IN
THE
WIND
P24
DAYTONA 200 LIVES ON
L
ike a phoenix rising from the
ashes, the Daytona 200 is
officially back on schedule, as
Daytona International Speed-
way has reached a sanctioning
agreement with the American
SportBike Racing Association to
run the 74th edition of the race
in March. The speedway was
looking for a replacement series
after MotoAmerica—the new na-
tional road racing series—opted
out of adding the traditional ven-
ue to its schedule.
So now with sanction from the
ASRA and the Championship
Cup Series (CCS) the speed-
way will have a full compliment
of road races from Thursday,
March 12, through Sunday,
March 15. The Daytona 200 will
keep its Saturday date of March
14 and qualifying will be held on
Friday, March 13.
Unlike what was proposed for
2015 with the old national road
race sanctioning body—AMA Pro
Racing—the 57-lap race will be
contested with 600cc machines
instead of returning to 1000cc
Superbikes. Up for grabs for
the Daytona 200 is a $175,000
purse and a Rolex Cosmograph
Daytona for the race winner (in-
stead of the traditional reward
for pole position).
"The tradition of the Daytona
200 spans both the sands of
Daytona Beach and the high
banks of the Speedway and
we're excited about continu-
ing this historic event with the
American Sportbike Racing As-
sociation," Track President Joie
Chitwood said via press release.
"With a competitive purse and a
Rolex Cosmograph Daytona at
stake, riders will have plenty of
incentive as they compete for a
coveted Daytona victory."
ASRA and CCS are not for-
eign to the speedway as they
are traditionally a part of the Fall
Cycle Scene motorcycle sched-
ule at Daytona.
"To say that ASRA is excited
to be a part of the Daytona 200
is an understatement," said
Kevin Elliott, President of ASRA.
"There is no other motorcycle
event in the United States that
comes close to the prestige of
the Daytona 200 and we're hon-
ored to keep the tradition alive in
2015."
Andrea Wilson
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
BRIAN
J
NELSON
The Daytona 200 is officially on schedule
for 2015 as an ASRA sanctioned event.
