Daytona 200
- For the NASCAR race, see Daytona 500.
The Daytona 200 is a 68-lap, 200 mile (322 km) motorcycle race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.
History
The race evolved from a 3.2-mile (5.15 km) beach racing venue in 1937 to the 2-mile (3.2 km) Daytona International Speedway course in 1961.
Due to increasing concerns over speeds and reconstruction of the West Banking (NASCAR Turns 1 and 2) after the 2004 season, Daytona made two changes for 2005. First, the premier AMA Superbike class race was changed from 200 miles (322 km) to 100 kilometers (62 miles), and the Formula Xtreme class was promoted to the Daytona 200. Second, the track configuration was changed such that the motorcycles would run through a short link after passing the Pedro Rodriguez hairpin, then run across the International Horseshoe anticlockwise, and then pass through the infield, rejoining the track on the Superstretch. This eliminated a half mile from the track, eliminated the west banking segment of the course, and thus increased the number of laps required for the race.
The race has been one of the toughest in American motorcycling because of its endurance-like qualities of pit stops for tires and fuel, and safety car periods, and nine FIM world champions, including seven 500cc/MotoGP World Champions -- six Americans and one Italian -- have won the race. Of recent American world champions, only Kenny Roberts, Jr. did not win the Daytona 200. Finnish and Venezuelan FIM world champions in smaller classes have also won the 200.
Scott Russell and Miguel Duhamel are tied for most Daytona 200 wins at five each. It should be noted that Russell, known by the nickname "Mr. Daytona"[1] because of his achievements at the famed track, won all his Daytona races in the Superbike class (750-1000cc). Duhamel's fifth victory came in the new-for-2005 class, Forumula Xtreme (600cc) [2].
Steve Rapp's 2007 victory was the first win for Kawasaki since 1995 and the first win for a non-factory rider since John Ashmead won in 1989 [3].
Winners
| Year | Rider | Country | Manufacturer | Class | Course |
| 2007 | Steve Rapp |  United States |
Kawasaki | Formula Xtreme | 2.95 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 2006 | Jake Zemke | United States |
Honda | Formula Xtreme | 2.95 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 2005 | Miguel Duhamel |  Canada |
Honda | Formula Xtreme | 2.95 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 2004 | Mat Mladin |  Australia |
Suzuki | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| Miguel Duhamel | Canada |
Honda | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course | |
| 2002 | Nicky Hayden | United States |
Honda | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 2001 | Mat Mladin | Australia |
Suzuki | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 2000 | Mat Mladin | Australia |
Suzuki | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1999 | Miguel Duhamel | Canada |
Honda | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1998 | Scott Russell | United States |
Yamaha | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1997 | Scott Russell | United States |
Yamaha | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1996 | Miguel Duhamel | Canada |
Honda | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1995 | Scott Russell | United States |
Kawasaki | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1994 | Scott Russell | United States |
Kawasaki | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1993 | Eddie Lawson | United States |
Yamaha | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1992 | Scott Russell | United States |
Kawasaki | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1991 | Miguel Duhamel | Canada |
Honda | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1990 | David Sadowski | United States |
Yamaha | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1989 | John Ashmead | United States |
Honda | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1988 | Kevin Schwantz | United States |
Suzuki | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1987 | Wayne Rainey | United States |
Honda | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1986 | Eddie Lawson | United States |
Yamaha | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1985 | Freddie Spencer | United States |
Honda | Superbike | 3.56 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1984 | Kenny Roberts | United States |
Yamaha | Formula 1 | 3.87 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1983 | Kenny Roberts | United States |
Yamaha | Formula 1 | 3.87 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1982 | Graeme Crosby |  |
Yamaha | Formula 1 | 3.87 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1981 | Dale Singleton | United States |
Yamaha | Formula 1 | 3.87 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1980 | Patrick Pons |  France |
Yamaha | Formula 1 | 3.87 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1979 | Dale Singleton | United States |
Yamaha | Formula 1 | 3.87 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1978 | Kenny Roberts | United States |
Yamaha | Formula 1 | 3.87 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1977 | Steve Baker | United States |
Yamaha | Formula 1 | 3.87 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1976 | Johnny Cecotto |  Venezuela |
Yamaha | -- | 3.87 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1975 | Gene Romero | United States |
Yamaha | -- | 3.84 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1974 | Giacomo Agostini |  Italy |
Yamaha | -- | 3.84 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1973 | Jarno Saarinen |  Finland |
Yamaha | -- | 3.84 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1972 | Don Emde | United States |
Yamaha | -- | 3.81 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1971 | Dick Mann | United States |
BSA | -- | 3.81 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1970 | Dick Mann | United States |
Honda | -- | 3.81 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1969 | Cal Rayborn | United States |
Harley-Davidson | -- | 3.81 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1968 | Cal Rayborn | United States |
Harley-Davidson | -- | 3.81 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1967 | Gary Nixon | United States |
Triumph | -- | 3.81 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1966 | Buddy Elmore | United States |
Triumph | -- | 3.81 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1965 | Roger Reiman | United States |
Harley-Davidson | -- | 3.81 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1964 | Roger Reiman | United States |
Harley-Davidson | -- | 3.81 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1963 | Ralph White | United States |
Harley-Davidson | -- | 2 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1962 | Don Burnett | United States |
Triumph | -- | 2 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1961 | Roger Reiman | United States |
Harley-Davidson | -- | 2 mile Daytona Speedway/Infield Course |
| 1960 | Brad Andres | United States |
Harley-Davidson | -- | 4.1 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1959 | Brad Andres | United States |
Harley-Davidson | -- | 4.1 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1958 | Joe Leonard | United States |
Harley-Davidson | -- | 4.1 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1957 | Joe Leonard | United States |
Harley-Davidson | -- | 4.1 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1956 | John Gibson | United States |
Harley-Davidson | -- | 4.1 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1955 | Brad Andres | United States |
Harley-Davidson | -- | 4.1 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1954 | Bobby Hill | United States |
BSA | -- | 4.1 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1953 | Paul Goldsmith | United States |
Harley-Davidson | -- | 4.1 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1952 | Dick Klamfoth | United States |
Norton | -- | 4.1 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1951 | Dick Klamfoth | United States |
Norton | -- | 4.1 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1950 | Billy Mathews | Canada |
Norton | -- | 4.1 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1949 | Dick Klamfoth | United States |
Norton | -- | 4.1 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1948 | Floyd Emde | United States |
Indian | -- | 4.1 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1947 | John Spiegelhoff | United States |
Indian | -- | 3.2 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| The event was not run between 1942 and 1946 due to World War II[4] | |||||
| 1941 | Billy Mathews | Canada |
Norton | -- | 3.2 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1940 | Babe Tancrede | United States |
Harley-Davidson | -- | 3.2 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1939 | Ben Campanale | United States |
Harley-Davidson | -- | 3.2 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1938 | Ben Campanale | United States |
Harley-Davidson | -- | 3.2 mile Daytona Beach Course |
| 1937 | Ed Kretz | United States |
Indian | -- | 3.2 mile Daytona Beach Course |
See also
References
- ^ "Mr. Daytona Bids Farewell", SuperbikePlanet.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-07.
- ^ "A Moment With Mat: Can Somebody Please Explain...", SuperbikePlanet.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-07.
- ^ "DIS Release: Rapp Wins 2007 D200", SuperbikePlanet.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-10.
- ^ The Chamber, Daytona Beach Halifax Area website
External links
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