Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Running commentary from Daytona:

The Daytona 200 has started with Mat Mladin storming into the lead ahead of Aaron Yates and Eric Bostrom.

Ben Bostrom stuffs past Eric Bostrom to take third in the infield on the first lap.

Into the chicane Mladin leads Ben Bostrom, Yates, Eric Bostrom.

Ben Bostrom drafts to the front in the run to the line the first time, ahead of Eric Bostrom, Miguel Duhamel, Mladin, Yates and Pascal Picotte. Another two seconds behind comes a pack led by Larry Pegram.

Ben Bostrom leads Eric Bostrom, Duhamel, Yates, Mladin, and Picotte to end lap two.

The leaders are running in the 1:49s.

Jake Zemke has passed and left Pegram and is chasing Picotte et. al.

Eric Bostrom leads into turn one for the fourth time but runs wide and Ben Bostrom retakes the lead. Duhamel third from Yates and Picotte.

Eric Bostrom drafts past Ben Bostrom off the chicane but Duhamel takes the lead into turn one. Mladin and Yates have closed up on the lead trio. The order in the infield on lap five is Duhamel, Eric Bostrom, Ben Bostrom, Mladin, Yates, Zemke, Picotte.

Josh Hayes has pulled off the track in the infield, with a problem. He appears to be looking at the chain.

Mladin drafts up into third to start lap six and slots in behind Ben Bostrom and Duhamel with Eric Bostrom and Yates right behind, all in a row. The pace is 1:50s and 1:51s.

Eric Bostrom drafts around the outside of Mladin into third to start lap seven. The lead group is still intact.

Eric Bostrom tries drafting around Duhamel to start lap eight but slots in behind at the exit of turn one.

Behind the lead group comes Zemke, Picotte, Pegram and the group of Geoff May, Lee Acree, Frank Trombino and John Haner.

Josh Hayes pitted for a new rear wheel and rejoined the race.

To start lap nine it’s Duhamel, Eric Bostrom, Ben Bostrom, Mladin, Yates.

Start of lap 10, running order:
Duhamel
E. Bostrom
Ben Bostrom
Mladin
Yates
Zemke
Picotte
May
Pegram
Acree
Trombino
Eric Wood
Chris Caylor

Zemke has almost caught the lead group.

Eric Bostrom drafts into the lead to start lap 11, ahead of Duhamel, Ben Bostrom, Mladin, Yates, Zemke, Picotte, May, Acree, Pegram. The pace is 1:51s at the front, with Zemke in the 1:50s and gaining.

Mladin waves Yates past into the chicane but Yates then overshoots the chicane and runs straight through, losing a lot of ground on lap 11. Zemke passed Mladin and Yates is well behind Mladin.

Leader Eric Bostrom has taken the pace back into the 1:50s on lap 12. Duhamel is just behind with Ben Bostrom a close third.

Hayes pits again on his Attack Kawasaki.

Pegram is in the pits. Pegram is motioning at his rear tire. His crew changes the rear wheel in a long stop. Geoff May also pitted.

Eric Bostrom, Duhamel and Ben Bostrom are back into the 1:50s and have pulled a gap on Zemke and Mladin, on lap 14.

The leaders are in heavy lapped traffic on lap 15.

Frank Trombino has pitted.

Eric Bostrom pits at the end of lap 15. Gas and new rear tire in a slow stop.

Duhamel leads Ben Bostrom, Ben Bostrom drafts past.

Hayes and Pegram are back in the pits.

Mladin pits on lap 16, both tires, gas.

Start of lap 17, running order:
Ben Bostrom
Duhamel
Zemke
Mladin
Yates
Eric Bostrom
Acree
Wood
Haner
J.J. Roetlin

Zemke and Yates pit on lap 17.

Yates leads Zemke out of the pits.

Long pit stop for Acree.

On lap 19, Ben Bostrom leads Duhamel, both still to stop, followed by already-pitted Eric Bostrom, Mladin, Yates, Zemke.

Pfeifer pits on lap 19. Ben Bostrom goes around to start lap 20, still without pitting, and does a 1:51. Duhamel is second and doing 1:53s. Eric Bostrom, Mladin and Yates are back into the 1:50s on their newer tires.

Duhamel heads into pits as Ben Bostrom goes by to start lap 21. Duhamel stalls his bike but restarts with the electric starter.

Ben Bostrom leads Eric Bostrom, Mladin, Yates, Duhamel on lap 21.

Ricky Orlando crashes in the chicane, after tucking the front.

Ben Bostrom pits on lap 21. Both wheels, gas, restarts the engine, out in 14.4 seconds, fastest pit so far. Eric Bostrom now leads Mladin and Yates. Duhamel is next, in heavy traffic.

Start of lap 22, running order:
Eric Bostrom
Ben Bostrom
Mladin
Yates
Duhamel
Zemke
Wood
May
Picotte
Jack Pfeifer
Trombino
Chris Caylor

Ben Bostrom is back in the pits for another rear tire, on lap 22. Long stop, mechanics working on rear of bike. Axle out. Maybe some trouble with chain adjustment. Bostrom off the bike, engine off.

Jeff Tigert has crashed in the west horseshoe after a stop for both tires and gas.

Mladin is chasing down Eric Bostrom for the lead, lap 24, running his last lap at 1:50.3 to Bostrom’s 1:50.5.

Ben Bostrom is back out.

Pegram is having more problems.

Start of lap 25 running order:
Eric Bostrom
Mladin
Yates
Zemke
Duhamel
May
Picotte
Pfeifer
Trombino
Caylor
Acree
Wood

Mladin has caught Eric Bostrom.

Ben Bostrom is back in the pits, mechanics looking at the back end. Shock trouble?

Eric Bostrom held up by lapped rider, Mladin gets even closer, then another lapped rider holds up Mladin.

Ben Bostrom is back on track but is touring.

To start lap 27, Eric Bostrom leads Mladin by a few bikelengths.

Ben Bostrom pits again.

Yates is third with Zemke fourth barely ahead of Duhamel.

Mladin is stalking Eric Bostrom at the head of the field, the pair turning 1:50s on lap 28.

Pegram is in the pits with a rear end problem, possibly a rear brake problem.

Yates, Zemke and Duhamel are in the 1:52s, Eric Bostrom and Mladin in the 1:51s.

At the halfway point, running order is
Eric Bostrom
Mladin
Yates
Duhamel
Zemke
Picotte
Pfeifer
Acree
Caylor
Trombino
May
Wood

Trombino pits.

Eric Bostrom and Maldin both pit on lap 30. Both ends and gas for Mladin and Bostrom, Mladin has a faster stop and leaves the pits ahead.

Yate leads on lap 31. Ben Bostrom is touring, waving his left hand. Then he pits again. Mechanics lean his bike against the wall.

Duhamel is now ahead of Zemke in positions two and three.

Eric Bostrom is chasing Mladin in fourth and fifth. Yates, Duhamel, Zemke have not made a second stop yet.

Caylor pits.

Mladin has almost caught the Zemke-Duhamel battle. Eric Bostrom is about three seconds behind Mladin. And Zemke and Duhamel are gaining on Yates.

On lap 35, Eric Bostrom is back in the 1:49s. Leader Yates did a 1:53 that same lap.

Duhamel drafts past Yates to lead into the chicane.

Eric Bostrom again into the 1:49s, 1:49.227.

Mladin passes Zemke for second, on lap 36.

Mladin passes Duhamel into turn one to start lap 37 as Yates pits and gets gas and wheels in about 13 seconds. New running order:
Mladin
Duhamel
Zemke
Eric Bostrom
Yates
Acree
Pfeifer
Wood
Haner
Orlando
Caylor
Cory West

Fastest man on the track is Eric Bostrom and he has passed Duhamel and Zemke and has caught Mladin.

Eric Bostrom passes Mladin and leads the start of lap 40, 17 laps to go.

Zemke pits on lap 39. A 14-second stop.

Pfeifer pits. Duhamel pits. Both wheels, gas, a drink, out in 14.2 seconds.

Ben Bostrom says he thinks he broke his bike’s clutch exiting the pits after his first stop.

Mladin is again in the lead on lap 42, Eric Bostrom is making some sort of hand signal as Mladin goes by in the west horseshoe.

Trouble for Eric Bostrom, touring on the back straight.

Start of lap 43, running order:
Mladin
Yates
Duhamel
Zemke
Eric Bostrom
Wood
Pfeifer
Orlando

Eric Bostrom in the pits, gets gas and wheels and leaves–maybe he was running out of gas?

No, Eric Bostrom’s Ducati blows a cloud of oil smoke and he pulls off the track onto the grass in the infield. A blown countershaft seal? A broken oil cooler?

Mladin pits on lap 44, both wheels, gas in 11 seconds. Yates leads, barely.

Lap 45, running order
Mladin
Yates
Duhamel
Zemke
Pfeifer
Wood
Caylor
Acree
Picotte
Orlando
Scott Jensen
Haner

Mladin and Yates are in the 1:50s, Zemke and Duhamel in the 1:51s.

Long pit stop for Wood.

Mladin into the 1:49s again, adding to his lead.

Lap 47, running order
Mladin
Yates
Duhamel
Zemke
Pfeifer
Acree
Picotte
Orlando
Caylor
Jensen
Haner
Marco Martinez

Zemke and Duhamel are in the 1:51s with Mladin in the 1:50s.

Yates collides with a lapped rider, Anthony Fania, and both crash entering the west horseshoe. Yates goes over to Fania, who is standing up, drop-kicks him and then head-butts him.

Running order, lap 51, six to go
Mladin
Duhamel
Zemke
Pfeifer
Acree
Orlando
Jensen
Picotte
Caylor
Martinez
CR Gittere

Zemke passes Duhamel for second. Mladin is pulling away and leads by about 7 seconds on lap 53 of 57.

Mat Mladin, the man who said last December that he didn’t want to race at Daytona at all, is positioned to win the Daytona 200 for the third time.

Running order, start of lap 55, two to go
Mladin
Zemke
Duhamel
Pfeifer
Acree
Orlando
Picotte
Caylor
Jensen
Martinez
Wood
Gittere

Mladin is still pulling away, doing 1:52s to Zemke’s and Duhamel’s 1:53s. Duhamel is right on Zemke’s rear wheel and appears to be setting him up for a last-lap draft.

On lap 56, heading for the white flag, running order
Mladin
Zemke
Duhamel

Mladin takes the white flag.

Zemke leads Duhamel into turn one.

Zemke wide in the international horseshoe but Duhamel won’t pass, he’s setting up for the draft.

Zemke ahead of Duhamel into the chicane.

Mladin wins!

Zemke holds off Duhamel for second! He beats the drafting master!

Privateer Jack Pfeifer finishes fourth!

Results at the finish line
Mladin, 57 laps
Zemke, 57 laps
Duhamel, 57 laps
Pfeifer, 55 laps
Acree, 55 laps
Orlando, 54 laps
Picotte, 54 laps
Caylor, 54 laps
Jensen, 54 laps
Wood, 54 laps
Martinez, 54 laps
Gittere, 54 laps

Mladin used a three-stop strategy, Duhamel and Zemke a two-stop strategy.

“I was just hoping for a top 10,” said Pfeifer.

Mladin, Zemke and Duhamel ran Dunlops with Pfeifer and Acree on Pirellis.

Provisional Results
1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki, 57 laps
2. Jake Zemke, Honda, 57 laps, -7.081 seconds
3. Miguel Duhamel, Honda, 57 laps, -7.095
4. Jack Pfeifer, Suzuki, 55 laps
5. Lee Acree, Suzuki, 55 laps, -22.457 seconds
6. Ricky Orlando, Suzuki, 54 laps
7. Pascal Picotte, Yamaha, 54 laps, -18.781 seconds
8. Chris Opie Caylor, Suzuki, 54 laps, -29.764 seconds
9. Scott Jensen, Suzuki, 54 laps, -73.299 seconds
10. Eric Wood, Suzuki, 54 laps, -77.092 seconds
11. Marco Martinez, Suzuki, 54 laps, -77.345 seconds
12. C.R. Gittere, Suzuki, 54 laps, -94.483 seconds
13. Cory West, Suzuki, 54 laps, -94.484 seconds
14. Frank Trombino, Yamaha, 53 laps
15. John Haner, Suzuki, 53 laps, -7.074 seconds
16. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki, 53 laps, -9.061 seconds
17. Geoff May, Suzuki, 53 laps, -39.077 seconds
18. David Bell, Suzuki, 53 laps, -45.597 seconds
19. Roger Bell, Suzuki, 53 laps, -45.623 seconds
20. Craig Fitzpatrick, Suzuki, 52 laps
21. Byron Barbour, Suzuki, 52 laps, -85.746 seconds
22. Rick Narup, Suzuki, 50 laps
23. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, 48 laps, DNF, crash
24. Dean Mizdal, Suzuki, 45 laps
25. Anthony Fania, Suzuki, 44 laps, DNF, crash
26. Eric Bostrom, Ducati, 42 laps, DNF, mechanical
27. Larry Pegram, Yamaha, 33 laps, DNF
28. Mark Crozier, Suzuki, 29 laps, DNF
29. Mike Sullivan, Yamaha, 27 laps, DNF
30. Ben Bostrom, Honda, 25 laps, DNF, mechanical
31. Ron McGill, Suzuki, 24 laps, DNF
32. Jeff Tigert, Suzuki, 20 laps, DNF, crash
33. Josh Hayes, Kawasaki, 9 laps, DNF, mechanical
34. Mike Hanley, Suzuki, 6 laps, DNF
35. Scott Carpenter, Suzuki, DNF
36. Jordan Szoke, Honda, DNS
37. John Dugan, Suzuki, DNS

More, from a press release issued by Daytona International Speedway:

Mat Mladin Takes Third Daytona 200 By Arai

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (March 6, 2004) — Suzuki rider Mat Mladin used a three pit-stop strategy to capture the 63rd Daytona 200 By Arai on Saturday at Daytona International Speedway.

Fresh tires proved to be the difference in the 57-lap, 200-mile race as Mladin pitted three different times for rubber while Honda riders Miguel Duhamel and Jake Zemke only pitted twice.

“We knew we couldn’t do it with two pit stops,” Mladin said. “The lap times were going to drop off too much at the end. It was quicker for us to do another pit stop than stay out for those last few laps. That’s what we decided to do.”

Mladin, who also won the Daytona 200 By Arai in 2000 and 2001, joins Kenny Roberts, Dick Klamforth, Brad Andres and Roger Reiman as three-time winners of the prestigious motorcycle classic. For Suzuki, they now have four Daytona 200 By Arai victories.

Mladin’s margin of victory of second place Zemke was 7.081 seconds. Zemke nipped Duhamel at the start/finish line for second place. Duhamel was bidding for a record-tying fifth Daytona 200 By Arai victory.

Heartbreak found the Bostrom brothers. Ben Bostrom, who after pitting with the lead on Lap 21, experienced rear end problems on his No. 155 Honda. Eric Bostrom’s Ducati Austin experienced mechanical woes midway through the Daytona 200 By Arai.

“I might have broke something inside the clutch on the starting line,” said Ben Bostrom. “When I did the start I definitely heard kind of a snap. I did a real aggressive start and eased back into it. The bike ran fine. It was wonderful out there. I thought we had this thing in the bag.”

In the Pro Honda Oils Supersport, Jason DiSalvo, riding the No. 40 Yamaha, pulled off a last lap pass to win the 18-lap event.

The 20-year-old DiSalvo, who started on the pole, drafted by Tommy Hayden’s No. 22 Kawasaki on the final lap coming out of Turn 4 and then put the block on Roger Lee Hayden’s No. 95 Kawasaki to earn his first career AMA Supersport victory

DiSalvo put himself in perfect position exiting the chicane.

“It feels great but it would have been hard not to win out there with the bike I was on,” DiSalvo said. “On the straightaway it seemed like we had a little bit more than the Kawasakis. Not enough where I thought I could lead it out of the chicane so I just stuck behind Tommy that last lap. I could tell he was kind of wanting me to go by but I just couldn’t bring myself to lead it.”

Rounding out the podium was Roger Lee Hayden and Tommy Hayden. Michael Barnes put on an excellent showing for a privateer posting a sixth-place finish.

In the second running of the BMW BoxerCup at Daytona, American Brian Parriott, riding the San Jose BMW, capture the win after breaking away from the rest of the field for a 2.7-second margin of victory.

Next up at Daytona International Speedway is the Porsche Rennsport Reunion II on April 23-25. Tickets and more information are available online at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.