Eslick hopes to make Memorial Day weekend memorable with win in Utah SALT LAKE CITY (May 26) — GEICO/RMR Suzuki rider Danny Eslick is ready to celebrate Memorial Day weekend by winning his first AMA Daytona Sportbike race of the season at Miller Motorsports Park. “I want that trophy,” Eslick said. “We did well at the last race in Sonoma, but I want more. I know we can do it. I have the bike and the team to make it happen so I’m hoping it will all come together this weekend.” The AMA Daytona Sportbike series hasn’t raced at Miller Motorsports Park in two years but officials decided to make the 3.048-mile road course the third stop of the 2011 season. That was good news for Eslick, who tested at the track in April. “I like it up at Miller,” Eslick said. “The practice session we had there was pretty intensive and it went really well so that’s encouraging. I’m hoping we can use the data we gathered then and turn it into positive results during the race.” Eslick currently sits third in the championship points standings after three rounds of racing. The 2009 Daytona Sportbike champ hopes to make up more ground in the points in Utah to remain in the thick of this year’s title fight. “I know we’re only three rounds in but we have to start thinking about the championship now if we want to be in the hunt,” Eslick said. “The points you earn early in the season are just as important as the ones at the end. You have to maintain a strong average.” The third round of the AMA Daytona Sportbike series is part of the Big M Weekend presented by Lucas Oil, which celebrates motorcycles, music, and the military. “It should be a lot of fun,” Eslick said. “I’m excited to get up there and see what we can do. It’s a big weekend because of Memorial Day, plus they do it up with music and paying tribute to our military so it should be an exciting time for the entire GEICO team.” Big M Weekend runs from Saturday through Monday at Miller Motorsports Park. Qualifying for Daytona Sportbike is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. MDT Saturday with a 16-lap main event set for 4:10 p.m. MDT Sunday. The race will broadcast live on SPEED TV.