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Oeytone Beach, FL . March 12. 2000 MBNA 25Dcc GRANO PRIX Round 1 : Daytona International Speedvvay By The race for second became the race for first, World Sports Imports' defending national champion Sorensen against the 1999 Daytona winner, Englishman John McGuinness of the Demon InternetfVimto Soft Drinks Honda team. The pair battled until an incident in turn six on the 13th lap brought out a red flag. It meant the original 18-lap race would be just a six-lap sprint when it was restarted, something which was foreign to McGuinness. "I was surprised when we came in that we were going to go back out and race those final laps after the red flag," McGuinness said. "In my country we would have called the race." They didn't call the race, and it was again McGuinness and Sorensen hard at it, McGuinness leading every lap but the penultimate, Sorensen taking the lead going into the chicane with a little over a lap to go. McGuinness decided he had the motor to keep Sorensen at bay, so he made a bold move and led on the final lap. Sorensen was in a position to win in second place out of the chicane on the final lap - but he didn't, McGuiness's Honda taking the measure of Sorensen's Yamaha on the run to the flag. At the stripe it was McGuinness by 0.323 seconds. "I'm going to have to figure out how to beat this guy one of these HENNY RAY ABRAMS ich Oliver made a mistake, and it cost him his record-setting streak. After a two-year hiatus, the alltime winningest 250cc GP rider was back in the class which he'd left after winning every race for two years, 20 in a row, and four championships. Just for good luck he rode his 1996 Yamaha TZ-250. After building up a comfortable margin nine laps into the 18-lap MBNA 250cc Grand Prix, Oliver was out, his Yamaha going on one cylinder entering the chicane because he'd overtaped the radiator, preventing it from getting to optimum operating temperature, and causing a stoppage. "I just made a big mistake," Team Oliver's Rich Oliver said after the race, which ended up being redflagged and run in two segments, "and I let the bike run a little too cool. I miscalculated on the tape on the radiator. It ran five degrees cooler. The air conditions leaned out the motor. The poor thing struggled along for 10 laps and couldn't take it any more. I'm rusty on my set-up skills. My riding skills are up to par." During his time on the track, Oliver tumed a lap time which was exactly one second faster than the next fastest, a lap turned in by Chuck Sorensen, serving notice that Oliver, indeed, is back. R (Above) John McGuinness celebrates following his victory. The Brit led every lap but one. (Below) McGuinn. . . (101) dices with Chuck Sorensen. Sorensen _ the runner-up. days," said Sorensen, who finished third here to McGuinness last year. "Rich (Oliver) really had us covered early in the race, and John (McGuinness) and I had our own little battle. After seeing how well Rich rode today, I may have to go home and do a little soul-searching to find another second at all the tracks really. We ran our 2000-model bike today, and the crew did a great job getting it ready, but obviously we still need to find a little more speed." McGuinness said the bike he rode was the one he'd raced in last year's British championship. "We just put it in the box and brought it over. It's a good way to get the season started. "Back home in Britain the weather is so cold that's it's really not good for much. Now I have two- or threehundred racing miles under my belt. I didn't realize Rich had dropped out of the race. It feels good to win this race again. l1 The final podium spot was a solitary ride for a name not often seen in the 250cc ranks, Florida's Michael Barnes. Barnes was aboard the GP Tech Yamaha, and he was a thirdplace rider, regardless of whether it was the first segment or the second. Both times he hung with the leaders before his top-speed deficit caused him to fall back. Still, third wasn't a bad day's work. "It's been a long time since I've been on a 250: said Barnes, who'd 28 MARCH 22, 2000' eye I e nevvs