Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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Round One: Daytona International Speedway NASS/ESC SPORTSIKE SERIES By Henny Ray Abrams DAYTONA BEACH, FL, FEB. 28 horVald Saeby was on a high. The Norwegian had been coming to Daytona International Speedway for the past six years, with no luck. This year, that all changed. The Yamaha R-6 pilot won three races over the course of the North American Sport Bike Championship Cup Series weekend at Daytona International Speedway and sat on the pole for the EBC Brakes Sport Bike final after winning the fastest heat. And, given the superiority of his motorcycle, he was in a good position to take the win in the seven-lap race. But a few turns from the end, his luck ran out and Saeby had to settle for second after a backmarker in the West End Horseshoe caused him to lose toucl1 with the leader and eventual T 0- winner, Suzuki-mounted Joshua Kurt Hayes. "1 knew I would have to go really well in the infield to stay in front," said Hayes, whose entry listed no sponsors but who appeared to be riding in Valvoline colors. "1 worked really hard on that all week. On the last lap, 1 just threw caution to the wind and went just as fast as 1could. He (Saeby) showed me a tire a few times with two laps to go, and I was thinking to myself, 'Don't make any mistakes.' 1 think he got a little caught up in traffic, and that was the break I needed." "1 was struggling to make up for the ground I lost every lap going into turn one," Saeby said, admitting that Hayes was much better at the end of the front straight. "Some of the laps, I was able to catch him a little bit braking into the horseshoe. There were some places I .was a little bit better (than Hayes), but (Above) The EBC Brakes Sportbike final got under . way with winner Joshua Hayes (3)· leading secondplace finisher Thorvald Saeby (hidden behind Hayes) and thirdplace finisher David Joseph Rose (180). (Right) 5econdplace finisher Thorvald Saeby chases eventual winner Josh Hayes late in the EBC Brakes Sportbike final. (Left) Todd Harrington (741) leads David Joseph Rose through tum one in the Sportbike final. Rose got around Harrington to take third. Harrington ended up fourth. I'm certainly not good enough yet here at Daytona. But I'm getting there. On the last lap, I probably lost my chances when 1 tried to pass a la pped rider on the inside (at the West End Horseshoe). I tried to pass him on the inside, but he moved in tighter and cut me off. That was the race." Hayes won the seven-lap, 25-mile race in 13 minutes and 45.743 seconds at an average speed of 108.644 mph. His margin of victory was 2.345 seconds. In third place - about 11 seconds back - was Gauldings Ski & Cycle's David Joseph Rose, on a Suzuki, who· passed 4&6 Computrack's Todd Harrington, on a Kawasaki, on the final lap.