Cameron Beaubier, riding in his AMA Pro Superbike debut, earned provisional pole position Thursday during qualifying at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, California.
Beaubier and his teammate, three-time class Champion Josh Hayes, took turns holding the top spot on the timing monitors during the session, but Beaubier claimed provisional pole position late in the session when he lapped the 2.9-mile infield road course in 1:38.079 on his Monster Energy Graves Yamaha YZF-R1.
“I was trying to get some good laps in, and I didn’t even see the 1:38.0 on my lap timer,” Beaubier told Roadracingworld.com. “I looked too late and it [lap timer] reset. But I felt really good. There toward the end the tire was grabbing and letting go. I threw a new tire on with a lot more grip. I was kind of making mistakes and running a bit wide because I had a little more grip, but I’m going to clean it up tomorrow and talk to my crew and it should be good. I’m pumped. I’m super happy that I’ve started the season off with this pace, and I just want to continue it.”
Hayes applauded Beaubier’s effort but said he was more concerned with why he was going slower than he went last season at Daytona. Hayes did a 1:37.746 during provisional qualifying in 2013 and led the session by 1.1 seconds over the next-fastest rider, Roger Hayden. On Thursday, Hayes could only manage a 1:38.322 and described himself as “rusty.”
Roger Hayden was third overall — and the quickest of the three Yoshimura Suzuki riders – with a time of 1:38.827 on Thursday.
Hayden’s teammate Martin Cardenas was fourth in the session with a 1:39.472 on his GSX-R1000. Privateer rider/team owner “Aussie Dave” Anthony posted the fifth-best time, 1:40.148, on his self-built Sic/Motul/Fly Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000. Chris Clark, the third Yoshimura Suzuki rider, earned the final spot on the provisional second row with a 1:40.465.
Chris Fillmore was seventh-fastest with a 1:40.706 on his KTM/HMC Racing RC8R. Visiting Spaniard Bernat Martinez qualified eighth on his Proto-Tech Spain Yamaha YZF-R1 with a 1:41.465. Rounding out the provisional third row at the end of qualifying was M4 Motorcycle Road Racing’s Chris Ulrich, who did a 1:41.566 on his improved Honda CBR1000RR.
Cory West rounded out the top 10 provisional qualifiers with a 1:41.976 on his Team AMSOIL/Hero EBR 1190RS.
Final qualifying for the Superbike class is scheduled for 10:35 a.m. local time on Friday.
AMA Pro Superbike Championship
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, Florida
March 13, 2014
Provisional Qualifying Session One Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Cameron Beaubier (Yam YZF-R1), 1:38.079
2. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1), 1:38.322
3. Roger Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:38.827
4. Martin Cardenas (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:39.472
5. David Anthony (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:40.148
6. Chris Clark (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:40.465
7. Chris Fillmore (KTM RC8R), 1:40.706
8. Bernat Martinez (Yam YZF-R1), 1:41.465
9. Chris Ulrich (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:41.566
10. Cory West (EBR 1190RS), 1:41.976
11. Taylor Knapp (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:42.032
12. Stefano Mesa (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:42.307
13. Diego Pierluigi (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:42.418
14. Huntley Nash (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:43.405
15. Larry Pegram (EBR 1190RS), 1:43.675
16. Trent Gibson (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:44.082
17. Johnny Rock Page (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:44.312
18. Jacquel Gonzalez (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:44.425
19. Sean Dwyer (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:44.511
20. Barrett Long (Duc 1198), 1:44.723
21. Mathew Orange (BMW S1000RR), 1:47.772
22. Franklyn Dominguez (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:48.626
23. Reese Wacker (Suz GSX-R1000), no time recorded
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A.:
Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha SuperBike Rookie Beaubier On Provisional Pole In AMA Pro SuperBike At Daytona
Daytona Beach, FL – March 13, 2014 – Cameron Beaubier wasted no time getting up to speed on his brand-new #2 Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha R1 SuperBike. The 2013 Daytona 200 winner battled it out with his teammate Josh Hayes, who is back aboard the #4 R1 SuperBike for the 2014 season. Cameron ultimately earned the provisional pole in AMA Pro SuperBike this afternoon at Daytona International Speedway.
Commenting on the first qualifying session of his rookie SuperBike season, Cameron said, “In the beginning, I just tried to go out and get a constant pace going. Then, I came in and put a new (rear) tire on, which made a big difference. I felt really good in the whole session, and I was able to bang out a lot of fast laps. I’m happy to be up front, and Josh, Roger (Hayden), and I are really close at the top. I think I’ve still got a little bit more in me for tomorrow, so we’ll see what happens.”
Three-time AMA Pro SuperBike Champ Josh Hayes proved that he’s still the man to beat as he gave Cameron all he could handle throughout the 45-minute qualifying session. The two Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha R1 pilots swapped fastest lap times back and forth several times before the checkered flag flew.
The second SuperBike qualifying session is scheduled for Friday morning, March 14, at 10:35 AM EST, and SuperBike Race 1 will go green later on Friday afternoon at 4:00 PM. SuperBike Race 2 is set for Saturday morning, March 15 at 11:00 AM EST. Watch both SuperBike races live online at FansChoice.tv
Yamaha Extended Service/Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha
In today’s two practice sessions for the Daytona 200, Y.E.S./Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha rider Garrett Gerloff was second-fastest in the morning and fastest in the late afternoon. Meanwhile, Garrett’s teammate JD Beach overcame difficulties in the morning practice session to finish out the day in ninth place on the lap charts.
Three qualifying sessions will take place Friday, March 14, for the Daytona 200, and the race will go green on Saturday, March 15, at 1:00 PM EST. Watch the Daytona 200 live online at FansChoice.tv
For more news, results, and other team info, be sure to check out Yamaha’s Facebook page and follow the team on Twitter @YamahaMotorUSA
More, from a press release issued by Daytona International Speedway:
Yamaha’s Cameron Beaubier Takes Provisional Pole for AMA Pro SuperBike at Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — AMA Pro Road Racing kicked off three-days of activity on Thursday at Daytona International Speedway with practice and provisional qualifying on the road course at the “World Center of Racing.”
Cameron Beaubier, riding the No. 2 Monster Energy Graves Yamaha, is on the provisional pole for the AMA Pro SuperBike with a fast lap of one minute, 38.526 seconds around the 2.9-mile course.
Beaubier, who captured last year’s Daytona 200, will try to hold onto the top spot during final SuperBike qualifying on Friday morning. The 15-lap Round 1 of the AMA Pro SuperBike is scheduled for Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. with the second round set for Saturday at 11 a.m.
If Beaubier retains the pole Friday morning, he will earn a point toward the season-ending championship.
“Tomorrow morning, I’m going to see if we can up the pace a little bit,” Beaubier said. “We’ll work on bike settings over the night and hopefully get comfortable for the race. I felt like I did a decent lap today but I know Josh (Hayes), Rog (Roger Hayden) and Martin (Cardenas) have really good race crafts.”
Rounding out the top five in provisional SuperBike qualifying were Josh Hayes (Yamaha), Roger Hayden (Suzuki), Martin Cardenas (Suzuki) and David Anthony (Suzuki).
On the 3.51-mile road course in provisional AMA Pro SuperSport qualifying, Corey Alexander on the No. 5 Suzuki took the top spot with a lap of one minute, 53.331. In the Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series, Ben Carlson is on the provisional pole with a lap of two minutes, 5.046 seconds.
Both Vance & Hines XR-1200 and SuperSport will also have their final qualifying sessions on Friday morning prior to their afternoon events. Also on tap Friday is Daytona SportBike qualifying for Saturday’s 73rd Daytona 200 where the fastest rider will earn the coveted Rolex watch.
For more information and tickets for the remaining Daytona 200 Week events, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.
Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for the latest news all season long. Fans can also follow the latest on DAYTONA Rising, the $400 million frontstretch renovation at the “World Center of Racing” by using #DAYTONARising on Twitter or visiting www.daytonarising.com.
More, from a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:
Kid Rocks: Beaubier on Provisional Daytona Pole in First AMA Pro SuperBike Race
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 13, 2014) – If there was even a hint of skepticism concerning the ability of reigning AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike champion Cameron Beaubier to smoothly transition to AMA Pro SuperBike competition, it was promptly erased on Thursday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway.
The highly-touted premier-class rookie not only demonstrated impressive speed in his first official day of action on the big bikes, he flat out set the pace.
Beaubier rocketed around the high banks aboard his Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha YZF-R1 with a fast time of 1:38.079, securing the provisional pole for this weekend’s season-opening SuperBike doubleheader. The 21-year-old headed the charts for much of the session and even had an answer when his all-world teammate, Josh Hayes, moved into the lead with just a few minutes remaining in Thursday’s qualifying session.
Beaubier’s achievement is all the more impressive when you consider that three-time AMA Pro SuperBike king Hayes has a well-established history of one-sided SuperBike practice and qualifying ownership. Should the young Californian hang on tomorrow and retain pole, it will mark the first time the Mississippian has been knocked off the top spot on the grid in over a year.
Beaubier was a dominant force in Daytona SportBike racing in 2013, winning 12 of 13 races en route to the crown. He now appears set to make an immediate impact in the premier class.
“It was good,” Beaubier said in his typically understated fashion. “Toward the beginning, I just tried to go out and get a constant pace going on a new tire. I was able to do a ‘38.5. I came in and did just a little rear change. I got a couple more laps in and came right back in and threw a new tire on. I went out with the intention of throwing down a good lap — which I did toward the end — but it took me a while to get there.
“On the 600, you can put new tires on and just go and carry a bunch of roll-speed through corners and get off the corners good. But on a SuperBike it’s different. Once you slide it a little bit, it starts bucking you. I’m learning every time I get on the bike. I’m sure tomorrow I’ll feel a little bit more comfortable, but I’m sure those guys will be right there, too.”
Hayes was second, 0.243 seconds off Beaubier’s class-leading time.
Joining the Yamaha duo on the provisional front row is Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s Roger Hayden with teammate Martin Cardenas just one spot further down in fourth. The two are widely considered the biggest obstacles standing in the way of a fifth-consecutive Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha SuperBike title, and they delivered on that promise today.
New Yosh runner Hayden stopped the clocks at 1:38.827, which was 0.748 seconds behind provisional pole. It was a promising opening day’s work for the Kentuckian, who is aiming to get his title campaign off to a quick start this weekend.
Colombian Cardenas, who won here last season, was a further six tenths back.
ADR Motorsports/Sic/Motul Fly Racing’s David Anthony was also in outstanding form. The privateer broke into the top five, leading a number of big names. The Australian posted a 1:40.148 to complete the day in fifth.
Chris Clark helped the Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing squad lock up a full half of the six slots available on the provisional front two rows with his sixth-place performance.
KTM/HMC Racing’s Chris Fillmore heads Row 3 overnight. He’s followed by Spaniard Bernat Martinez aboard the Proto-Tech Spain Yamaha R1 and M4 Motorcycle Road Racing Honda’s Chris Ulrich.
Team AMSOIL Hero’s Cory West completed the day’s top ten.
The grid for the weekend’s twin 15-lap SuperBike contests will be set following Friday morning’s second session. The season’s opening SuperBike race will follow later that day with a scheduled 4:00 p.m. EST start time.
2015 DAYTONA 200
While the 2014 AMA Pro Road Racing season only kicked off with its opening practice and qualifying sessions today, a bit of time was taken to look ahead to next year, when the AMA Pro SuperBikes will return to headline the DAYTONA 200. A number of key individuals, ranging from AMA Pro officials, team managers, and leading riders took to the stage on Thursday morning to reflect on the exciting opportunity.
Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said, “If you think about our history, motorcycles really helped us get to where we are today. And if you look at what we do today, certainly, motorcycle racing is an important part of what Daytona International Speedway stands for. For us, the opportunity to talk about switching up the format for the 200 and bringing the big bikes back is exciting for us. We think it’s a great thing for our fans and our partners. We don’t want to rest on our laurels — we always want to think about what we can do to improve the racing on track and what we can do for our fans.”
AMA Pro Racing Chief Operating Officer Michael Gentry remarked, “Bringing the big bikes back is something our fans have been telling us they would like to see. And we just feel like from a series perspective, it’s going to solidify our sport and send a very positive message out to all of our fans and primary stakeholders about our commitment and being here at Daytona.”
Keith McCarty, Yamaha USA’s Motorsports Racing Division Manager, added, “I think there’s no argument that the DAYTONA 200 is the most prestigious race in the United States for roadracing and it’s really fitting that SuperBike — the most prestigious class for motorcycle racing here — is a part of that. Yamaha is no stranger to the DAYTONA 200. We applaud everybody who has worked to make this happen.”
AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike
Opening practices for the 73rd DAYTONA 200 began on Thursday, with Garrett Gerloff logging the fastest times of the day. Gerloff wasn’t alone as seven riders were within a second of the Texan.
Yamaha Extended Service/Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha pilot Gerloff said, “This morning was a little bit of a weird start to Daytona. I wasn’t really feeling great; I was a little tight and just riding around, trying to work my way into the session. I got P2, which was great. And coming into the second session, I was feeling really great. The bike was awesome. I got in six okay laps and did 1:51.5. I definitely don’t think that’s the fastest any of us can go. The track felt really good to me so I was expecting everyone to go a little bit faster. I got in six laps before my bike kind of slowed down and I had to come in. And with the one-bike rule, I couldn’t jump on a backup bike and go.”
Following Gerloff were some of the top names in AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike. Jason DiSalvo (Castrol/Triumph/Sportbike Track Time) was second in the afternoon as the veteran and former DAYTONA 200 winner showed his strong form.
Motosport.com/Meen Yamaha’s Jake Lewis was third with a time of 1:51.568, ahead of RoadRace Factory/Red Bull’s Jake Gagne. Both young riders are looking to translate that speed into a spot on the new three-rider-per-row AMA Pro grids.
Two Oklahomans followed closely in fifth and sixth. Yamalube/Westby Racing’s Dane Westby topped Danny Eslick (Riders Discount Racing Triumph) as both riders were well within a second of Gerloff’s best.
Class rookie Tomas Puerta of RoadRace Factory/Red Bull, a former AMA Pro SuperSport race winner, was seventh.
Series veteran Blake Young returned to AMA Pro Racing with ninth on the GN Gonzales Racing Yamaha.
AMA Pro SuperSport
The class for up-and-coming racers saw some familiar names and some new arrivals in the top ten. Reigning East champ Corey Alexander set the quickest time on his Celtic/HVMC Racing Suzuki. Alexander’s mark of 1:53.331 led the way in the afternoon session held in clear weather.
Miles Thornton was second, having set his mark on the D&D Cycles/Castrol/Triumph. Thornton looks like a good bet to return to the AMA Pro SuperSport podium this far.
Jason Aguilar was a surprising third. He placed the Tuned Industries Yamaha in third.
The provisional second row consists of Mark Miller, Jr. (Mar Del Racing) Wyatt Farris (Celtic/HVMC Racing) and Armando Ferrer (RacersPrice.com).
Several contenders ended up missing time on Thursday, including Dustin Dominguez (Houston Superbikes) and Hayden Gillim (TOBC Racing).
AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series
While Suburban Motors Harley-Davidson’s Steve Rapp tried out his new No. 1 plate for the first time today, it actually turned out to be his teammate, Ben Carlson, who ranked first in Thursday’s AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series qualifying session.
The Wisconsin native led the way, claiming provisional pole for Friday’s seven-lap affair with a fast time of 2:05.046.
Daytona XR1200 master Kyle Wyman was next on the KWR/Millennium Technologies Harley-Davidson. Wyman is looking to make up for last year’s narrow defeat and earn a third victory in this race.
The man who edged him out last season, Tyler O’Hara (Josh Chisum Racing/Bartels’ Harley-Davdison) rounded out the provisional front row in third.
Defending champ Rapp, meanwhile was fifth on the day, one spot behind teenager Gage McAllister (Folsom Harley-Davidson). Ex-champs Danny Eslick (Ruthless Racing Harley-Davidson) and Michael Barnes (Arai/Taichi/Sidi/D.E.A.D. Cycles/Wheeler Racing Inc.) were ninth and 12th, respectively.
How to Watch
FansChoice.tv will be the official home for live streaming coverage of AMA Pro Road Racing and AMA Pro Flat Track events in 2014. The site will also provide coverage of IMSA’s development and single-make series, and NASCAR’s touring and weekly series.
About AMA Pro Road Racing
AMA Pro Road Racing is the premier motorcycle road racing series in North America and is universally regarded as one of the most competitive road racing organizations in the world. The series is comprised of four production-based classes: AMA Pro SuperBike, AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro SuperSport and the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series. Learn more about AMA Pro Road Racing at www.amaproracing.com/rr/.
AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.
More, from a press release issued by LTD Racing:
TOUGH DAY OF PRACTICE FOR NASH IN DAYTONA OPENER
Daytona Beach, FL (March 13, 2014) – LTD Racing’s Huntley Nash opened the 2014 AMA Pro Road Racing season at Daytona International Speedway on Friday with some tough luck on the 2.90-mile, 12-turn circuit. Nash, competing this weekend on the Neyra Racing Kawasaki Superbike, missed some time with machine issues in the first session. In qualifying, Nash turned in a respectable 14th position but wasn’t satisfied with how the session went in the team’s stated goal of finishing inside the top ten.
“The second session, we lacked some grip. The bike was fine in a straight line, but we have work to do. We could have used the first session to improve the setup,” said Nash. “We’ll have to work hard to make up for lost time. The track is a different layout than what I have ridden in the past on a 600. Things are a little out of whack right now, but we’ll see.”
Nash will qualify once again Saturday morning, then race the first of two 15-lap races on Saturday.
“Today was a little beginning-of-the-season rough patch,” said Neyra Racing’s Justin Neyra. “Without testing over the winter, we all were off a little bit today. We have to get it back together and go to work. We can’t let this affect us moving forward. We can go about it two ways; we can get it together or we can cry about it. We are a professional team and we, as a team, need to come together collectively.”
More, from a press release issued by GEICO Motorcycle Road Racing:
GEICO Motorcycle rider Ulrich already exceeding goals at Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 13) — Action at the 73rd annual Daytona 200 kicked off Thursday, and GEICO Motorcycle Honda SuperBike rider Chris Ulrich couldn’t be more excited to be running on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway.
“We had a really positive day,” Ulrich said. “Last year was definitely a big challenge for us, but this season has started off well, at least through the first day. I’m already faster than I was when I qualified here in 2013, and we have some more improvements to make for tomorrow, so the mood is very high at the moment.
“I’m really looking forward to having two solid races. I’m having a lot of fun and really enjoying myself.”
Ulrich, of Lake Elsinore, Calif., was sixth-quickest in practice with a lap of 1:42.786 around the 3.5-mile, 12-turn course. He lowered that mark to 1:41.566 in the first qualifying session but slipped a few slots to ninth-quickest overall.
“It’s really quite enjoyable to be competitive and hopefully competing for top-10 finishes every race like we should be,” Ulrich said. “This is a great start for our future, overall, for both our SuperBike program and the GEICO Motorcycle road racing program. The goal is to eventually be a winning SuperBike team. The faster we get this bike developed, the faster we are going to get there and realize our dreams.”
Ulrich and the rest of the team are definitely riding a wave of confidence this weekend in Daytona and see no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
“Where we came from last year to where we are right now has been a giant leap,” Ulrich said. “I’m really pleased with the CBR1000RR and look forward to having some fun with it this season. All in all, I’m looking forward to representing GEICO Motorcycle and making the Gecko go fast.”
Ulrich’s GEICO Motorcycle Honda teammate Jake Zemke didn’t have the opening day he hoped for in the Daytona SportBike class. Battling issues in both of Thursday’s practice sessions, Zemke’s side of the GEICO Motorcycle pit is looking for more heading into Friday.
“Right now we’re about 6 mph down to the rest of the field,” Zemke said. “We have a lot of work to do to get this bike going. It’s not a normal feeling for me to see my name this far down the list, but this team is going to pull together and see what we can come up with tonight to get better. Right now we’ve got to figure out how to make this bike go a bit faster down that massive straightaway.”
Action resumes for Zemke at 8:45 a.m., Friday, with the first Daytona SportBike qualifying session. He’ll run again at 1:10 p.m.
Ulrich will have one more qualifying session at 10:35 a.m., which will set the grid for the first 15-lap SuperBike race at 4 p.m.
More, from a press release issued by Team Hammer:
ULRICH IN TOP FORM FOR OPENING DAY OF 2014 AMA PRO SUPERBIKE SEASON
Team Hammer officially kicked off the 2014 race season on Thursday as the AMA Superbikes and Daytona SportBikes hit the high banks at Daytona International Speedway for the AMA Pro Road Racing opener.
GEICO Motorcycle Racing’s Chris Ulrich enjoyed a particularly promising day to start his ’14 campaign. Showing excellent form aboard his Superbike-spec Honda CBR1000RR, Ulrich ranked inside the top ten in bothpractice and provisional qualifying.
The Californian was immediately up to speed following a long offseason, posting the sixth fastest time in the morning’s Superbike free practice at 1:42.786. He came back out in the afternoon and upped his pace further,hustling around the historic venue with a time of 1:41.566 despite losing track time due to a punctured tire. That placed Ulrich ninth on the day’s overall order and on the provisional third row.
“We got off to a solid start,” Ulrich said. “Instead of screwing around with engine braking settings we’re working on the bike. It’s really fun actually after a frustrating season a year ago. It was really positive today. I wentP6 this morning and P9 this afternoon. I’m pleased for the way everything is progressing, and we’re talking about chassis setting changes that are going to move the bike forward instead of doing a ‘Hail Mary’ on enginebraking settings.
“I’m definitely happy. I’m actually enjoying myself and looking forward to a scrap tomorrow. I think we’ll be ready. Honestly, I was a little nervous coming in this weekend but after the first session it was a big weight liftedoff me. We can look at the bike and the data and improve some things tomorrow morning and try to move up the order.”
“I’m glad that last year is behind us and we’re looking forward. The bike is more to the point where I can realize my potential instead of just pound my head against the wall.”
Team Hammer will field a talented trio of Daytona SportBike contenders in this weekend’s Daytona 200. GEICO Motorcycle Racing’s Jake Zemke won the prestigious 200-miler in 2006, MPH’s Melissa Paris finished inthe top ten in last year’s Daytona 200, and M4 SportbikeTrackGear.com Racing’s Joe Roberts went a perfect five-for-five in AMA SuperSport competition last season while making his AMA Pro debut.
On Thursday, the Daytona SportBikes participated in a pair of free practices but the team was unable to perform to their usual high standard. Zemke was 13thin the opening session at 1:55.096 and lowered his time to1:54.688 to rank 18thin the second practice while dealing with some technical issues.. Meanwhile, Paris put her Team Hammer Contract Services-prepared Honda CBR600RR 24th(1:57.475) and 26th (1:56.548) on theday despite two crashes, one in each session.
And 16-year-old Roberts saw dramas as well. After the five-time SuperSport winner noticed oil on his boot from a blown seal, he pulled over to the side of the track only to have his bike catch fire. Roberts was 31stinthe opening session at 2:00.160. He improved during his next opportunity, dropping his mark down to 1:55.900 to finish the day in 24thdespite a crash in that session.
On Friday, Ulrich will secure his final starting position in the morning and then compete in the 15-lap AMA Superbike season opener in the afternoon. Meanwhile, Team Hammer’s Daytona SportBike contingent will takepart in two qualifying sessions to set the grid ahead of Saturday’s 73rd running of the Daytona 200.