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/127565
GROAD RACE AMAICCSHP4600ccSu e ort Series: Round 2 u arne rna es it two in arow By Paul Carruthers Photos by Henny Ray Abrams DAYTONA BEACH, FL, MAR 7 UZZy Kawasaki's Miguel DuHamel won his second consecutive 600cc Supersport race, putting to rest any questions about the recently introduced ZX-6 with a convincing romp on a cloudy day at Daytona International Speedway. "I just rode real hard and put my head down and I made a gap," said the 25-year-old French Canadian, who'd won the season-opener at Phoenix International Raceway in mid-February. It took two tries to get the race completed, the first attempt redflagged on the fourth lap due to an incident in the chicane turn three and because another crash at the International Horseshoe had left fluids on the race track. On the re-s_tart, DuHamel was part of a five-rider pack contesting the lead, inching away at the midway point of the IS-lap second segment to win by 3.545 seconds. Because of the red flag, there was no time or average speed for the I8-lap, 64-mile race, the second round of the HP4 600cc Supersport series. Camel Honda's Tom Kipp snuck into second with a draft pass of Weld Rite Kawasaki's Steve Crevier an the run to the flag; Crevier was handicapped somewhat with tire troubles. Since the Canadian didn't have any spare wheels, he couldn't change tires at the red-flag break like the others. He had also discovered that his front tire had been mounted backwards, causing him further uncertainty. "I was giggling. He didn't have a prayer," Kipp said, knowing he'd be able to draft by Crevier at the finish. "He was where he wanted to be. I thought about shutting off and that's what I should have done," Crevier said. "I'm just up here crying the bl!Jes and whining." A few seconds behind Kipp and Crevier came Yoshimura Suzuki's Britt Turkington and Camel Honda's Mike Smith, the pair having been part of the battle for second until the very late stages. With a perfect record, DuHamel leads the championship with 70 points, 10 more than Turkington. Smith and Camel Honda's Randy Renfrow, seventh today, are tied for third with 54. The 600cc Supersport c;lass drew 73 riders to the grid with fast qualifier and new lap record holder Turkington leading them all for the first three laps until the red flag. When the race was stopped, most of the top rid-ers changed to fresh tires, except for the hard-riding Crevier who didn't have that option. DuHamel mounted brand new tires front and rear; Kipp adding a new scrubbed-in front and a brand new rear. Like the first try, the re-start belonged to .Turkington, the Texan only leading briefly this time before being passed in the chicane on the first lap. DuHamel would be the point man for two laps before Turkington took it back, a five-way battle forming at the front with Smith, Crevier and Kipp jumping in. M Britt Turlcington (28), Miguel DuHamel (17) and Mike Smith (8) lead the first la.p of the restarted 600cc Supersport ~l. Miguel DuHamel won his second straight 600cc Supersport event, taking a finn hold of the championship point standings. Tom Kipp (1), Mike Smith (8) and Steve Crevier try to chase down DuHamel; Kipp was second with Crevier third and Smith fifth. 22