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/127982
Eric Bostrom was logging impressive top-speed numbers as DuHamel sat, still injured, on the sidelines. "It did 186 mph from the front-wheel sensor," DuHamel said. "And they'll probably have more horsepower for Daytona. And every year in Daytona, I've been really lucky, real fortunate to be competitive. Every year I've got a really good shot at winning Daytona." PHYSICAL FITNESS The only 200-mile race on the schedule puts added physical demands on the riders. Most come to the race in top physical form after an off-season of training. Vance & Hines Ducati's Gobert thinks conditioning will be important. . "I do, apart from the fact that you've got to train a lot harder for here because it' a pretty demanding race track and a demanding and grueling race," he said. "You've got make sure that your fitness level is up there." Getting tired at the end of the race has caused more than one rider to make a mi take. RELIABILITY "Your bike's got to last the whole way and it's got to be competitive with a good setup, and the rider's got to b~ mentally and physically ready," Vance & Hines Ducati's Ben Bostrom said. His teammate Gobert echoed the sentiment. "The main thing is your bike holding together," Gobert added. "When I rode here for Muzzy the first year, a head pipe came off early in the race and 1 was losing power the whole race. Then (Carl) Fogarty was ca tching me, or 1 thought he was catching me towards the end, so I upped the pace and 1ended up going down over the back here with six laps to go when I was in second. Then, the next year, the thing blew up as well. Then, last year, the thing overheated on the start line. To be hone t, the way I feel, as long as your bike can hold together, then you have a good chance." Yoshimura Suzuki's Crevier remembers a problem from last year that set him back. _ "I think it's just attrition and it's just a good setup and just not getting into any trouble," he said. "For me, personally, I'm just going to make sure 1 get my third tire on time, on schedule, and see what happens at the end of the race like 1 have been doing the last couple of years. And I've been consistent, except for last year I had chain stretch, when 1 would've finished eighth." INTANGIBLES "There's always somebody who shows up," DuHamel says. ''I'm not going to be caught off guard like 1 was in '98." . Crevier knows that trouble lurks everywhere. "1 think I know what it takes to finish and finish well, to get my points, to get out of here, to start my season off," Crevier said. "But it's not easy doing that and I never seem to have a great setup. I also never get my confidence up that much because at times like this (during the December tire tests), I'm seconds and seconds off the pace of everybody el e. I alway seem to struggle too much and it seems to give me a bad head and bad attitude towards the race. 1 know for a fact I'm good for the finish and I'll be there at the finish. And I'll show the e guys that a fifth-place finish is a great way to start a year off here and I think this year I'm going to be looking at a third, as good as third. 1 think I can step on the box. The motor's going to always be there. It's just CIf whether or not the tires last."