The 67th Daytona 200 by Honda takes place on Saturday, March 8 at
Daytona International Speedway, with the on-track activities getting
underway on Wednesday, March 5.
Illustrious History
The Daytona 200 is the most storied motorcycle race in the United
States, which has enjoyed a great many legendary performances over the
years starting with the victory of Ed ‘Iron Man’ Kretz Sr. aboard an
Indian Sport Scout on the beach in the inaugural 200-miler back in 1937.
Among the other legends of motorsport to have won the famed race are
Nicky Hayden, Mat Mladin, Miguel DuHamel, Scott Russell, Kevin Schwantz,
Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson, Freddie Spencer, Kenny Roberts, Steve Baker,
Dick Mann, Cal Rayborn, and Gary Nixon.
One More Lap
Due to a slightly shorter configuration following changes to the infield
layout, the 2008 Daytona 200 will be 69 laps, one lap longer than the
2007 race.
66th Daytona 200 Review
Honda and Dunlop, winners of both prior Daytona 200s following the
switch from Superbike to Formula Xtreme regulations for the Daytona main
event, were the heavy favorites to claim a third-straight victory in the
contest at last year’s season opener.
However, an upset was served when the powerful Honda contingent
encountered fuel problems during the race and the Attack Kawasaki duo of
Steve Rapp and Ben Attard stepped forward with a tremendous 1-2
performance. Rapp and Attard were joined by Team M4 EMGO Suzuki’s
Michael Barnes, who gave Pirelli a clean sweep of the podium in addition
to their first-ever Daytona 200 win.
Rapp’s Back (and with a New Teammate)
Steve Rapp’s first-career Daytona 200 victory came in his first outing
with Attack Kawasaki. The 36-year-old Californian will be back with the
team to defend his 200 crown, but with a new teammate, the talented
Welshman Chaz Davies. Davies is a former 250cc World Grand Prix
competitor who impressed mightily during his rookie AMA campaign in
2007, which included a fourth-place finish in the Daytona 200.
Out for Redemption
American Honda will be looking to make up for last year’s
disappointment and is once again boasting an impressive cadre of
top-caliber pilots.
Leading the way is American Honda Racing’s Miguel Duhamel, who is
currently tied for first on the all-time Daytona 200 wins list with five
to his credit.
600cc Rookie
Duhamel’s new American Honda teammate is the vastly experienced Neil
Hodgson. The Englishman is a former World and British Superbike
champion, an AMA Superbike race winner, and a former 500GP and MotoGP
competitor. However, this year’s Daytona 200 will be Hodgson’s
first-ever race aboard a 600cc motorcycle.
Hayes and Zemke Also Favorites
The Erion Honda Racing team must also to be considered a major threat to
win the 200.
Mississippian Josh Hayes is the two-time defending Formula Xtreme class
champion. A Daytona 200 win is about the only significant accomplishment
missing from his impressive FX resume.
His “new” teammate is Jake Zemke, the 2006 Daytona 200 winner. For
2008, Zemke has returned to the Erion Honda team to compete in Formula
Xtreme and Supersport following three seasons with the factory Honda
Superbike team.
Zemke did not exit the Superbike class with his tail between his legs,
however. The Californian finished third in the points last season and
was the only man outside of the dominating Suzuki duo of Ben Spies and
Mat Mladin to register a race win over the past two seasons.
2007 Daytona 200 Results
1. Steve Rapp (Kawasaki) 68 Laps
2. Ben Attard (Kawasaki) 68 Laps
3. Michael Barnes (Suzuki) 68 Laps
4. Chaz Davies (Yamaha) 68 Laps
5. Jason DiSalvo (Yamaha) 68 Laps
6. Joshua Hayes (Honda) 68 Laps
7. Pascal Picotte (Suzuki) 66 Laps
8. Ryan Elleby (Honda) 65 Laps
9. Joshua Day (Yamaha) 65 Laps
10. Bostjan Pintar (Yamaha) 65 Laps
AMA SUPERBIKE PRESENTED BY PARTS UNLIMITED
Domination
Suzuki has dominated the Daytona Superbike race in recent
seasons, winning the last four in succession (including the final
Daytona 200 raced on Superbike machinery in 2004). That shouldn’t come
as much of a surprise, however, as the Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki
team has reigned over the Superbike class since 2003, taking every title
since the AMA Superbike class began allowing 1000cc four-cylinder
motorcycles to compete.
Their dominating position has only been furthered in recent times with
Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki teammates Ben Spies and Mat Mladin
combining to win every single Superbike race in 2007 as Spies edged
Mladin to win his second straight AMA Superbike title by a single point.
Spies and Mladin are both back with the team in 2008 and have looked
similarly impressive during off season testing.
Numbers
Australian Mladin owns the career AMA Superbike marks for championships
(six), race wins (63), and pole positions (52). He also established a
new single-season win record last season (12).
Despite having only raced in the AMA Superbike class for three seasons,
Spies is racing up the all-time charts as well. The MotoGP prospect is
already fourth in both career wins (18) and poles (16) and just one of
seven men to win back-to-back AMA Superbike titles. Perhaps most
impressively, the Texan’s career Superbike podium percentage is above
90 percent.
Despite the duo’s gaudy numbers, the one that will likely stand out as
most obvious to race fans at Daytona is Mladin’s new competition
number (‘6’), as the Suzuki star will don a number other than
‘1’ or ‘66’ for the first time in his AMA career.
Challengers
Despite Spies and Mladin’s success in recent seasons, they won’t be
without challengers at Daytona. Factory teams from Honda, Yamaha, and
Kawasaki, featuring such talented riders as Miguel DuHamel, Neil
Hodgson, Eric Bostrom, Jason DiSalvo, Jamie Hacking, Roger Hayden, and
Akira Yanagawa, will do everything in their power to bring a sense of
parity back to the series.
Spies and Mladin could also be pressed by their fellow Suzuki-mounted
riders, with Rockstar Makita Yoshiumura Suzuki teammate Tommy Hayden and
Jordan Suzuki’s Aaron Yates counted among the riders most likely to
upset the order in 2008.
AMA PRO HONDA OILS SUPERSPORT PRESENTED BY SHOEI
Title Defense
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Roger Hayden carried the momentum he gained
by winning last season’s AMA Supersport season opener at Daytona on to
his career-first AMA Pro title following a tight three-way battle, which
also included his teammate, Jamie Hacking, and Erion Honda’s Josh
Hayes.
While two-time Supersport champion Hacking is focusing on the Superbike
class this season, Hayden will be back to defend both his season and
Daytona triumphs with his new #1 plate.
Despite Hacking’s absence, Hayden knows he’ll face stiff competition
from Hayes, who won more races than any other rider in the class last
season (four).
There’s More
The Supersport class looks to be as deep as it’s been in recent
memory. Two-time Supersport champion Tommy Hayden, the brother of the
new class champ, is expected to return to competitiveness following an
injury plagued ’07 season, while former Supersport race winner Jake
Zemke is back in the class with Erion Honda.
At just 17 years old, Graves Yamaha’s Josh Herrin claimed his first
Supersport win during the 2007 season finale at Laguna Seca. He’s got
a new teammate in the class in former AMA Superbike champion and
multi-time World Superbike race winner Ben Bostrom.
Others that should be considered potential title contenders include Team
M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas, Attack Kawasaki’s Chaz Davies and
Steve Rapp, and Rockwall Honda’s Aaron Gobert.
AMA SUPERSTOCK PRESENTED BY DYNOJET
A Familiar Position but in a Different Sport: Jordan Stands as
Title Favorite
The 2008 AMA Superstock season opener at Daytona is expected to be the
class’ final race at the venue as the class is scheduled to
essentially be merged with the Superbike category in 2009 with stricter
restrictions planned for the premier class.
With ’07 class champion Ben Spies concentrating solely on his
Superbike efforts this season, and runner-up Ben Bostrom switching to
Supersport, Jordan Suzuki’s Aaron Yates is considered the early
favorite.
The Georgian has an impressive background in the ‘near-stock’
categories, having previously claimed titles in Superstock (’05),
Supersport (’02), and 750 Supersport (’96).
And in This Corner…
Yates’ biggest threat may come from his new teammate on NBA legend
Michael Jordan’s squad, fellow Georgian Geoff May. After years of
establishing himself as one of the top Superstock and Supersport riders
with Team M4 EMGO Suzuki, May is hoping to enjoy his most successful
season yet in his first year with Jordan Suzuki.
Considering the wide-open field (due to the absence of the dominating
skills of MotoGP prospect Spies), May should be provided with his best
opportunities yet to finally claim his first-ever AMA Superbike
Championships race win in 2008.
Other Superstock riders to watch include May’s replacement at Team M4
EMGO Suzuki, Blake Young, and the man May replaced at Jordan Suzuki,
Corona Honda’s Jake Holden, who won the ’07 season finale at Laguna
Seca.
The Return of Mr. Daytona
A special treat for the fans at Daytona this year is the return of
‘Mr. Daytona,’ Scott Russell. Russell, a former AMA and World
Superbike champion, is a five-time Daytona 200 winner who is coming out
of retirement to compete in this year’s Superbike and Superstock races
on the famed high banks.
Russell will be riding with backing from his former teammate and rival
Jamie James aboard a Michelin-shod Yamaha YZF-R1.
Coverage on SPEED TV
SPEED plans live coverage of racing from Daytona. The AMA Pro Honda Oils
Supersport Championship presented by Shoei and the AMA Superstock
Championship presented by Dynojet will air beginning 3:30 p.m. Eastern
time on Thursday, March 6.
Coverage of AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited
begins at 11 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday, March 8, with live coverage
of the Daytona 200 following at 1:30 p.m.