From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

HACKING HOPING TO FINALLY EARN DAYTONA SUPERSPORT WIN

Pro Honda Oils Supersport presented by Shoei champ begins title defense

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (February 25, 2004) — After seven years of trying Jamie Hacking finally broke through to win his first AMA championship last year and he did it in one of the most competitive classes – the Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei. This year Hacking would love to defend his AMA Supersport title, but almost as important to him is winning at Daytona International Speedway. On Saturday, March 6, Hacking will try once again to finally take that final step to the top of the winners’ podium at Daytona’s Supersport final.

Since the introduction of AMA Supersport at Daytona in 1987, this race has always been one of the closest in all of Daytona’s Bike Week events. Last year was no different. Honda’s Kurtis Roberts came out on top of a five-rider draft to the checkered flag. Hacking came up just a bike-length short on his factory Yamaha R6. Hacking later said it was one of the most frustrating losses in his racing career. “I don’t know if I’m ever going to win at Daytona,” the British-born Carolinian said in anguish in the post-race press conference last year.

Four times during his career Hacking has been in the lead pack of the Daytona Supersport final, only to get shuffled back in the famous last lap drafting maneuvers. This year will mark Hacking’s seventh try at winning the elusive Daytona race. The one thing he’s not worried about is his bike – the Yamaha YZF-R6. “That bike was so good last year I don’t know how they’ve made it better, but they have,” said Hacking, who is entering his eighth season of AMA Pro Racing. In 2003 Hacking moved into a tie with Doug Polen for fourth on the all-time AMA Supersport wins list with 10-career victories. He could easily move into second sometime this season. Miguel Duhamel, the king of Supersport racing, is far ahead atop the list with 41-career wins. Duhamel is not slated to compete in Supersport this season.

Hacking expects his biggest challenge to come from his own team. Damon Buckmaster may be the hungriest rider on the grid at Daytona this year. The Aussie racing veteran has finished championship runner-up several times in his career in both Formula Xtreme and Supersport. Last year in Supersport, Buckmaster posted a win and five more podium finishes en route to second overall, behind Hacking, in the series standings; Buckmaster finished no worse than sixth in the 11 rounds of competition. In addition to the experienced vets on the team, Yamaha also has a pair of young guns in Jason DiSalvo and Aaron Gobert. Both could likely break through to win their first Supersport race this year.

If Yamaha wasn’t loaded enough, 1997 Daytona Supersport winner Pascal Picotte will be making the trek down from Canada with a factory Yamaha Canada R6. Picotte, who’s been winning titles in Canada over the last several years, would love to show up his southern neighbors.

Kawasaki’s Supersport effort will feature the Hayden brothers Tommy and Roger Lee, as well as up-and-coming Tony Meiring on ZX-6Rs. Tommy Hayden is a proven winner in AMA Superstock. He’s fifth on the all-time wins list and finished third in the standings last year. Roger Lee Hayden and Meiring are two more young riders who seem to have a bright future in the series.

Suzuki will be headed by Aaron Yates, 2002 Daytona Supersport winner and third on the all-time class wins list. His Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Ben Spies broke through to earn his first Supersport win last year and is expected to be a leading contender for the championship. Valvoline EMGO Suzuki has veteran Steve Rapp and young Canadian Chris Peris. Jason Pridmore is pre-entered on the No Limits Suzuki, as is Lee Acree on the Empire Racing Suzuki team. All will be riding Suzuki’s latest generation GSX-R600.

Honda is not fielding an official factory team, but several privateer teams will be on Hondas. Another interesting development is that Augusta Triumph has entered Steven Brekenridge and Mark Crozier on Triumph Daytona 600s.

The 2004 Daytona Supersport race will be televised live on Saturday, March 6, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern on Speed Channel.

For additional information on the race contact Daytona International Speedway at (386) 253-7223 or visit the website
www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.