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/1494211
WIND IN THE P58 an illegal crankshaft. Riding once again for Squid Hunter Racing on the Yamaha YZF-R6, the Mississippi Madman knows time is running out if he's to take the one title that's eluded him in his illustrious career. However, after a massive crash at Bar - ber last year that broke his leg, fitness might come into ques- tion although his determination certainly won't. >XAVI FORES Spaniard Xavi Fores makes his American racing debut in the Warhorse HSBK Ducati NYC team alongside Josh Herrin at Daytona, the rider he replaces for the 2022 MotoAmerica Su- persport Championship as Her- rin moves back up to Superbike. One of the most experienced riders in terms of international competition on the grid, Fores has proven himself time and again in everything from MotoGP to WorldSBK, MotoE and World Endurance, and should be ex - pected to be at the pointy end in his first taste of the high banks at Daytona. >TYLER SCOTT A favorite for the 2023 Mo- toAmerica Supersport Cham- pionship, Tyler Scott will have the hopes of the Vision Wheel M4 Ecstar Suzuki team on his shoulders on the GSX-R750, one of nine such entries in the race. The Russian-born American teenager's ice-cool nature and undoubted fitness, plus his ever- increasing speed with the still- developing GSX-R750 will be a potent combination at Daytona. >DANNY ESLICK A four-time Daytona 200 cham- pion, one can never rule out the mercurial Danny Eslick. Return- ing with the TOBC team he won with in 2015, 2017 and 2018, no- body better knows how to win at Daytona and he wants to make up for a disappointing 200 (by his standards) last year when he took sixth, but over one minute behind his victorious teammate, Brandon Paasch. >BEN YOUNG The current and two-time Cana- dian Superbike Champion Ben Young will return to Daytona for the first time since 2012 when he fronts the grid on the Bridge - stone/CSBK Yamaha YZF-R6. Young, Scottish born but now a naturalized Canadian, defeated former MotoAmerica Junior Cup and Twins Cup Champion Alex Dumas for the CSBK title in 2022 and could spring a surprise on the high banks but he'll be up against it in such a stacked field in 2023. >BLAKE DAVIS The 2022 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, Blake Davis, moves up to the Supersport ranks in 2023 abord the Biother- mal/Blake Davis Racing Yamaha YZF-R6. Daytona is a happy hunting ground for Davis as the Floridian track signaled his first Twins Cup victory in what would be his title-winning season last year, and given how quickly he took to the bigger YZF-R7 after a couple of seasons in the Junior Cup ranks, don't be surprised if Davis is at the sharp end when the last-lap flag comes out. CN Danny Eslick Tyler Scott