DAYTONA BEACH — You assume the Daytona 500 is a novel occasion inside
In sure facets, it has nothing on its two-wheeled companion, the which roars to life for the 83rd time Saturday afternoon at 1:10 — 57 laps across the 3.51-mile Daytona Worldwide Speedway street course.
Motorbike racing in Daytona Seashore — or on Daytona Seashore, to be extra correct — goes again so far as stock-car racing right here. Nicely, virtually — the primary beach-and-road auto race was in 1936, with the primary Daytona 200 the following yr.
NASCAR moved off the seaside and to the large new Speedway in 1959, whereas the cycles adopted two years later and, throughout the motorcycle-racing trade, the Daytona 200 matched the five hundred’s esteem. However over time, technological advances interfered — will increase in horsepower and the hundreds placed on the skinny cycle tires weren’t appropriate with the 31-degree Daytona banking.
DAYTONA CYCLE SCHEDULE
The evolution took a number of turns and the Daytona 200 wound up an outlier in immediately’s cycle racing. It’s the one race lengthy sufficient to mandate pit stops. And since engine-vs.-tire points by no means went away, Daytona’s race doesn’t even characteristic the highest bikes of the large American sanctioning physique — MotoAmerica. As a substitute of the top-tier Superbikes, the Daytona area will likely be made up of the SuperSport division.
As a substitute of topping out at 210 to 220 miles per hour via the tri-oval, the highest speeds are within the 180 vary.
Daytona 200 maintains its standing in cycle world
If all that feels like a downer, don’t be fooled. It’s nonetheless Daytona, there’s nonetheless a Rolex for the winner’s wrist, and riders across the globe appear to be taking a renewed curiosity.
“I take a look at it just like the NASCAR guys take a look at the five hundred,” says Josh Herrin. “It’s a brilliant vital race to me. Been round it since I used to be a child. Been round it since 2006. All the blokes in Europe used to essentially like coming and racing right here, and it’s beginning to develop into that once more.”
Herrin is partial for a great motive. He first gained the Daytona 200 in 2010, and 13 years later, he gained it once more. Then he gained it once more final yr, and whereas a number of riders have loved runs of Daytona dominance, Herrin is hoping to develop into the primary back-to-back-to-back Daytona 200 champ.
“Daytona is simply such a particular place,” Herrin says. “I get goosebumps simply speaking about it. It truly is the World Middle of Racing.”
Herrin should earn a 3rd straight Daytona win Saturday. The sphere contains riders from six nations upon 5 totally different makes of motorbike. Among the many entries are a pair of greats who constructed their legends within the famed Isle of Man races — Englishman Peter Hickman and North Eire’s Michael Dunlop, the Isle of Man’s all-time race winner with 29.
“It looks like individuals from Europe, the Daytona 200 is what they learn about American racing,” Herrin says. “It’s Daytona, you recognize.”
Herrin likens the name-associating facet to the model of motorbike he at the moment mounts.
“Daytona is form of like Ducati,” he says. “Since I’ve been with Ducati, it doesn’t matter who you’re speaking to. In the event that they ask, ‘What do you do?’ and I say ‘I race bikes,’ they ask what sort of bike. I’ll say Ducati they usually’ll say, ‘I do know that, that’s so cool.’ When you say some other model, greater than probably, they’re not that .
“Identical with tracks. With race tracks, right here in America, I believe there are two tracks which can be family names in bike racing — Laguna Seca and Daytona. These are the 2 tracks in our sport … you may say these two names to anyone they usually know what you’re speaking about.”
What time is it? Time to win a Rolex Daytona
There’s one other model on the market changing into fairly synonymous with Daytona: Rolex. It was, the famed Rolex Daytona watch was solely given to winners of the Rolex 24. Is sensible. However lately, Rolex’s relationship with Daytona has elevated and now all Daytona winners — on 4 wheels or two — get a watch.
Herrin needs a 3rd.
Seems, the custom hadn’t but began when he gained his first Daytona 15 years in the past. In 2010, Herrin’s successful share of the general prize purse was lower than $10,000, however contractual bonuses via his producer and different sponsors introduced him a payday of $150,000.
“Again then, you solely received the Rolex in case you gained the pole, and I wasn’t excellent at qualifying,” Herrin says. “However the final two occasions I gained, I received the watch. It doesn’t matter how a lot cash somebody throws at you, the watch undoubtedly means extra to me than any amount of cash I’ve been given to race.”
Daytona Cycle Racing Schedule for Friday
Inside Speedway
1:45 p.m.: Mission Tremendous Hooligan Race 1
2:30: SC Venture Twins Cup Race
3:05: King of the Baggers Race 1
Daytona Flat Monitor
7 p.m.: Opening Ceremonies
7:15: AFT Singles Warmth 1
7:20: AFT Singles Warmth 2
7:25: AFT SuperTwins Warmth 1
7:30: AFT SuperTwins Warmth 2
7:35: Royal Enfield BTR Warmth
8: AFT Singles LCQ
8:05: AFT SuperTwins LCQ
8:10: AFT SuperTwins Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem
8:15: Royal Enfield BTR Major Occasion
8:45: AFT Singles Major Occasion
9:15: AFT SuperTwins Major Occasion
Daytona schedule for Saturday
Inside Speedway
10:20 a.m.: Mission Tremendous Hooligan Nationwide Championship Race 2
11: SC-Venture Twins Cup Race 2
1:10 p.m.: Daytona 200 (57 laps)
4:05: Mission King of the Baggers Race 2 (8 laps)
