Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Twelve riders representing three tire manufacturers will attend a special test session at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) January 25-26.

Representing Dunlop will be American Honda’s Ben Bostrom and Miguel Duhamel, Erion Honda’s Jake Zemke, Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden and Roger Lee Hayden, and Yamaha’s Jason DiSalvo.

Ducati Austin’s Eric Bostrom and Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Steve Rapp and Vincent Haskovec will ride for Michelin.

Lee Acree, Michael Barnes and Geoff May will test for Pirelli at Daytona.

Ben Bostrom, Duhamel and Zemke will only ride their CBR1000RR Superbikes. The Hayden brothers will only ride ZX-10R Superstock machines. DiSalvo will ride his Superstock YZF-R1. Eric Bostrom only races a 999 Ducati Superbike. Rapp, Haskovec, Acree, Barnes and May will ride Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superstock racebikes.

The additional test was scheduled by AMA Pro Racing and DIS following catastrophic rear Dunlop tire failures at high speed during two recent test sessions at Daytona. The exact goal of the test has not been stated by officials from AMA Pro Racing or DIS, but insiders believe it is meant to determine if the recent tire failures are a Dunlop-specific problem or a problem related to the weight and speed of the current crop of 1000cc Superbike and Superstock racebikes.