Cycle News

ROUNDS 1/2/MARCH 14-15, 2013 DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY/DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA FLAT TRACK P50 AMA GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST TIMERS The Daytona Short Track always seems to produce surprise winners. Such was the case on the two nights of J&P Cycles Pro Singles racing action. Muskegon, Michigan's Kyle Johnson, 18, made his Pro Singles debut on Thursday and it couldn't have gone any better. He won in his professional debut, a rare feat in racing of any kind. Then on Friday it was Jake Constantine, always a threat in Pro Singles in recent years, who finally broke through to earn his first victory in Friday night's contest. His victory Friday night combined with his ninth on Thursday was good enough to give Constantine the series lead leaving Daytona. In Thursday's final Johnson patiently followed Mike Poe for nine laps waiting for a slip. When it finally came he was in a position to take full advantage. He took over on lap 11 of the 16-lap final and pulled away to a 1.103-second victory over Jason Isenock, who passed Poe in the closing laps. It was a fortunate finish for Isenock, who nearly missed the race when his High's Dairy Stores Honda refused to start on the line. Ironically it was his buddy Poe who tried to help him get Isenock's bike running by pushing him for a bump start. "I was just being patient, waiting for him to make a mistake," said Johnson, an ice racer turned dirt tracker. "That's the biggest thing. It's easier to wait for someone to make a mistake. I ended up getting a good run off the turn and got side by side with him on the straightaway and was on the inside, so that helped a lot. It was kind of a last-minute decision to make the trip down and here we are." On Friday it was Jake Constantine making a big turnaround and finding the ideal set up on his Allphase Masonry & Chimney Honda for the race. He took over on the second lap and dominated, winning by 2.018 seconds over Ryan Wells and Poe. It marked the first victory for Constantine, who has been racing Pro Singles for three years and seemed to be on the way Grand National Champion Jake Johnson (with a 7-4) left Daytona in third, a good start to regain the number-one plate. Two Nights Of Firsts: Kyle Johnson won his first Pro Singles main event on Thursday night at the Speedway. after scoring a podium at Lima last year before getting hurt at Peoria and sitting out the rest of the season. "We struggled all day in qualifying," Constantine said. "We got stuff together by the main event and everything came through. Getting the holeshot tonight was a key component. It feels great. I couldn't wait for that checkered flag to come out. I saw the five-to-go board and just put my head down and focused on my race. The white flag came and I was already screaming in my helmet." terrible crash at the Springfield Short Track, crushed his pelvis and spent months recovering. So to see the rider from San Jose, California, work his way through RUSH NIGHT the field from mid-pack on his Last summer Mikey Rush had a Machete Energy Honda to even- And Jake Constantine won his first the following night on Friday. tually challenge and pass race leader Baker with seven laps to go was a surprise to say the least. Rush had to pick his way through the field after running as low as seventh on the first lap. He also had to avoid crashes

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