Daniel Holgado smashed the outright lap record for Moto3 in the second practice session in Qatar, as eight riders clocked laps quicker than the mark set back in 2021.
Holgado topped the timesheets with a 2:03.606 on his Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 machine, leading the Hondas of Adrian Fernandez and Matteo Bertelle. The old record was 2:04.075, set by Darryn Binder.
Moto3 practice 2
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Reigning MotoAmerica Supersport Champion Xavi Fores topped MotoAmerica Daytona 200 Qualifying Two (Q2) Friday morning at Daytona International Speedway, but Richie Escalante is still quickest overall heading into the Time Attack Friday afternoon.
The 1:47.833 Escalante did on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750 in Qualifying One (Q1) remains the new Daytona 200 Lap Record, and the 1:47.045 Escalante’s teammate Tyler Scott did in Q1 kept him in second position.
Scott crashed and dislocated his shoulder in a crash at the end of Q1, but he received medical treatment Thursday night, rode in Q2 on Friday morning, and appears to be good to go for the race.
Fores, riding his Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha YZF-R6, led Q2 with a time of 1:48.655, which moved him up to third overall.
The top 16 riders in Q2 were separated by just 1.3 seconds.
The top 12 riders in the combined times from Q1 and Q2 now advance to the 15-minute Time Attack Friday afternoon, when the front four rows of the grid will be set.
With Group B Qualifying Two still to run, the unofficial top 12 Daytona 200 qualifiers were:
2. Tyler Scott (Suz GSX-R750), Dunlop, 1:48.045
3. Xavi Fores (Yam YZF-R6), Pirelli, 1:48.655
4. Bobby Fong (Suz GSX-R750), Dunlop, 1:48.765
5. Josh Herrin (Duc Panigale V2), Dunlop, 1:48.826
6. Stefano Mesa (Duc Panigale V2), Pirelli, 1:48.957
7. Brandon Paasch (Suz GSX-R750), Dunlop, 1:49.213
8. Richard Cooper (Tri Street Triple 765 RS), Dunlop, 1:49.234
9. Hayden Gillim (Suz GSX-R750), Dunlop, 1:49.301
10. Peter Hickman (Tri Street Triple 765 RS), Dunlop, 1:49.358
11. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R6), Dunlop, 1:49.382
12. Blake Davis (Yam YZF-R6), Dunlop, 1:49.427
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KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Gus Rodio broke the lap record and secured pole position during MotoAmerica BellissiMoto Twins Cup Qualifying Two (Q2) Friday morning at Daytona International Speedway.
Riding his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660, Rodio lapped the 3.51-mile road course in 1:55.193, which broke Stefano Mesa’s mark of 1:55.545 set during Twins Cup Race Two in 2023.
Dominic Doyle improved his lap time by half a second to 1:56.015 on his Giaccmoto Yamaha YZF-R7 during Q2 and secured the second position on the front row.
Avery Dreher, the 17-year-old 2023 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion and a rookie in the Twins Cup class, qualified third with a 1:56.335 on his new TopPro Racing Aprilia RS 660.
Row Two qualifiers included Rocco Landers (1:56.704) on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki GSX-8R, Rodio’s teammate Ben Gloddy (1:57.562), and Ed Sullivan (1:57.643) on his SE Composites Yamaha YZF-R7.
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KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Reigning Australian Superbike Champion Troy Herfoss was quickest in MotoAmerica RSD Mission Super Hooligan Qualifying Two (Q2) Friday morning at Daytona International Speedway, but Tyler O’Hara’s lap time from Q1 on Thursday earned him pole position for both races this weekend.
Riding his S&S Indian FTR, defending Champion O’Hara did a 1:52.781 in Q1, which held up as the fastest lap time in the field of 36 entries and as the new All-Time Lap Record for the class.
Herfoss, O’Hara’s teammate, improved from 1:54.410 in Q1 to a 1:52.955 in Q2, which got him the second spot on the grid.
Travis Wyman claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a time of 1:53.633 on his new Team Saddlemen Harley-Davidson Pan America.
Row Two qualifiers include Wyman’s teammate Cory West (1:53.931), Travis Wyman’s younger brother Cody Wyman (1:54.926) on his Gator Harley-Davidson/KWR Pan America, and Jake Lewis (1:55.050) on the third Team Saddlemen Harley-Davidson.
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Last season’s MotoGP Championship runnerup Jorge Martin started his 2024 season on top of the timesheets, under the race lap record set last year by Enea Bastianini as practice got underway in Qatar.
Prima Pramac Ducati’s Martin clocked a 1:52.624, 0.047 seconds quicker than Aleix Espargaro on the factory Aprilia, with rookie Pedro Acosta on the GASGAS Tech3 third on his MotoGP debut. Marc Marquez was fourth on the 2023 Gresini Ducati, ahead of Red Bull KTM factory rider Brad Binder and Castrol Honda LCR’s Johann Zarco.
American Trackhouse Racing’s Miguel Oliveira was 12th, with teammate Raul Fernandez 14th.
MotoGP FP1
Winner of the last four Moto2 races of 2023, Fermin Aldeguer picked up where he left off, topping a tightly packed field in the first practice at Qatar.
Aldeguer turned a 1:58.373 on his Boscoscuro, edging a pack of Kalex machines, led by Zonta van den Goorbergh and Celestino Vietti. The top 18 machines were separated by less than a second.
American Joe Roberts was 26th on his return to the American Racing Team, half a second behind teammate Marcos Ramirez.
Moto2 Practice 1
Ivan Ortola took his MT Helmets – MSI KTM to the top of the timesheets in the first Moto3 practice of the 2024 season. His 2:04.205 was less that two-tenths slower than the outright lap record of 2:04.075 set by Darryn Binder in 2021. Jose Rueda and David Munoz followed, the top three covered by 0.240 seconds.
Moto3 FP1
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Progressive American Flat Track Championship
Daytona Short Track One
Daytona Beach, Florida
March 7, 2024
Provisional Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Challenge Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Kody Kopp (KTM), 4 laps
2. Dalton Gauthier (KTM), -0.760 second
3. Trent Lowe (Hon), -1.040 seconds
4. Tom Drane (Yam), -1.503
Provisional Mission SuperTwins Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Sammy Halbert (Har), 4 laps
2. Brandon Robinson (Ind), -0.611 second
3. Brandon Price (Yam), -0.770
4. Dallas Daniels (Yam), -0.958
Provisional Royal Enfield BTR Main Event (10 Laps) Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Taia Little (Roy), 10 laps
2. Kenzie Luker (Roy), -1.805 seconds
3. Mya Maffei (Roy), -5.382
4. Shasta L’Heureux (Roy), -9.571
5. Mikaela Nichols-Lionetti (Roy), -12.845
6. Hannah Lange (Roy), -17.863
7. Hannah Robertson (Roy), -1 lap
8. Kristiana Ross (Roy), -1 lap, 12.111
Provisional Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Main Event (6 Minutes + 2 Laps) Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Kody Kopp (KTM), 22 laps
2. Dalton Gauthier (KTM), -1.502 seconds
3. Trent Lowe (Hon), -5.136
4. Chase Saathoff (Hon), -5.445
5. Justin Jones (Hus), -8.678
6. Tyler Raggio (KTM), -9.139
7. James Ott (Hus), -11.481
8. Travis Petton (KTM), -11.562
9. Jared Lowe (Hon), -11.892
10. Logan Eisenhard (KTM), -12.240
11. Evan Renshaw (Hon), -12.545
12. Tarren Santero (Hon), -13.261
13. Chad Cose (KTM), -13.875
14. Hunter Bauer (Yam), -15.415
15. Tom Drane (Yam), -1 lap
16. Landen Smith (KTM), -1 lap, 3.547 seconds
17. Jacob Vanderkooi (Hus), -1 lap, 3.864
18. Aidan RoosEvans (Yam), -3 laps
19. Evan Kelleher (KTM), -19 laps
Provisional Mission SuperTwins Main Event (10 Minutes + 2 Laps) Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Dallas Daniels (Yam), 35 laps
2. Brandon Price (Yam), -3.769 seconds
3. Brandon Robinson (Ind), -4.162
4. Davis Fisher (Ind), -4.952
5. Sammy Halbert (Har), -6.685
6. Jared Mees (Ind), -7.042
7. Jarod VanDerkooi (Ind), -7.230
8. Briar Bauman (KTM), -9.594
9. Cameron Smith (KTM), -9.798
10. Dan Bromley (Hon), -14.433
11. Trevor Brunner (KTM), -15.556
12. Johnny Lewis (Roy), -17.511
13. Ben Lowe (KTM), -1 lap
14. Kolby Carlile (Yam), -1 lap, 4.743 seconds
15. Bronson Bauman (KTM), -1 lap, 5.615
16. Declan Bender (Ind), -1 lap, 5.923
17. Wyatt Vaughan (Kaw), -1 lap, 9.270
18. Morgen Mischler (Yam), -1 lap, 10.070
19. Logan Mcgrane (Kaw), -23 laps
More, from a press release issued by American Flat Track (AFT):
Daniels Increases Daytona Win Streak to Three in Dramatic Progressive AFT Opener
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 7, 2024) – The opening Mission SuperTwins victory of the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, season went to Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) in a Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I that contained far more drama than Daniels’ final 3.769-second margin of victory would seem to indicate.
For much of the night – including the opening half of the Main Event – the fans that packed the Daytona International Speedway Flat Track grandstands thought they just might just witness Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Dodge Bros. Racing/Castrol Harley-Davidson XR750) give the iconic Harley-Davidson XR750 its 503rd Grand National Championship race win more than five decades after its first.
In fact, Halbert topped a session in both practice and qualifying, won his heat race, and then proved victorious in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge aboard the venerable machine. He followed that up by grabbing the holeshot in the Main Event and then stretching open more than a second’s worth of padding at the front.
That advantage was further aided by the stiff fight Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTBR Yamaha MT-07) provided all comers while running second despite the likes of Daniels, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), and Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke) all seeking a way through.
Daniels finally managed to make a pass that stuck a little over six minutes remaining on the clock and immediately went about eating up the gap to Halbert. However, what promised to be a thrilling dogfight for victory was spoiled when Halbert’s machine began to smoke heavily with half of the race still remaining.
The Estenson Racing Yamaha ace dove through to steal away first. Moments later, the black flag was (first) shown to Halbert, who continued to push for several laps before finally heeding the instruction.
Halbert’s misfortune saw Price move back up into second with Bauman third, while Daniels weaved his way through traffic out front en route to victory.
After the contest, Daniels – who will now look to equal last year’s season-opening double victory at the venue – said, “This track was so technical. It was nothing like last year where you could just kinda go in and get it on. What a ride for the team. We kind of struggled all day, and I was just chipping away. I started catching up to Sammy, and he started to blow up and coolant was getting in my face. (Once in front), I started looking back a lot. For some reason I got nervous, but the last five laps, I really buckled down and those were my fastest laps of the race.
“After Springfield, we left a little bitter. It didn’t feel good. That whole offseason we worked hard. To get three in a row at Daytona feels good. That Main Event, I had so much fun plugging away. I would prefer to get the holeshot and be out front but being able to come through and dig my way to the front felt good.”
Price held on for a most welcome runner-up finish in his all-new team’s maiden outing, while Robinson moved through on a fading Bauman to earn the final spot on the podium.
In fact, Bauman’s tumble down the order wouldn’t end there, as he was also displaced by Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), nine-time Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750), and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750) before finishing seventh in the end.
Cameron Smith (No. 34 RVR/KTM/Schaefer’s Motorsport KTM 790 Duke) picked up eighth, one spot ahead of Dan Bromley (No. 62 Big Red Super Twins/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Transalp), who took ninth in the new Honda-powered effort’s debut. Mission SuperTwins rookie Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing KTM 790 Duke) completed the top ten.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Double defending Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) opened his quest for an unprecedented third class crown in near-perfect fashion, walking away with the Main Event after earlier winning both his heat and the Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Challenge.
It was a fine way to not just start his title defense but also an all-new partnership after joining the Rick Ware Racing outfit just days prior to the opener.
While Kopp claimed the checkered flag running alone in the end, it wasn’t quite that simple in the doing. Despite grabbing the holeshot, he was actually overhauled by former class champ Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) before completing the first lap.
Gauthier then pulled some space at the front while Kopp had his hands full with projected title rivals Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R).
But Kopp found his groove at mid-distance, putting in a charge that allowed him to reclaim the lead and power forward to secure the victory by 1.502 seconds over Gauthier.
“We just kept our heads on straight the whole offseason,” said Kopp. “I love this track, and I love Daytona. Huge shout out to Rick Ware for coming on the program a little over a week ago. We pulled it together, and we got a win tonight. Wally Brown built one heck of a KTM 450 – arguably even better than the factory bikes I might say.”
Meanwhile, the final spot on the box went to neither Drane – who crashed on the last lap and was ultimately credited in 15th – nor Saathoff. Rather it was Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), who finished third by battling his way back through the pack after being pushed wide and well down the order in the early stages of the Main.
Saathoff finished fourth another 0.309 seconds back with Justin Jones (No. 91 J&H Racing Husqvarna FC 450) rounding out the top five.
Tyler Raggio (No. 55 Raggio Racing/Sluggo Racing KTM 450 SX-F), James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions/Media HT Husqvarna FC450), Travis Petton IV (No. 82 ECG Racing/A.M Ortega KTM 450 SX-F), Jared Lowe (No. 63 BigR/Little Debbie Racing Honda CRF450R), and Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Hannum’s Harley-Davidson KTM 450 SX-F) finished sixth through tenth, respectively.
Earlier in the evening, Taia Little (No. 11 Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited) kicked off the Main Event program by winning the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. season opener in runaway fashion.
Next Up:
The world’s premier dirt track motorcycle racing series will return to action tomorrow night with the second half of the double opener, the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA II. Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/daytona-short-track-ii-86992 to secure your tickets now.
For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at http://flosports.link/aft.
FOX Sports coverage of the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, March 16, at 9:30 a.m. ET (6:30 a.m. PT), while the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA II will air the following day, Sunday, March 17, at 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT).
For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.
About Progressive American Flat Track
Progressive American Flat Track is the world’s premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. Progressive American Flat Track is televised on FOX Sports and streams live via FloRacing. For more information on Progressive American Flat Track, please visit us on the web, like us on Facebook, follow us on X, and check us out on Instagram.
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Defending Champion Tyler O’Hara earned provisional pole position during MotoAmerica Roland Sands Design (RSD) Mission Super Hooligan Qualifying One (Q1) Thursday at Daytona International Speedway.
Riding his S&S Indian FTR, O’Hara covered the 3.51-mile infield road course in 1:52.781, which was good enough to top the field of 36 entries and shatter Jeremy McWilliams’ lap record of 1:53.545.
Cory West was second-best with a time of 1:53.931 on his Team Saddlemen Harley-Davidson Pan America.
O’Hara’s new teammate, Australian Superbike Champion Troy Herfoss was third-quickest with a 1:54.410.
West’s teammates Travis Wyman (1:54.609) and Jake Lewis (1:55.050) were fourth and fifth, respectively, in Q1.
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TOBC TRIUMPH RETURN TO DAYTONA 200
The TOBC – Triumph racing team, supported by FreedomRoad Financial, returns to the Daytona 200 this weekend with Danny Eslick back on the track for another year.
Heading in to 2024, the TOBC – Triumph team have come together to reinforce the competitiveness of the TOBC Triumph team and the Street Triple. This also makes two teams supported by FreedomRoad Financial in the legendary race this weekend. Eslick will once again pilot a Triumph Street Triple, which powered his TOBC teammate to the top of the 2022 podium and now has five seasons of outstanding performance and reliability as the exclusive engine in the Moto2™ World Championship.
A victory for Danny Eslick would put the veteran racer in the company of few, tied for most wins all-time with five. Lindsay has already made history as the only female team owner to reach the top of the Daytona 200 podium, and a 5th win would further add to her legacy.
Michelle Lindsay – Owner, TOBC Racing
“I am excited to bring TOBC Racing back for another opportunity to compete in the Daytona 200 thanks to the support from Triumph and FreedomRoad Financial. It takes a team, and we wouldn’t’ be here without everyone working together to make it happen.”
Rod Lopusnak – General Manager, Triumph Motorcycles America
“The Daytona 200 continues to capture the world’s attention among racing events across the globe, As we gear up for the upcoming race, our focus remains on showcasing the unparalleled power and agility of the Triumph Street Triple and its 765 three-cylinder engine. Backed by Michelle and her TOBC Racing team, alongside the skills of Danny, we present a formidable force on the track. We extend our gratitude to FreedomRoad Financial for their unwavering support. Together, we aim to secure another victory and add to our legacy.”
Tom Collins – Managing Director, FreedomRoad Financial
“We are proud to have Triumph as our longest tenured OEM relationship as we’ve been their retail finance partner since 2008. We continue to be proud of the team’s performance on and off the track and we are excited to support them again in 2024.”
More, from a press release issued by TOBC Racing Owner Michele Lindsay:
When the band gets Themselves back together.
The phrase “Let’s get the band back together” resonates with many, but for me, as the team owner of TOBC racing, this year presented immense challenges. Balancing a battle with stage 4 Pancreatic cancer, a demanding yet fulfilling career, and the joys of parenthood with a newborn son made the idea of racing impossible. I firmly believe in giving my all and dedicating 150% to my commitments, and my team deserves nothing less. The Daytona 200 was just not in the cards for 2024. Despite two attempts to sell the team and infrastructure, life had other plans.
The inception of TOBC was fueled by the passion of our founder, Jon Couch, who had a deep love for racing and a commitment to building a family-like team culture both on and off the track. After his unexpected and sudden passing in 2014, I purchased and took on the responsibility of leading his team to carry forward his legacy. Jon’s philosophy of treating team members like family led to remarkable achievements, including three full MotoAmerica seasons, finishing second, and fourth twice in the 1000 Superstock Championship, top 10 in Superbike, and four Daytona 200 victories, on three brands with two riders. His passion became my own, and with the support of my husband Myles Wilson, we continued the team for another six years.
The love for racing never truly fades, but for the sake of our growing family, I made a promise to focus on my career, health, and most importantly, nurturing my role as a mother to baby Holden, born shortly after the 2023 Daytona 200.
In late January this year, the reality of NOT being at the 200 sank in. I called Harry Houck, who became an invaluable member of the team at Daytona in October of 2021. I asked him, “How do I make peace with NOT being there?”
His response was nothing short of surprising.
“I have been waiting for this call, Boss,” he said, “Let ME run it…let me get the team to the 200.”
His unexpected offer to lead the team to the 200 this year was touching, but knowing all that goes into it and Harry being a new father himself, I had doubts about its feasibility.
A few weeks went by without news, and I resigned myself to TOBC Racing’s absence from the 82nd running of Daytona 200. Then, a few days later, a call from Harry changed everything.
“It’s happening, Boss. The team is committed and covering their expenses to be there.”
Team members for TOBC come from as far as Norway, so this is no small feat.
Tears filled my eyes as gratitude washed over me. The camaraderie and dedication of my team and sponsors over the past decade proved truly exceptional.
Approaching my 11th year at the Daytona 200 (my 10th year running it) with the chance to secure Danny Eslick’s fifth win, my heart swells with gratitude and anticipation unique to Daytona.
Few team members now knew or had the opportunity to work with Jon, but carrying over the values and legacy of a family team and culture from Jon’s days, to mine, has now carried over yet again to Harry running it much the same. It makes a person feel like they did something right in the world. I am so incredibly honored.
I express heartfelt thanks to my team and sponsors for making this journey possible, not just for me, but for Danny as well. Most of all to Harry and his family….who is just passionate and crazy enough to take the torch and run with it!
Special thanks to Treemendous Tree Care, Triumph Motorcycles, Wild MFG, Pirelli Tires, K-Tech, Michael Matassa, sponsor of the Daytona Beach IFBB Pro-Am Body Building Competition, Full Spectrum Power, and our long-term sponsor and friend, Mark Matovina of Daytona-based Politus and Matovina Attorney’s at Law.
Your unwavering support has turned this dream into a reality.
TOBC has always embodied dedication and heart. I can’t believe I/we get to be here again, this time with my son fielding a bike at the iconic World Center of Racing. It is surreal. Can’t wait to see you there!
Daniel Holgado smashed the outright lap record for Moto3 in the second practice session in Qatar, as eight riders clocked laps quicker than the mark set back in 2021.
Holgado topped the timesheets with a 2:03.606 on his Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 machine, leading the Hondas of Adrian Fernandez and Matteo Bertelle. The old record was 2:04.075, set by Darryn Binder.
Moto3 practice 2
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Reigning MotoAmerica Supersport Champion Xavi Fores topped MotoAmerica Daytona 200 Qualifying Two (Q2) Friday morning at Daytona International Speedway, but Richie Escalante is still quickest overall heading into the Time Attack Friday afternoon.
The 1:47.833 Escalante did on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750 in Qualifying One (Q1) remains the new Daytona 200 Lap Record, and the 1:47.045 Escalante’s teammate Tyler Scott did in Q1 kept him in second position.
Scott crashed and dislocated his shoulder in a crash at the end of Q1, but he received medical treatment Thursday night, rode in Q2 on Friday morning, and appears to be good to go for the race.
Fores, riding his Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha YZF-R6, led Q2 with a time of 1:48.655, which moved him up to third overall.
The top 16 riders in Q2 were separated by just 1.3 seconds.
The top 12 riders in the combined times from Q1 and Q2 now advance to the 15-minute Time Attack Friday afternoon, when the front four rows of the grid will be set.
With Group B Qualifying Two still to run, the unofficial top 12 Daytona 200 qualifiers were:
2. Tyler Scott (Suz GSX-R750), Dunlop, 1:48.045
3. Xavi Fores (Yam YZF-R6), Pirelli, 1:48.655
4. Bobby Fong (Suz GSX-R750), Dunlop, 1:48.765
5. Josh Herrin (Duc Panigale V2), Dunlop, 1:48.826
6. Stefano Mesa (Duc Panigale V2), Pirelli, 1:48.957
7. Brandon Paasch (Suz GSX-R750), Dunlop, 1:49.213
8. Richard Cooper (Tri Street Triple 765 RS), Dunlop, 1:49.234
9. Hayden Gillim (Suz GSX-R750), Dunlop, 1:49.301
10. Peter Hickman (Tri Street Triple 765 RS), Dunlop, 1:49.358
11. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R6), Dunlop, 1:49.382
12. Blake Davis (Yam YZF-R6), Dunlop, 1:49.427
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KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Gus Rodio broke the lap record and secured pole position during MotoAmerica BellissiMoto Twins Cup Qualifying Two (Q2) Friday morning at Daytona International Speedway.
Riding his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660, Rodio lapped the 3.51-mile road course in 1:55.193, which broke Stefano Mesa’s mark of 1:55.545 set during Twins Cup Race Two in 2023.
Dominic Doyle improved his lap time by half a second to 1:56.015 on his Giaccmoto Yamaha YZF-R7 during Q2 and secured the second position on the front row.
Avery Dreher, the 17-year-old 2023 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion and a rookie in the Twins Cup class, qualified third with a 1:56.335 on his new TopPro Racing Aprilia RS 660.
Row Two qualifiers included Rocco Landers (1:56.704) on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki GSX-8R, Rodio’s teammate Ben Gloddy (1:57.562), and Ed Sullivan (1:57.643) on his SE Composites Yamaha YZF-R7.
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KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Reigning Australian Superbike Champion Troy Herfoss was quickest in MotoAmerica RSD Mission Super Hooligan Qualifying Two (Q2) Friday morning at Daytona International Speedway, but Tyler O’Hara’s lap time from Q1 on Thursday earned him pole position for both races this weekend.
Riding his S&S Indian FTR, defending Champion O’Hara did a 1:52.781 in Q1, which held up as the fastest lap time in the field of 36 entries and as the new All-Time Lap Record for the class.
Herfoss, O’Hara’s teammate, improved from 1:54.410 in Q1 to a 1:52.955 in Q2, which got him the second spot on the grid.
Travis Wyman claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a time of 1:53.633 on his new Team Saddlemen Harley-Davidson Pan America.
Row Two qualifiers include Wyman’s teammate Cory West (1:53.931), Travis Wyman’s younger brother Cody Wyman (1:54.926) on his Gator Harley-Davidson/KWR Pan America, and Jake Lewis (1:55.050) on the third Team Saddlemen Harley-Davidson.
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Last season’s MotoGP Championship runnerup Jorge Martin started his 2024 season on top of the timesheets, under the race lap record set last year by Enea Bastianini as practice got underway in Qatar.
Prima Pramac Ducati’s Martin clocked a 1:52.624, 0.047 seconds quicker than Aleix Espargaro on the factory Aprilia, with rookie Pedro Acosta on the GASGAS Tech3 third on his MotoGP debut. Marc Marquez was fourth on the 2023 Gresini Ducati, ahead of Red Bull KTM factory rider Brad Binder and Castrol Honda LCR’s Johann Zarco.
American Trackhouse Racing’s Miguel Oliveira was 12th, with teammate Raul Fernandez 14th.
MotoGP FP1
Winner of the last four Moto2 races of 2023, Fermin Aldeguer picked up where he left off, topping a tightly packed field in the first practice at Qatar.
Aldeguer turned a 1:58.373 on his Boscoscuro, edging a pack of Kalex machines, led by Zonta van den Goorbergh and Celestino Vietti. The top 18 machines were separated by less than a second.
American Joe Roberts was 26th on his return to the American Racing Team, half a second behind teammate Marcos Ramirez.
Moto2 Practice 1
Ivan Ortola took his MT Helmets – MSI KTM to the top of the timesheets in the first Moto3 practice of the 2024 season. His 2:04.205 was less that two-tenths slower than the outright lap record of 2:04.075 set by Darryn Binder in 2021. Jose Rueda and David Munoz followed, the top three covered by 0.240 seconds.
Moto3 FP1
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Progressive American Flat Track Championship
Daytona Short Track One
Daytona Beach, Florida
March 7, 2024
Provisional Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Challenge Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Kody Kopp (KTM), 4 laps
2. Dalton Gauthier (KTM), -0.760 second
3. Trent Lowe (Hon), -1.040 seconds
4. Tom Drane (Yam), -1.503
Provisional Mission SuperTwins Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Sammy Halbert (Har), 4 laps
2. Brandon Robinson (Ind), -0.611 second
3. Brandon Price (Yam), -0.770
4. Dallas Daniels (Yam), -0.958
Provisional Royal Enfield BTR Main Event (10 Laps) Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Taia Little (Roy), 10 laps
2. Kenzie Luker (Roy), -1.805 seconds
3. Mya Maffei (Roy), -5.382
4. Shasta L’Heureux (Roy), -9.571
5. Mikaela Nichols-Lionetti (Roy), -12.845
6. Hannah Lange (Roy), -17.863
7. Hannah Robertson (Roy), -1 lap
8. Kristiana Ross (Roy), -1 lap, 12.111
Provisional Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Main Event (6 Minutes + 2 Laps) Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Kody Kopp (KTM), 22 laps
2. Dalton Gauthier (KTM), -1.502 seconds
3. Trent Lowe (Hon), -5.136
4. Chase Saathoff (Hon), -5.445
5. Justin Jones (Hus), -8.678
6. Tyler Raggio (KTM), -9.139
7. James Ott (Hus), -11.481
8. Travis Petton (KTM), -11.562
9. Jared Lowe (Hon), -11.892
10. Logan Eisenhard (KTM), -12.240
11. Evan Renshaw (Hon), -12.545
12. Tarren Santero (Hon), -13.261
13. Chad Cose (KTM), -13.875
14. Hunter Bauer (Yam), -15.415
15. Tom Drane (Yam), -1 lap
16. Landen Smith (KTM), -1 lap, 3.547 seconds
17. Jacob Vanderkooi (Hus), -1 lap, 3.864
18. Aidan RoosEvans (Yam), -3 laps
19. Evan Kelleher (KTM), -19 laps
Provisional Mission SuperTwins Main Event (10 Minutes + 2 Laps) Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Dallas Daniels (Yam), 35 laps
2. Brandon Price (Yam), -3.769 seconds
3. Brandon Robinson (Ind), -4.162
4. Davis Fisher (Ind), -4.952
5. Sammy Halbert (Har), -6.685
6. Jared Mees (Ind), -7.042
7. Jarod VanDerkooi (Ind), -7.230
8. Briar Bauman (KTM), -9.594
9. Cameron Smith (KTM), -9.798
10. Dan Bromley (Hon), -14.433
11. Trevor Brunner (KTM), -15.556
12. Johnny Lewis (Roy), -17.511
13. Ben Lowe (KTM), -1 lap
14. Kolby Carlile (Yam), -1 lap, 4.743 seconds
15. Bronson Bauman (KTM), -1 lap, 5.615
16. Declan Bender (Ind), -1 lap, 5.923
17. Wyatt Vaughan (Kaw), -1 lap, 9.270
18. Morgen Mischler (Yam), -1 lap, 10.070
19. Logan Mcgrane (Kaw), -23 laps
More, from a press release issued by American Flat Track (AFT):
Daniels Increases Daytona Win Streak to Three in Dramatic Progressive AFT Opener
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 7, 2024) – The opening Mission SuperTwins victory of the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, season went to Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) in a Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I that contained far more drama than Daniels’ final 3.769-second margin of victory would seem to indicate.
For much of the night – including the opening half of the Main Event – the fans that packed the Daytona International Speedway Flat Track grandstands thought they just might just witness Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Dodge Bros. Racing/Castrol Harley-Davidson XR750) give the iconic Harley-Davidson XR750 its 503rd Grand National Championship race win more than five decades after its first.
In fact, Halbert topped a session in both practice and qualifying, won his heat race, and then proved victorious in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge aboard the venerable machine. He followed that up by grabbing the holeshot in the Main Event and then stretching open more than a second’s worth of padding at the front.
That advantage was further aided by the stiff fight Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTBR Yamaha MT-07) provided all comers while running second despite the likes of Daniels, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), and Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke) all seeking a way through.
Daniels finally managed to make a pass that stuck a little over six minutes remaining on the clock and immediately went about eating up the gap to Halbert. However, what promised to be a thrilling dogfight for victory was spoiled when Halbert’s machine began to smoke heavily with half of the race still remaining.
The Estenson Racing Yamaha ace dove through to steal away first. Moments later, the black flag was (first) shown to Halbert, who continued to push for several laps before finally heeding the instruction.
Halbert’s misfortune saw Price move back up into second with Bauman third, while Daniels weaved his way through traffic out front en route to victory.
After the contest, Daniels – who will now look to equal last year’s season-opening double victory at the venue – said, “This track was so technical. It was nothing like last year where you could just kinda go in and get it on. What a ride for the team. We kind of struggled all day, and I was just chipping away. I started catching up to Sammy, and he started to blow up and coolant was getting in my face. (Once in front), I started looking back a lot. For some reason I got nervous, but the last five laps, I really buckled down and those were my fastest laps of the race.
“After Springfield, we left a little bitter. It didn’t feel good. That whole offseason we worked hard. To get three in a row at Daytona feels good. That Main Event, I had so much fun plugging away. I would prefer to get the holeshot and be out front but being able to come through and dig my way to the front felt good.”
Price held on for a most welcome runner-up finish in his all-new team’s maiden outing, while Robinson moved through on a fading Bauman to earn the final spot on the podium.
In fact, Bauman’s tumble down the order wouldn’t end there, as he was also displaced by Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), nine-time Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750), and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750) before finishing seventh in the end.
Cameron Smith (No. 34 RVR/KTM/Schaefer’s Motorsport KTM 790 Duke) picked up eighth, one spot ahead of Dan Bromley (No. 62 Big Red Super Twins/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Transalp), who took ninth in the new Honda-powered effort’s debut. Mission SuperTwins rookie Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing KTM 790 Duke) completed the top ten.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Double defending Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) opened his quest for an unprecedented third class crown in near-perfect fashion, walking away with the Main Event after earlier winning both his heat and the Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Challenge.
It was a fine way to not just start his title defense but also an all-new partnership after joining the Rick Ware Racing outfit just days prior to the opener.
While Kopp claimed the checkered flag running alone in the end, it wasn’t quite that simple in the doing. Despite grabbing the holeshot, he was actually overhauled by former class champ Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) before completing the first lap.
Gauthier then pulled some space at the front while Kopp had his hands full with projected title rivals Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R).
But Kopp found his groove at mid-distance, putting in a charge that allowed him to reclaim the lead and power forward to secure the victory by 1.502 seconds over Gauthier.
“We just kept our heads on straight the whole offseason,” said Kopp. “I love this track, and I love Daytona. Huge shout out to Rick Ware for coming on the program a little over a week ago. We pulled it together, and we got a win tonight. Wally Brown built one heck of a KTM 450 – arguably even better than the factory bikes I might say.”
Meanwhile, the final spot on the box went to neither Drane – who crashed on the last lap and was ultimately credited in 15th – nor Saathoff. Rather it was Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), who finished third by battling his way back through the pack after being pushed wide and well down the order in the early stages of the Main.
Saathoff finished fourth another 0.309 seconds back with Justin Jones (No. 91 J&H Racing Husqvarna FC 450) rounding out the top five.
Tyler Raggio (No. 55 Raggio Racing/Sluggo Racing KTM 450 SX-F), James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions/Media HT Husqvarna FC450), Travis Petton IV (No. 82 ECG Racing/A.M Ortega KTM 450 SX-F), Jared Lowe (No. 63 BigR/Little Debbie Racing Honda CRF450R), and Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Hannum’s Harley-Davidson KTM 450 SX-F) finished sixth through tenth, respectively.
Earlier in the evening, Taia Little (No. 11 Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited) kicked off the Main Event program by winning the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. season opener in runaway fashion.
Next Up:
The world’s premier dirt track motorcycle racing series will return to action tomorrow night with the second half of the double opener, the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA II. Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/daytona-short-track-ii-86992 to secure your tickets now.
For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at http://flosports.link/aft.
FOX Sports coverage of the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, March 16, at 9:30 a.m. ET (6:30 a.m. PT), while the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA II will air the following day, Sunday, March 17, at 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT).
For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.
About Progressive American Flat Track
Progressive American Flat Track is the world’s premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. Progressive American Flat Track is televised on FOX Sports and streams live via FloRacing. For more information on Progressive American Flat Track, please visit us on the web, like us on Facebook, follow us on X, and check us out on Instagram.
KurveyGirl.com brings you the results of this weekend’s events.
Defending Champion Tyler O’Hara earned provisional pole position during MotoAmerica Roland Sands Design (RSD) Mission Super Hooligan Qualifying One (Q1) Thursday at Daytona International Speedway.
Riding his S&S Indian FTR, O’Hara covered the 3.51-mile infield road course in 1:52.781, which was good enough to top the field of 36 entries and shatter Jeremy McWilliams’ lap record of 1:53.545.
Cory West was second-best with a time of 1:53.931 on his Team Saddlemen Harley-Davidson Pan America.
O’Hara’s new teammate, Australian Superbike Champion Troy Herfoss was third-quickest with a 1:54.410.
West’s teammates Travis Wyman (1:54.609) and Jake Lewis (1:55.050) were fourth and fifth, respectively, in Q1.
24_1_DAY_RSD_Q1_res
TOBC TRIUMPH RETURN TO DAYTONA 200
The TOBC – Triumph racing team, supported by FreedomRoad Financial, returns to the Daytona 200 this weekend with Danny Eslick back on the track for another year.
Heading in to 2024, the TOBC – Triumph team have come together to reinforce the competitiveness of the TOBC Triumph team and the Street Triple. This also makes two teams supported by FreedomRoad Financial in the legendary race this weekend. Eslick will once again pilot a Triumph Street Triple, which powered his TOBC teammate to the top of the 2022 podium and now has five seasons of outstanding performance and reliability as the exclusive engine in the Moto2™ World Championship.
A victory for Danny Eslick would put the veteran racer in the company of few, tied for most wins all-time with five. Lindsay has already made history as the only female team owner to reach the top of the Daytona 200 podium, and a 5th win would further add to her legacy.
Michelle Lindsay – Owner, TOBC Racing
“I am excited to bring TOBC Racing back for another opportunity to compete in the Daytona 200 thanks to the support from Triumph and FreedomRoad Financial. It takes a team, and we wouldn’t’ be here without everyone working together to make it happen.”
Rod Lopusnak – General Manager, Triumph Motorcycles America
“The Daytona 200 continues to capture the world’s attention among racing events across the globe, As we gear up for the upcoming race, our focus remains on showcasing the unparalleled power and agility of the Triumph Street Triple and its 765 three-cylinder engine. Backed by Michelle and her TOBC Racing team, alongside the skills of Danny, we present a formidable force on the track. We extend our gratitude to FreedomRoad Financial for their unwavering support. Together, we aim to secure another victory and add to our legacy.”
Tom Collins – Managing Director, FreedomRoad Financial
“We are proud to have Triumph as our longest tenured OEM relationship as we’ve been their retail finance partner since 2008. We continue to be proud of the team’s performance on and off the track and we are excited to support them again in 2024.”
More, from a press release issued by TOBC Racing Owner Michele Lindsay:
When the band gets Themselves back together.
The phrase “Let’s get the band back together” resonates with many, but for me, as the team owner of TOBC racing, this year presented immense challenges. Balancing a battle with stage 4 Pancreatic cancer, a demanding yet fulfilling career, and the joys of parenthood with a newborn son made the idea of racing impossible. I firmly believe in giving my all and dedicating 150% to my commitments, and my team deserves nothing less. The Daytona 200 was just not in the cards for 2024. Despite two attempts to sell the team and infrastructure, life had other plans.
The inception of TOBC was fueled by the passion of our founder, Jon Couch, who had a deep love for racing and a commitment to building a family-like team culture both on and off the track. After his unexpected and sudden passing in 2014, I purchased and took on the responsibility of leading his team to carry forward his legacy. Jon’s philosophy of treating team members like family led to remarkable achievements, including three full MotoAmerica seasons, finishing second, and fourth twice in the 1000 Superstock Championship, top 10 in Superbike, and four Daytona 200 victories, on three brands with two riders. His passion became my own, and with the support of my husband Myles Wilson, we continued the team for another six years.
The love for racing never truly fades, but for the sake of our growing family, I made a promise to focus on my career, health, and most importantly, nurturing my role as a mother to baby Holden, born shortly after the 2023 Daytona 200.
In late January this year, the reality of NOT being at the 200 sank in. I called Harry Houck, who became an invaluable member of the team at Daytona in October of 2021. I asked him, “How do I make peace with NOT being there?”
His response was nothing short of surprising.
“I have been waiting for this call, Boss,” he said, “Let ME run it…let me get the team to the 200.”
His unexpected offer to lead the team to the 200 this year was touching, but knowing all that goes into it and Harry being a new father himself, I had doubts about its feasibility.
A few weeks went by without news, and I resigned myself to TOBC Racing’s absence from the 82nd running of Daytona 200. Then, a few days later, a call from Harry changed everything.
“It’s happening, Boss. The team is committed and covering their expenses to be there.”
Team members for TOBC come from as far as Norway, so this is no small feat.
Tears filled my eyes as gratitude washed over me. The camaraderie and dedication of my team and sponsors over the past decade proved truly exceptional.
Approaching my 11th year at the Daytona 200 (my 10th year running it) with the chance to secure Danny Eslick’s fifth win, my heart swells with gratitude and anticipation unique to Daytona.
Few team members now knew or had the opportunity to work with Jon, but carrying over the values and legacy of a family team and culture from Jon’s days, to mine, has now carried over yet again to Harry running it much the same. It makes a person feel like they did something right in the world. I am so incredibly honored.
I express heartfelt thanks to my team and sponsors for making this journey possible, not just for me, but for Danny as well. Most of all to Harry and his family….who is just passionate and crazy enough to take the torch and run with it!
Special thanks to Treemendous Tree Care, Triumph Motorcycles, Wild MFG, Pirelli Tires, K-Tech, Michael Matassa, sponsor of the Daytona Beach IFBB Pro-Am Body Building Competition, Full Spectrum Power, and our long-term sponsor and friend, Mark Matovina of Daytona-based Politus and Matovina Attorney’s at Law.
Your unwavering support has turned this dream into a reality.
TOBC has always embodied dedication and heart. I can’t believe I/we get to be here again, this time with my son fielding a bike at the iconic World Center of Racing. It is surreal. Can’t wait to see you there!
