Jimmy Filice to be featured in AHRMA’s Daytona activities Three-time AMA 250 Grand Prix Champion Jimmy Filice will be a featured part of the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association’s Classics Days road racing, March 6-7, at Daytona International Speedway. Not only will Filice be available to meet fans and sign autographs, but he will also suit up and compete in the Triumph Thruxton Cup Challenge both days. Filice, now 43, began his professional career in 1981, competing in AMA Grand National dirt track and road racing. The versatile racer won 29 AMA nationals, finishing a career-high eighth place in the 1983 Grand National series and winning the 250 GP title in 1991, 1993 and 2001. One of his most memorable rides was at the 1988 U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca, where he filled in for an injured John Kocinski and rode a factory Honda NSR250 to a decisive victory. By the time he retired from pro racing in 2002, Filice had competed in everything from World 500 GPs to AMA Superbike and Supersport. He was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in 2000 and continues to live in his native California. Filice will be available to meet fans in an autograph/photo session at noon on Sunday, March 5, during AHRMA registration and tech inspection day at the Volusia County Fairgrounds (just east of I-4 Exit 118 on Route 44). Autograph sessions also will be held at the noontime lunch break on Monday and Tuesday, March 6 and 7, at Daytona International Speedway. Filice will compete both days in the Triumph Thruxton Cup Challenge on the same Charlie Benton-owned machine that Ted Cobb rode to the series championship in 2005. Now beginning its second season with AHRMA, the Thruxton Cup features near-stock examples of Triumph’s 865cc retro-cafe-racer twin. Other Thruxton Cup regulars include racing greats Gary Nixon and Jay Springsteen. Joining Filice in AHRMA’s Daytona Great Men program will be: “¢ Grand Marshal Al Knapp””AHRMA’s elder statesman of road racing, still going strong at age 83 aboard his Harley-Davidson WR handshifter. “¢ Johnny Gibson””winner of the 1956 Daytona 200, speedway promoter and Motorcycle Hall of Fame Member. (Health problems may prevent Gibson from attending.) “¢ Gary Nixon””1967 and ’68 AMA Grand National Champion. “¢ Jay Springsteen””three-time AMA national dirt track champ. A full round of the AHRMA Works Performance Historic Cup Series will run each day at Daytona. Hundreds of motorcycles from the 1930s to the 1980s will compete, along with modern singles, twins and triples, and the Triumph Thruxton Cup Challenge. The AHRMA paddock is open to spectators to meet the Great Men and to check out the classic race machinery up-close. To find out more, visit www.ahrma.org.