Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127563
GPREVIEW ~ , By Donn Maeda 10 ·webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines tradition as an inherited, established, or customary pat-. tern of th,?ught, action, or behavior. We know better. Tradition means Daytona Cycle Week! Motorcycles, good times, old friends and great racing make up the "week" that now spans a full ·11 days. Though Cycle Week is best known for the Daytona 200 road race, the Daytona Supercross .and the opening round of the Grand National Championship Dirt Track Series, a slew of amateur and vintage races of all sorts fill the calendar as well. Motorcyclists of all ages and disciplines can find a myriad of events to compete in or to watch. But if racing isn't in your blood, fear not. Daytona attendees will more likely run out of time before they Iun out of things to do. A surplus of rides, shows, museums and contests provide endless entertainment. And don't forget the food! One thing that Daytona Beach doesn't lack is a variety of eating places. So what's a motorcycle lover to do? With so many choices, you'll be best prepared by preparing an itinerary before even departing for Florida. Check out the schedule on the next page to find out when and where things are happening and plan your week accordingly. Here're a few of our suggestions... This year's race action at Daytona promises to be the best ever. Last year, two of the premier race events - the Daytona 200 by Ami SUperbike National and the Daytona Grand National Short Track - provided a preview of things to come. Team Muzzy Kawasaki's Scott Russell edged defending World Superbike Champion Doug Polen in a nail-biting finish in the 200 and went on to clinch his first-ever AMA National Superbike Championship and, like Russell, Team Harley-Davidson's Chris Carr scored his first-ever win at the Daytona Short Track and emerged as the new Grand National Champion at the end of the season. If you can, be sure to catch both of these races - they promise to be real barn burners. No less than 12 factory racers will compete for the win and their share of the $161,000 purse up for grabs in the Daytona 200 by Ami. The baker's dozen of speedsters, make up the most competitive field in recent years. Ducati's Doug Polen will contest the entire National series in '93, and has to be considered one -=::. Map not to scale of the heavy favorites. But what about last year's winner Russell? He'll be at Daytona gunning for his second..:onsecutive win, bu t will spend the rest of the year chasing after the World Superbike Championship that Polen has opted not to defend. The surprise entry came late four-time World Champion Eddie Lawson. Arguably the road racer of the '80s, LawSOll will ride the injured Jamie James' Vance & Hines Yamaha. He's out to win - the rest will be out to stop him. The rest include 250cc National Champion Colin Edwards, who has made the jump to the Superbike class in '93 and hopes to mix it up with the "big boys," former Daytona 200 winner Miguel DuHamel, Camel Honda's Mike Smith and Tom Kipp, Yoshimura Suzuki's Thomas Stevens and Donald Jacks, to name a few. They'll all be gunning for victory. On top of all that, for the first time ever, Daytona will not serve as the Superbike season opener. Not only will the racers,arrive at Daytona with the desire to win the most prestigious event of the year, but they will attack the track with the Phoenix National round under their belts and ready to go. No newbike/new-team jitters will slow them down. At the Daytona Short Track, Grand National Champion Carr will have a tall order to fill while trying to repea t as the victor. Carr's teammate, four-time Grand National Champion Scott Parker, will attack the race with a vengeance after losing his title in '93, and is anxious to earn his first-ever Daytona Short Track win. Hard charging-privateers Ricky Graham, Will Davis and Ronnie Jones are other riders to watch at Daytona - and they are just a few of the sliders that excel on the crushed limestone short track. The Daytona Supercross by Honda is another favorite. For the past four years, Team Honda's Jeff Stanton has bested the field on the tough and demanding Daytona track, setting'a record for the most Daytona Supercross wins. This year, Stanton will attempt to notch his fifth win, but will have his hands full with Yamaha's Damon Bradshaw, Kawasaki's