, who won the DAYTONA
200 in 1989, is on the entry list and will ride the
OPR-Level 10 Kawasaki.
The AMA Pro GoPro Daytona
SportBikes will use the 3.51-mile long course once again.
First practice for the race
is scheduled to begin at noon on Thursday, with qualifying scheduled for Friday.
The 57-lap 72nd running of the DAYTONA 200 will begin
at 1:00 p.m. local time on Saturday.
Live Timing & Scoring of all
on-track sessions will be available at http://live.amaproracing.com/rr/.
Between the races, stay connected with GEICO Motorcycle
AMA Pro Road Racing at www.twitter.com/AMAProSBK and www.facebook.com/AMAProRoadRacing; keep up with Daytona International Speedway via
Twitter (www.twitter.com/DISupdates) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/DaytonaInternationalSpeedway).
For tickets and additional event information, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP. For information related to AMA Pro Road Racing, please visit www.amaproracing.com. |
AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional
motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of
events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more
about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.
For additional information
contact:
AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com
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