More from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA:

D30 M4 Ecstar Suzuki’s Ty Scott wins pole, finishes second in 2026 Daytona 200.

Brea, CA –  Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer launched the 2026 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship campaign in powerful form, notching up a pole-and-podium combo in the 84th Daytona 200 while scoping up a pair of top threes in Twins Cup action.

Race Highlights:

• D3O M4 ECSTAR Suzuki
  • Supersport
    • Tyler Scott scored a third straight Daytona 200 podium from pole position.
• Mission M4 ECSTAR Suzuki
  • Supersport
    • Richie Escalante was in prime position to make a run at victory before his race ended in heartbreak.
• M4 ECSTAR Suzuki
  • Twins Cup
    • Matthew Chapin bounced back to claim race runner-up honors on Saturday.
    • Bodie Paige impressed with a podium performance in his Twins Cup debut.

D3O M4 ESCSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott did what he does in Daytona, securing his third consecutive podium finish from pole aboard the squad’s next-generation GSX-R750 racer. The Supersport title contender passed both the test of speed and endurance, fighting amongst the lead pack early while holding a strong, consistent pace at the end to finish the prestigious race as its runner-up for a second straight season. The 20-point haul is a fantastic way to kick off his championship aspirations in 2026.

“We’re definitely really hungry for the season ahead,” Scott said. “The D3O M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team did an amazing job this weekend. The bike felt the best it ever has, and I can’t give thanks enough to my guys. I tried my best throughout the race today, but I lost touch with the front group, and that was unfortunate. But still, I’m super excited to start the season like this, and we’ll go forward from here.”

It very easily could have been a double podium for the team, as Mission M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante was running a close third when he crashed from contention with 25 laps remaining. The full-time Superbike ace won’t suffer any championship consequences as a result, but it was still a bitter early conclusion suffered with a potential victory still within his grasp.

“I want to say I’m sorry to the team,” Escalante said. “It was shaping up to be a great race for us. We took small steps to improve the bike over the first two days, and then this morning we were ready to fight for the win. Everything was going great – the bike, the pace, and the pit stops. We were in good position coming out of the second stop, but I lost the rear for a second and crashed. That was my mistake. The team and the sponsors were fantastic in getting us this far. Now, we will concentrate on Superbike, and we are really excited about it.”

Meanwhile, the squad’s Twins Cup 1-2 punch came out swinging with each rider claiming a podium in the class’ Daytona double opener.

Bodie Paige, the young Australian who last year became just the second rider to claim the Nicky Hayden AMA Horizon Award in both the Road Race and Flat Track disciplines, showcased his tarmac talents on the high banks aboard the M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-8R.

He came home third in Race 1 after going back-and-forth in a three-rider fight for second. And in Race 2, he crossed the line in fourth while less than four tenths of a second behind the winner.

“It was good, and I had a lot of fun,” Paige said. “I started getting more comfortable. I was on the podium in Race 1, and I felt I could have podiumed or even won the next race, but we had an issue on the warm-up lap. I tried to be smart and not crash the bike. We’ll figure it out for next time. The team and I worked well together, and I am looking forward to the upcoming races.”

Teammate Matthew Chapin, who claimed the double victory at Daytona a year ago to set the table for his 2025 Twins Cup championship runner-up campaign, struggled to find his groove in Race 1, finishing in eighth place some ten seconds back. He rallied magnificently in Race 2, scrapping for the lead as part of a four-rider pack that also included Paige. Chapin came up just a wheel short of the win, claiming second place a mere 0.010 seconds away from victory.

Chapin said, “I’ve got to give it up to my whole M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team for everything they’ve done for me. All of the guys put in some serious hours on the thing to make it better for me. It was a good race, and I had a lot of fun… We’ll get them next time.”

The 2026 MotoAmerica season will resume – and kick off for the premier Superbike category – on April 17-19 at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia.

For more Road racing news please visit suzukicycles.com/racing/road-racing.

More from a press release issued by Yamaha:

Sam Drane Enjoys Stellar Debut in Daytona.

Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing’s Sam Drane takes home a 1-2 finish in his MotoAmerica Twins Cup debut, with Liberty St. Yamaha Racing’s Dominic Doyle and Strack Racing Yamaha’s Blake Davis scoring valuable points at the MotoAmerica Supersport opener.

If you love racing, making the trip to Daytona International Speedway is on the list. If you’re a racer, winning at Daytona International Speedway is a career highlight. In just his first outing at the iconic venue, Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing’s Sam Drane checked that off the list, scoring the MotoAmerica Twins Cup win in Race 2.

The opening round marked his debut in the class, and with very little time on the bike before the weekend, it was an impressive start for the 15-year-old Australian. In addition to his Race 2 victory, he earned a second-place finish in Race 1, leaving Daytona Beach, Florida, with a four-point lead in the championship.

“Yeah, it’s definitely cool to be up on the banking racing Twins Cup,” said Drane. “I came from the Kramer (the MotoAmerica Talent Cup bike), so the twin felt pretty fast. I got the win and a second place yesterday, so it was a pretty good weekend. And also the win in flat track, so two wins and one second at Daytona –  it wasn’t too bad.”

With just one qualifying session, Drane secured a second-row start in fifth. From there, he got a good launch in Race 1 and was in the mix throughout, finishing second. On Saturday, he was fifth at the start of the red-flagged race, which was shortened to six laps. Drane was once again in the fight, moving into the runner-up position and executing a great strategy in the draft to secure his first Twins Cup victory by a razor-thin 0.010-second margin.

“It was a good race,” said Drane. “I didn’t have the pace at the start, but once I got warmed up and got into it, I caught back up to Hank (Vossberg) and just tried my best, and really led it from there.”

Adding to the stellar debut weekend in Daytona, Drane also took home a win at the Daytona Short Track in the Road to AFT Amateur Invitational. The new amateur class allows young talent to race on the same tracks as the sport’s best flat track racers at select American Flat Track rounds.

The future is certainly bright for the BLU CRU in MotoAmerica. Liberty St. Yamaha Racing’s Dominic Doyle and Strack Racing Yamaha’s Blake Davis started their Supersport Championship campaigns with the 84th running of the legendary Daytona 200, marking its return as a points-paying race for the first time in more than a decade.

There is no race quite like the Daytona 200, not on the MotoAmerica calendar nor on any calendar for that matter. The legendary 200-mile road race set on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway presents a unique challenge compared to the normal sprint race format because of the venue itself, the race distance prioritizing rider endurance and long-run strategy, and the added pressure on the teams due to multiple pit stops.

Although it wasn’t the result they were hoping for, both riders and teams showed strength in the one-off endurance race that kicked off the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship season.

Liberty St. Yamaha Racing’s Dominic Doyle overcame adversity after starting on the 15th row of on the grid following a penalty for missing the time window for the sighting lap. Undeterred, he put his head down and worked his way up to ninth on the opening lap. Unfortunately, he lost too much time to join the lead pack, but the team executed strong pit stops, and Doyle maintained a solid pace to secure sixth.

Strack Racing Yamaha’s Blake Davis also had a strong debut at the Daytona 200. After a tough first two days in qualifying and practice, the two-time MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion ran a strong pace throughout the 200-mile race, and the Strack Racing Yamaha team delivered quick pit stops. Unfortunately, he was too far back in the opening laps to make up the time needed to fight for the podium or win, finishing seventh.

Next up on the calendar is the opening round of the MotoAmerica Talent Cup, which will be held in conjunction with MotoGP at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on March 27-29.

More from a press release issued by Aprilia:

2026 MotoAmerica Twins Cup season begins with strong grid presence from Aprilia RS 660 Riders. Parrish secures pole, Vossberg commands race 1 in Daytona. weekend.

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – The 2026 MotoAmerica Twins Cup season began in convincing fashion at the iconic Daytona International Speedway, where the Aprilia RS 660 – the model that catapulted rising star Alessandro Di Mario to back-to-back championships with Robem Engineering – was present to deliver a pole position, a race win, and one of the strongest presences on the starting grid for the 3.51-mile battle on the banks.

From the first practice and qualifying sessions, through both races of the opening weekend, riders aboard the Aprilia RS 660 showed pace. Chris Parrish placed his Ghetto Customs Aprilia RS 660 on pole position with a best lap of 1:57.625 during qualifying, leading a 38-rider field and showcasing the outright pace of the platform heading into the race weekend.

Race 1 delivered a breakthrough moment for Aprilia when Robem Racing Aprilia’s Hank Vossberg, a mere 15 years old, powered his RS 660 to victory, winning by a margin of 4.446 seconds, while also recording the race’s fastest lap of 1:56.846 seconds.

The result marked an early statement in the championship fight and highlighted the RS 660’s combination of speed, stability, and endurance around the banked tri-oval at Daytona. Parrish also shows promise finishing inside the top five in the first race of the season.

Race 2 again featured Aprilia riders in the lead group, with Vossberg battling for the lead in a red-flag abbreviated six-lap sprint. Commonplace at Daytona, the race came down to game of cat and mouse, with a slipstream dash to the finish. A mere 0.058 seconds from the victor, Vossberg finished third in a three-way fight to the finish line.

The weekend proved the depth of the competition in Twins Cup, with 38 riders registered. Among them, 20 registered on Aprilia RS 660 machines. Heading into Road Atlanta for Round 2 of the Twins Cup Championship, Vossberg sits in second, trailing by four points, Andrew Weyh who finished a respective ninth in Race 1 and eight in Race 2 is seventh overall, and Eli Block, who registered twelfth andseventh place, rounds out the top 10 Aprilia riders in the standings in ninth overall.

Hank Vossberg / Robem Racing Aprilia: “Yesterday was really good. We got a much better start yesterday and we were up with the group. I made a pass for the lead and just decided to try and break away and was able to have the pace in the infield to do it. It was really good and I tried to do the same thing again today, but with that red flag, we had three extra pounds in our rear tire, so it was sliding around and everything, and especially later in the race they were able to catch back up. But it was really good and just I passed them too early coming to the line and that’s Daytona. We got good points and that’s all that matters.”

More from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:

Former King of the Baggers Champions Hayden Gillim & Troy Herfoss Each Secure First-Career Win at Daytona International Speedway.

Golden Valley, MN (March 9, 2026) — Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, opened MotoAmerica’s 2026 King of the Baggers season with authority as the J&P Cycles / Motul / Vance & Hines Factory Indian Motorcycle Racing team delivered back-to-back 1–2 finishes at Daytona International Speedway. Piloting the brand-new Vance & Hines-built Indian Challenger, Wrecking Crew riders Hayden Gillim, Troy Herfoss and Rocco Landers showcased the bike’s power and precision in a dominant weekend performance.

Momentum began early as Gillim captured the Mission King of the Baggers Challenge and its $5,000 prize, setting the tone for an explosive start to the 2026 race season. Gillim followed the Challenge win with a Race 1 victory, while Herfoss earned a hard-fought P2 finish. On Saturday, Herfoss continued to demonstrate his championship pedigree, claiming a Race 2 victory of his own. After a Race 1 mechanical issue, Landers rebounded to take the second step on the box. The pair of wins marked Gillim’s and Herfoss’ first-career victories at Daytona and highlighted the strength of the all-new Indian Motorcycle-Vance & Hines Factory Racing team.

“What an incredible performance from the entire Indian Motorcycle and Vance & Hines Race team,” said Mike Kennedy, Indian Motorcycle CEO. “Dominating a race weekend with only two test days on a brandnew bike developed in just four months is a remarkable testament to the Indian Challenger’s out-of-thebox performance, the racecraft expertise of Vance & Hines, and the competitive fire of our three-rider Wrecking Crew.”

Outright speed and horsepower are what define success when racing at Daytona International Speedway, and the Indian Challenger proved its superiority all weekend long. Powered by the championship-winning PowerPlus engine, the bike delivered relentless acceleration and top-end speed that set it apart on the high banks of Daytona. Whether slicing past the Harley-Davidson Road Glide on the straights or, in Gillim’s case, building commanding gaps over the field, the Indian Challenger’s performance left no question about its power advantage.

• Race 1

Race 1 saw Gillim deliver a commanding performance aboard his #69 Indian Challenger. After running third through much of the opening lap, Gillim used the draft to surge past Herfoss and Harley-Davidson rider Kyle Wyman before the end of Lap 1. From there, Gillim set a steady pace and quickly pulled away from the field. His dominant performance saw him maintain a lead of more than four seconds in the closing laps before ultimately taking the checkered flag by more than eight seconds. Behind him, Herfoss and Wyman traded passes throughout the race in a hard-fought battle for second. In the final laps, Herfoss made a decisive defensive move to shut the door on Wyman’s drafting attempt, securing the runner-up position and showcasing the power and precision of the Vance & Hines Indian Challenger race bike.

“Man, that was something special,” said Gillim, the 2023 King of the Baggers Champion. “This whole J&P Cycles, Motul, Vance & Hines Factory Indian team is awesome. I’m having a blast. What a way to start the season with a Mission Challenge win and my first win at Daytona.”

• Race 2

Momentum carried into Race 2, where the Indian Wrecking Crew again found themselves at the center of the action in a tightly contested battle with Harley-Davidson factory riders. Gillim initially surged to the front and began building a gap early, while Herfoss and Wyman traded positions in an intense bar-to-bar fight for second. The battle tightened in the closing laps as mistakes and drafting opportunities reshuffled the order and a mechanical issue took Gillim out of the race.

Despite briefly dropping positions after a mistake entering the horseshoe and overcoming a momentary false neutral, Herfoss fought his way back into contention as the race approached its final lap. Herfoss powered his #17 Indian Challenger into the lead to secure his first Daytona victory, while Landers used the draft in the closing moments to pass Wyman and put his #97 Indian Challenger second on the box.

“This is the one you want to win,” said Herfoss. “I feel for Hayden because it’s not the way it should happen, but my Vance & Hines Indian Challenger was working so well. I was able to control things from the front and had the horsepower out of the chicane to keep the lead. I’m just over the moon.”

The result capped a remarkable opening weekend for the J&P Cycles / Motul / Vance & Hines Factory Indian Motorcycle Racing Team, delivering a powerful statement in the sport’s premier V-Twin rivalry. Herfoss leads the Mission King of the Baggers standings with 45 points, while Gillim sits tied for second with 32 points heading into Road Atlanta, April 17-19.

Sponsors for the 2026 Indian Motorcycle-Vance & Hines Factory Race team includes J&P Cycles, Motul, Progressive Insurance, Drag Specialties and Performance Finance.

For information about Indian Motorcycle, visit IndianMotorcycle.com, or follow along on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. For information about Vance & Hines Motorsports, visit VanceAndHinesMotorsports.com, or follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

More from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:

Altus Motorsports first ever Daytona 200.

Daytona Beach, FL. –  Round 1 of the 2026 MotoAmerica Championship brought the Altus Motorsports team to the historic Daytona International Speedway.  This is the first time Altus Motorsports as a team has competed in the MotoAmerica Daytona 200.  The amount of offseason preparation required is unbelievable and the team came in ready to compete.  Unfortunately Altus teammate Torin Collins was unable to attend.  This left Max Gerardo, Jaret Nassaney, and Austin Martinez to field the Altus Motorsports bikes.  Resilience, adaptability, and teamwork were on full display.  

• Supersport

Max Gerardo, an international racer came in with high hopes, but knew that being his first time at Daytona there would be a learning curve.  Max qualified 13th in Q1 and 15th in Q2.  Max had to settle for 15th overall qualifying.  Max was determined to get with the front runners in the race.  During the race the lead group got away and Max had to settle racing many laps by himself.  Not being in the draft really hurt his results.  Max completed the race with a 14th place finish.

Max Gerardo:  “Happy to have been able to be in the 200 miles of Daytona and have ended up grabbing some points for the championship. Thank you to my team for all the work of the weekend, now I’m looking forward to the next stop in Atlanta.”

 

 

 

Jaret Nassaney was looking to build on momentum and confidence from last season.  This was also Jaret’s first time competing in the Daytona 200.  Jaret qualified 28th overall and knew he had his work cut out for him.  During the race he continually moved towards the front and at one time all the way to 17th.  Unfortunately during the 3rd pit stop, the front wheel change took longer because of a brake pad falling out.  This had him drop back to 24th.  Jaret fought hard and crossed the line in 20th.  After the final results were published he finished 19th.  

 

Jaret Nassaney:  “Daytona was a big learning experience for me and the team. We struggled with the bike all weekend, but we were able to salvage a top 20. Happy to be able to finish my first 200. Excited for Atlanta and be able to show what we have been training all off season for. ”

 

 

 

Austin Martinez is new to the Altus Team.  He had only rode his Suzuki GSX-R750 a few times, so he knew there was going to be some setup needed.  Austin has raced in the Daytona 200 two other times.  During free practice Austin got behind a bike that got oil on the track and he crashed on the first lap.  This made it tough for him with no practice.  After practice it was discovered the bike also had an electrical issue.  Luckily our Data Engineer Michael Murphy was able to get it fixed before his next time on the track.  Austin qualified 33rd overall, but he did not let that take away from his positive attitude.  He was focused for the race and Austin rode hard the entire 200 miles and got all the way up to 18th.  Unfortunately he was disqualified for a bike oversight.  

 

Austin Martinez:  “Despite the problems and unfortunate circumstances, it was a great first weekend working with the team. I look forward to the rest of the season learning and developing as a rider with Altus Motorsports.”