From a press release:
For immediate release:
Team Oliver Yamaha’s Rich Oliver and mechanic Robert Ward win the very last Daytona 250 Grand Prix race!
Rich Oliver won his 6th Daytona 250 final and 61st AMA National race on Sunday March 9th on live TV!
Race Report:
After qualifying was rained out, Rich was forced to start from the fifth starting position on the second row of the 50 bike field. Rich jumped straight into the lead in turn one and was never passed, pulling a small gap on defending Champion Chuck Sorensen that grew to four seconds by the halfway point.
At this critical moment, Oliver was able to push through lapped traffic and increase his margin to 10 seconds over Aprilia’s Sorensen, who was also well clear of hard riding Simon Turner on a Honda.
Oliver finished the race clear of second place by 11.464 seconds and clear of third by 1:02.948. Rich lapped up to ninth place and took 28:46.442 to run the 15 lap final. Average speed was 111.464 MPH.
Oliver set a new track record on lap 7 with a 1:53.929, and also clocked three other laps during the race under the old track record. This was the 11th time he has finished on the podium at Daytona, 10 times in 250 Grand Prix races and once with a third in the Daytona 200 Superbike race in 1999.
Oliver comments, “I really enjoyed racing today, I’m so glad we were able to get our race in with rain always being a factor. Chuck, as he always does, pushed me quite hard and forced me to ride my best.
“But I do enjoy the challange and the oportunity to show what the Mystery School training is all about, teaching one how to win races!
“I also feel the my Yamaha TZ250 did run its best today, and Robert sure did an outstanding job tuning the engine to the very edge, but not over it! The Dunlops were great, and my Ferodo brakes were giving me an advantage lap after lap.
“I know that Yamaha USA is pleased we won today, they have helped me for years and I feel proud to be part of the Yamaha family.
“I especially enjoyed hearing all the fans’ words of encouragement during the Yamaha Weekend of Champions event, while signing posters for them in the Yamaha tent. That was a great motivator for me to ride my best this last time at Daytona.
“Thanks to all our team sponsors, fans, family and friends that have helped Robert and I achieve our goal this year of winning Daytona. I’ll sure miss riding these high banks at 14,000 rpm!”
Point Standings for the top 10:
37 Oliver (Mystery School)
33 Sorensen
29 Turner
27 Jensen
26 Sorbo (Mystery School Grad.)
25 Melneciuc (Mystery School Grad.)
24 Pyles (Mystery School Grad.)
23 Richardson
22 Marchini
21 Hellstrom
Team Oliver is Sponsored by:
The Rich Oliver Mystery School
and www.richoliver.net
Yamaha Motor Corp., USA
Wilson’s Motorcycles
Advanced Motion Controls
Dunlop Tires
Shoei Saftey Helmets
Ferodo Brakes
Sharkskinz Racing Bodies
VP Fuel (MR-8)
Kushitani Leathers
NGK Spark Plugs
Frenotec and Brembo
Paint by Sabatini (Greg and Lou Sabatini)
AST Sports Science
Cytomax
Brian Turfrey Exhaust Pipes
Supertech Engine Polishing
EK Supersport Chains
AFAM Sprockets
GMD Computrack (James Randolph)
LE Engineering (Jim Lindemann)
Chicken Hawk Tire Warmers
I need stickers.com (Fresno, CA)
Silkolene Lubricants
Micron Exhaust
Please visit our web-site for more information about the Mystery School, the Team Oliver Yamaha Racing Team, and even see some wild abstract art!
You can find it all at: www.richoliver.net and please e-mail your comments to: [email protected]