BARRET LONG SCORES SIXTH FOR PARADIGM RACING Team Paradigm Racing rider Barrett Long rode through an intense battle to finish sixth in the historic first ever Daytona 200 night race. Despite the hectic nature of the various cautions throughout the race Long maintained his focus and composure bringing the Paradigm Racing Yamaha R6 home for a successful team debut. Crew chief Perry Melneciuc orchestrated superb pit stops that were imperative to the eventual finishing position. “The bike felt great and I would like to thank my crew chief for preparing a really competitive machine. The pit stops went flawlessly and all the crew really hit their marks! I think we were really able to go out and show what we were capable of.” Team Paradigm Racing will return to the track for the second round of the AMA Pro Road Racing Championships in Fontana, California on March 20-22. More info on the team can be found at www.paradigmracing.net. More, from a press release issued by Corona Extra Honda Racing: NEIL HODGSON TAKES SECOND IN THRILLING DAYTONA SUPERBIKE SERIES OPENER Corona Extra Honda Racing’s Neil Hodgson took his Honda CBR1000RR to second place at the first Superbike race of 2009 on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway. In what has been widely credited as one of the most exciting Superbike races in years, Hodgson edged out Suzuki’s Tommy Hayden by .001 sec at the flag after 15 hard fought laps that saw a number of lead changes and on track excitement down to the photo-finish. Hodgson qualified the Corona Honda CBR1000RR on the front row in fourth in the new-for-09 Superpole session. At the green flag Neil was at the front of the pack taking second behind leader Mladin. On lap six Neil moved into the lead, holding it through lap seven when he was passed by Mladin and Ducati’s Pegram. He got back into second on lap ten and came under pressure from Suzuki’s Hayden who took the position on lap fourteen but with Hodgson right on his tail. Mladin had opened up a second lead but could not break away further form the pair behind who closed towards the finish and what a finish it was with Hodgson making the draft work to his advantage and edging Hayden by half a tire at the stripe – a photo finish by one one-thousandth of a second! After the race an elated Hodgson said: “I was definitely pleased with that. It’s nice to be battling for a win. I’ve not had that opportunity for the last few years. When I was in the lead I thought I could win the race. I knew Mat (Mladin) was probably not in 100% condition and, it’s such a funny place, Daytona. Your tire can just start going down and there’s nothing you can do about it once it starts spinning. I could see Larry’s (Pegram) tire go off pretty much. And I thought that could happen to Mat. And when I got the lead, I’m thinking, ‘I’ll just go as fast as I can.” Neil credited his crew for putting in long hours to get the bike ready and allowing him to do his job! Hodgson is currently second in the Superbike points standing. More, from a press release issued by Damian Cudlin’s publicist: CUDLIN 13TH AFTER DAYTONA 200 TURMOIL Australian Damian Cudlin experienced a dramatic AMA debut in the 68th Daytona 200 under lights on Friday night. Making his first official appearance for the Evan Steel Performance Racing Team, Cudlin figured strongly in the opening practice sessions at Daytona, running as high as 6th before encountering difficulties in Thursdays qualifying session, eventually starting from a disappointing 26th on the grid. However Cudlin re-grouped and showed his gritty fighting spirit, steadily climbing the order as the race went on under the Daytona lights. With 19 laps of the race remaining a pace car interrupted the race, before eventually being momentarily red flagged. It was at this point when confusion swept the AMA paddock and the race turned into a re-started 18 lap shoot out. What happened after the re-start is still a mystery in most peoples minds, particularly Cudlin’s, who labeled the event “a joke” at the finish. “What can I say? I don’t officially even know where I finished yet.” Cudlin quipped after the race. “All I know, and being new to this series I don’t want to point fingers at anybody just yet, but I was right behind [Chaz] Davies at the re-start when everyone ahead of me kept racing under yellow flags. It was blatantly obvious that people were going forward, and I did the right thing and stayed in order. Now it looks as though I’m the one who’s been punished in the results for staying behind the guy in front of me”¦ You can quote me on this”¦.. this race was a joke.” Despite being disappointed with the final standings, which revealed a 13th place finish for the young Aussie, Cudlin praised his ESP Yamaha Team and added that more was to come from his new crew. “We did the best we could in pretty tough circumstances and I’m proud of the ESP guys for getting through this one in such good shape.” Cudlin said. “We had a rollercoaster weekend but this is a good group of guys and I’m sure we’ll get stronger and stronger as the season progresses. This is only the beginning.” Cudlin will make his next appearance for the ESP Yamaha Team at the next AMA round in Fontana. More, from a press release issued by Pirelli: When Racing is a PDA: Embracing the Passion for Racing For immediate Release: March 8, 2009 Rome, Georgia: Because passion defines the vigor and spirit of Pirelli Motorcycle Tire, racer Melisa Paris was allowed to enter the alternate-brand, spec-tire race of the 2009 Daytona 200, fulfilling her mission to become — with her husband Josh Hayes — the first married couple to compete in the storied event of the high-banks. Melisa Paris, of Oceanside, California and Gulfport, Mississippi, regularly competes in the USGPRU and CCS series, and endurance races, and is a Pirelli sponsored rider. So in the Daytona 200 this year, despite what rubber might have been beneath her bike, her passions were sponsored by Pirelli. Pirelli congratulates Ms. Paris and Mr. Hayes for this accomplishment and for sharing their passion for the sport with enthusiasts world-wide. And a special congratulations to Melisa Paris for her 21st-place finish, taking the prize within the Paris/Hayes household (Hayes was credited with a 52nd-place finish in the field of 75 motorcycles after crashing out of the race while running in second place with four laps remaining). Paris also showed great progress in the race, making up more than a dozen places from her qualifying position. Because passions are what matter most, Pirelli is proud to have cleared the way for these racers follow their course in history. In the “200” Melisa Paris was riding her #413 MarkBilt Yamaha YZF-R6 in support of the Dr. Susan Love Foundation, to raise funds for researching a cure for breast cancer. To contribute or to learn more please visit: http://www.firstgiving.com/melissaparis. More, from a press release issued by Four Feathers Racing: Steve Rapp scores 12th for the 4FR Greeneracres.org/Toyota Trucks/Woodson’s team! Filling in for injured Scotty Van Hawk, Steve Rapp, former winner of the Daytona 200, used his expertise to give the team it’s highest finish in the Daytona 200. “We caught a break when the last caution came out and we were able to make our last stop for fuel under yellow” said Scotty Van Hawk “we were listed in 5th with Westby closing in with only a few laps to go, for some reason the scoring dropped us five positions to tenth spot in one lap. Certainly there are some bugs to work out of the system” Regardless of the provisional results listing us in tenth position, and the revised results listing us in 12th, Steve ran a great race and the new crew did an outstanding job in their first race together. The team used one set of tires for the entire race, only stopping for fuel. The strategy resulted in the rear tire coming apart as Steve crossed the finish line, thankfully not one lap sooner!