Daytona Beach, FL (Feb 1, 2010) DaytonaSportbikes.com, a regional sportbike forum dedicated to motorcyclists in the Daytona Beach area, has announced that it will field a grassroots entry in the CCS/ASRA Michelin Team Challenge at Daytona International Speedway this February. A small contingent of forum members has developed a plan to enter a Suzuki SV650 in the GTL class of the 200km endurance race. Team DaytonaSportbikes.com Racing was devised for the group to have some fun and get a few of the street-riding forum members interested in track riding and racing. The team is organized and operated by experienced racers and crew, however, forum members are encouraged to come out to watch the races and participate on the team’s pit squad. Numerous forum members have already donated funding to the operation through the sale of race team T-shirts and other fundraising activities.
“I started DaytonaSportbikes.com ten years ago to give sportbike riders a way to meet and share the passion of motorcycling,” said David Brichler, DaytonaSportbikes.com Racing team captain. “What it has evolved into is a very close-knit group of riders with a wide variety of ages, professions, and backgrounds that have a common passion for motorcycles. After the success of our first private track day, I knew that a dedicated racing team was the next goal. To me nothing would inspire any of our members more than seeing a professional, competitive team that is made up of riders that they personally know, each successful on their own, and joined together in real competition.”
Art Lohman, manager for Team DaytonaSportbikes.com, stated, “A lot of thought has gone into the formation of this team, and for anyone who loves to ride and secretly wishes they could do something like this, then jump in with us. This is not a ‘fast guys’ only club, it is for anyone who wants to experience the bond of family that comes from working together under stressful conditions to accomplish a common goal. We will laugh just as hard as we work, and the journey to get to the track will be a big part of the adventure.”
Currently, Team DaytonaSportbikes.com Racing plans for a one-off ride in the Michelin Team Challenge at Daytona International Speedway on February 27. Depending on the results, there is hope that the team may be able to compete in one or two additional Team Challenge races this season.
DaytonaSportbikes.com forum members and CCS racers Joe Fields, Jeff Hoffman, and Kelly Daniels have been selected to race the team’s SV650 in the event. The team has secured generous sponsorships from several local and national organizations, including title sponsor OT Training Solutions, a company specializing in providing world-class mentoring, training, instructional, and consulting services to United States and foreign military forces, government organizations, and defense contractors. Additional team funding has been provided by Arthur Kowitz Realty, a prominent property management and rental company based in the Daytona Beach area. PCS Daytona provided performance work and dyno tuning on the team’s motorcycle, and fellow road racing team Christian Sport Bike Racing, an organization devoted to motorcycle ministry, has also pledged a donation to the DaytonaSportbikes.com team. Finally, Houligan’s Irish Sports Pub, an Ormond Beach area restaurant, has also provided financial support towards the team’s racing program.
“Our sponsorships are unique because they are coming from within our extended DaytonaSportbikes.com family,” Brichler says. “I can’t thank them enough. We wanted the companies we represent to not only be a way of funding our efforts but to also be a part of the process, as well as the event, and that is exactly what’s happening. I hope to keep this effort rolling forward after Daytona, not only for our team, but to also show how the success of teamwork can be a positive inspiration to our forum members.”
Team DaytonaSportbikes.com looks forward to an exciting 2010 racing season!
ASRA Michelin Team Challenge Calendar:
Feb 27 Daytona International Speedway
April 11 Carolina Motorsports Park
May 23 Black Hawk Farms
June 21 Virginia International Raceway
July 2 Road America
July 11 Roebling Road Raceway
Aug 29 Summit Point
Oct 15 Daytona International Speedway