Press Release | March 12, 2022
Saturday
TOBC Racing’s Brandon Paasch executed his Daytona 200 plan to perfection, loitering around at the back of a four-rider pack until the time was right to pull the trigger on his Triumph Speed Triple RS. As it turns out, the 20-year-old had just the right amount of ammo at his disposal. He exited the chicane in fourth place, went down low on the banking, and started making moves until delivering the final dagger with a double-draft pass on Cameron Petersen and Sheridan Morais at the finish to win his second successive Daytona 200 – this one by just .007 of a second.
Paasch had spent his afternoon lurking at the back of the lead group – no matter how many riders it consisted of. But when it came down to his final pit stop, the only way he was going to be in a position to battle for victory was to take on just fuel and not tires.
Paasch pulled the perfect slipstream on the line to seal a second Daytona 200 win.
The New Jerseyan got in and out of the pits quickly and found himself just behind the duo of SYNTAINICS Racing’s Morais and Squid Hunter’s Josh Hayes, the pair smartly squabbling over second and all the while pulling themselves to the back of Petersen, the South African alone and helpless as he watched his four-second lead evaporate all too quickly. Suddenly, it was a four-rider race to the finish and the man at the back was the man at the front when he needed to be. At the finish.
Paasch beat Attack Performance Yamaha’s Petersen by .007 with Morais third, another .057 behind, with Hayes fourth and .126 of a second from victory.
Fifth place went to Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante, some 46 seconds behind Paasch, but well clear of four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick on the second TOBC Racing Triumph.
TSE Racing’s Harry Truelove, who races in the British Superbike Series, was just a tick behind Eslick at the finish and some eight seconds ahead of Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Geoff May. Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim and Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Josh Herrin rounded out the top 10.
Pole-sitter Herrin was in the lead group when he ran out of fuel on his way to the first pit stop, coasting to pit lane and losing gobs of time in the process; and 2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne, who qualified third-fastest, lasted only a few laps in the 200 before pulling out due to back pain from his crash in the morning warm-up session.
Paasch averaged 113.162 mph in winning the race and he also set the fastest lap of the race, a 1:49.959, en route to snagging his second Rolex watch.
Paasch, who gave Yamaha its 27th victory in the 2021 Daytona 200, brought Triumph its fifth victory in the 200 and the first since Eslick won on a TOBC Triumph in 2014.
The race was red-flagged on the seventh lap when Jose Lloreda crashed exiting the chicane, leaving debris on the racetrack.
Mission King Of The Baggers
Jeremy McWilliams stunned everyone with a brilliant King of The Baggers win.
It seems that no matter what kind of motorcycle you race at Daytona International Speedway, strategy and timing are so important on the run to the checkered flag.
In Saturday’s Mission King Of The Baggers race two, Ulsterman Jeremy McWilliams made a perfect pass, at the perfect time, to take the victory. The Mission Foods/S&S Cycle Indian Challenger racer has competed on all kinds of motorcycles, and in road races all over the world (including Daytona nearly 20 years ago), and he put his experience and racecraft to good use when he rocketed past Roland Sands Design Indian rider Bobby Fong, who was in the lead on the final lap. With the finish line in sight, McWilliams’ teammate Tyler O’Hara also drafted past Fong to take second place, relegating Fong to third. It was an all-Indian podium in the Harley-Davidson versus Indian Big Twin racing series.
Twins Cup
Hayden Schultz just made it over the line for the Twins Cup win
The final event of the day was in Twins Cup, and their second race of the weekend was, once again, action-packed. Fluid on the track caused multiple riders to crash on the opening lap, and the race was red-flagged and restarted with a five-lap sprint to the checkers. Eight riders were at the front and in it to win as the laps wound down. At the checkered flag, Cycle Tech Yamaha rider Hayden Schultz got the win, which was the first of his MotoAmerica career. Veloce Racing Aprilia’s Jody Barry finished second, just .241 of a second behind Schultz, and Italian expatriate Tommaso Marcon, .256 of a second behind Barry, rounded out the podium in third in a wild-card ride for Robem Engineering Aprilia.
2022 Daytona 200 Results
| 1 |
Brandon Paasch |
(Triumph) |
|
| 2 |
Cameron Petersen |
(Yamaha) |
|
| 3 |
Sheridan Morais |
(Yamaha) |
|
| 4 |
Josh Hayes |
(Yamaha) |
|
| 5 |
Richie Escalante |
(Suzuki) |
|
| 6 |
Danny Eslick |
(Triumph) |
|
| 7 |
Harry Truelove |
(Yamaha) |
|
| 8 |
Geoff May |
(Suzuki) |
|
| 9 |
Hayden Gillim |
(Suzuki) |
|
| 10 |
Josh Herrin |
(Ducati) |
` |
Friday
Warhorse HSBK Ducati NYC’s Josh Herrin earned pole position for tomorrow’s 80th running of the Daytona 200, giving Ducati its first pole at Daytona International Speedway since Eric Bostrom did so on a Ducati 999 in 2004.
Herrin nabbed pole position with his 1:50.088 lap during the 15-minute Time Attack session that featured the fastest 12 riders after the two qualifying sessions.
“I came here two years ago and obviously it wasn’t a MotoAmerica race then, but we got pole, then we got it taken away and then the race got canceled so it was a big bummer,” a happy Herrin said. “For me I’ve always wanted to get pole because from a young age if you got pole here, you got the Rolex. I won the race and didn’t get the Rolex and didn’t get pole back then. It was super important for me to try and get it on pole… just for confidence and to get those guys thinking a bit about us having speed, especially without a draft. I was looking for the draft that whole lap and couldn’t get it, so I just put my head down and pushed extra hard in the infield and was able to get it. I’m happy to get it, happy for the HSBK Warhorse Ducati team and to put the V2 up on pole. I’m ready for the race tomorrow.”
Herrin left it to the last minute to steal pole.
Herrin’s best on his Ducati Panigale V2 was just .010 of a second faster than SYNTAINICS Racing team’s Sheridan Morais, the South African doing a one-off ride in the MotoAmerica series on his team’s Yamaha YZF-R6.
Attack Performance Yamaha’s Jake Gagne will join Herrin and Morais on the front row, the 2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Champion clocking a 1:50.405.
Defending Daytona 200 Champion Brandon Paasch and his TOBC Racing Triumph will lead the second row where he will be joined by Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante and Attack Performance Yamaha’s Cameron Petersen.
TOBC Racing Triumph’s Danny Eslick, Max Angles Racing Team’s Max Angles and BobbleHeadMoto/N2 Racing’s Kevin Olmedo rounded out the top-10 qualifiers for tomorrow’s Daytona 200.
Mission King Of The Baggers
The 2022 Mission King Of The Baggers Championship started its season with the Big Twins competing for the first time ever at Daytona International Speedway. And, on the first day of racing, the series also had another first: the Mission King Of The Baggers Challenge, which was a three-lap dash-for-cash with a $5000 prize going to the winner. Mission Foods/S&S Cycle/Indian Challenger Team’s Tyler O’Hara made a classic Daytona last-lap move and drafted past both H-D Screamin’ Eagle Road Glide teammates Travis and Kyle Wyman to win the Challenge.
Ironically, O’Hara made almost the same exact pass on the final lap of the eight-lap Mission King Of The Baggers race one, and he passed the same two riders, Travis and Kyle Wyman, who finished second and third, respectively.
O’Hara used the grunt of the Indian Challenger to rip past both Wyman brothers at the finish.
“There were areas where I was stronger than them, and areas where they were stronger than me,” O’Hara said. “Hats off to both these guys. They rode awesome. I have the utmost respect for both of them. They race hard and clean. Kyle’s (Wyman) bag opened up on the last lap. I was looking at his bag. Waiting if something was going to fly out of there and maybe slow him down a little bit. Just getting to be where I was in the race, honestly coming out of six on the last lap I did not know if I had enough to make it happen. These things punch such a big hole in the air, it’s like drafting a car. Then they pulled out and went side by side. I went into the bus stop and went in there super deep, and then got pretty close to Travis (Wyman). Kyle, the last lap he ripped through there. I was like, ‘Oh, boy. Here we go. I don’t think I’ve got this.’ Then, basically, thank God there was a huge headwind and crosswind. I had enough run to where I could just keep momentum. I pulled right off of Travis and just was able to lead the last lap. It was really everything I had to make it happen. This race in particular, I really didn’t know what to expect, just with kind of where we were at the test. I knew we had some work to do. We had to find something. We brought Jeremy McWilliams onto the team, and he’s just the most articulate and best partner, teammate you can have for developing this bike. So, we took some major steps. Even yesterday in the first practice, Kyle was ripping, and I was like, ‘Oh, boy. I’m three-and-a-half seconds back. I’ve got to figure something out,’ because I just wasn’t comfortable. I was out there riding around just going for it. I’ve got to thank my whole team. To be representing the Indian Motorcycle brand, America’s first motorcycle company, it’s just such a legendary, iconic brand. I want to thank Daytona for giving us this opportunity and MotoAmerica and everybody. It’s like a dream.”
Twins Cup
With 35 riders taking to the grid and first-time Daytona competitor Ben Gloddy on the pole and aboard his Robem Engineering Aprilia, Twins Cup race one was poised to bring the action… and it certainly did.
The battle at the front came down to an Aprilia versus Yamaha sprint, and 15-year-old N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto rider Blake Davis took the lead. Despite the fact that being at the front on the final lap of a race at Daytona, combined with the added pressure that Davis had never raced on the high banks before, the youngster kept himself clear of his pursuers and took the checkered flag for his first-ever MotoAmerica race win.
The Twins Cup race was an absolute bar brawl on wheels.
“At first I didn’t have the pace and they just kept getting away from me, and I’d have to draft back up to them on the straight,” Davis said. Then I started getting into my groove. I think I got a little nudge in turn six, and it kind of threw me off a little bit. I had to catch back up. Just kept having a few little moments, then I got calmed down and started working my way to the front. I tried to stay in the top four or five for a few laps. Then the last two or three laps, I was just trying to put my head down and get a gap. I don’t think I really got much of a gap, but it feels really amazing to be up here. Can’t thank everyone enough.”
Second place went to Gloddy’s Robem Engineering Aprilia teammate Teagg Hobbs, and Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing Aprilia’s Anthony Mazziotto finished third after emerging mostly unscathed from a hair-raising moment out on the Daytona banking. Mazziotto got too close to the wall, made contact, rode partially up the wall, then shot across the track and made contact with two other riders. Miraculously, neither Mazziotto nor the other two riders went down, and the New Jerseyan was able to recover and round out the podium.
Roland Sands Design’s Super Hooligan
Roland Sands Design’s Super Hooligan National Championship concluded the day’s racing with their first event of the season, and KTM/DiBrino Racing’s Andy DiBrino got the win after starting on the pole. Notably, it was the Washington State resident’s first visit to Daytona International Speedway. He was bookended on the podium by Indian riders Cory West (Saddlemen/Lloyd’z Garage) in second and Tyler O’Hara (Roland Sands Design) in third.
DiBrino (62) took the Super Hooligan win.
DiBrino barely nipped West at the finish line by .077 of a second, and O’Hara was only .272 of a second behind West.
“It’s my first time here,” DiBrino said. “I did my best watching some videos and talking to folks. I’ve got two of the best guys in Daytona right here. Tyler, I was watching some XR1200 stuff with him. Obviously, Cory (West), he’s been up there before. It was a tall order to go up against these guys. They’ve got a lot of experience. Honestly, I think it was just a little bit of luck. I couldn’t break away from Cory, so I just kind of tried to ride smart. I had somewhat of a plan that last lap, but it was also just a gamble. It could have been any one of us. I’ve just got to give a big thank you to KTM USA, Eric, my mom and dad, my girlfriend, Motul, MotoSport.com. Just a lot of people stepping up to help me. I have some great support, but I worked my butt off to be here, and I’m just super thankful.”
2022 Daytona 200 Qualifying
| 1 |
Josh Herrin |
(Duc) |
1:50.088 |
| 2 |
Sheridan Morais |
(Yam) |
1:50.098 |
| 3 |
Jake Gagne |
(Yam) |
1:50.405 |
| 4 |
Brandon Paasch |
(Tri) |
1:50.571 |
| 5 |
Richie Escalante |
(Suz) |
1:50.957 |
| 6 |
Cameron Petersen |
(Yam) |
1:964 |
| 7 |
Josh Hayes |
(Yam) |
1:51.011 |
| 8 |
Danny Eslick |
(Tri) |
1:51.107 |
| 9 |
Max Angles |
(Kaw) |
1:51.134 |
| 10 |
Kevin Olmedo |
(Yam) |
1:51.452 |
Thursday
Cameron Petersen had never seen Daytona International Speedway and he hasn’t raced a 600cc middleweight motorcycle in seven years, but it didn’t stop him from emerging from a day of ever-changing weather to record the fastest lap on Thursday in preparation for Saturday’s 80th running of the Daytona 200.
Attack Performance Yamaha’s Petersen lapped the 3.56-mile road course in 1:50.544 to nab provisional pole position for Saturday’s 200 on his Yamaha YZF-R6. Petersen led a South African one-two on Thursday with SYNTAINICS Racing Team’s Sheridan Morais ending the session in second, just .310 of a second behind. Squid Hunter Yamaha’s Josh Hayes was the last rider in the 1:50s as he completed the provisional front row with a 1:50.956.
“It’s a trip, honestly,” Petersen said of his first time lapping the high banks of Daytona International Speedway. “My first session out, I left the pits with all the fast guys and the first thing they did was go to the top of the bank, so I went up there with them. It took me a good two laps to hold it wide open through there. It’s a bit of a trip. Honestly, it’s just so fun. I’m having so much fun around this place. It’s a very easy track but so much fun.”
Cameron Petersen clocked the fastest time on a rain-interrupted Friday at Daytona.
Petersen was obviously surprised at taking provisional pole on his first day at the Speedway.
“I came in and I know that they’ve had some issues with timing and scoring and stuff today, so I came in and saw my number at the top of the board,” Petersen said. “I was just like… something’s wrong, Even Richard (team owner, Stanboli) said, ‘There’s no way, there’s no way you’re quickest.’ They confirmed it and I still can’t believe it. I just put myself in the right place and got the perfect lap and the perfect tow behind Shez (Morais). It was good and I’m looking forward to the rest of it.”
Josh Herrin made his Warhorse HSBK Ducati NYC debut at the Speedway today and ended the qualifying session in fourth just ahead of the defending Daytona 200 Champion Brandon Paasch and his TOBC Triumph teammate Danny Eslick, with the four-time Daytona 200 winner ending the day in sixth.
BobbleHeadMoto/N2 Racing’s Kevin Olmedo, Attack Performance Yamaha’s Jake Gagne, and Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki teammates Geoff May and Samuel Lochoff rounded out the top 10.
Current King of The Baggers, Kyle Wyman, was fastest on Friday on the factory Harley.
The Mission King Of The Baggers class was rained out of its first qualifying session, but that was after defending series champion Kyle Wyman led morning practice over his H-D Screamin’ Eagle factory teammate and brother, Travis Wyman. Kyle Wyman lapped at a best of 1:57.814, .846 of a second faster than Travis.
Vance & Hines Racing’s James Rispoli was third-fastest followed by Mission Foods/S&S Cycle/Indian Challenger Team’s Jeremy McWilliams and Roland Sands Design’s Bobby Fong.
2022 Daytona 200 Results—Qualifying 1
| 1 |
Cameron Petersen |
(Yam) |
1:50.544 |
| 2 |
Sheridan Morais |
(Yamaha) |
1:50.854 |
| 3 |
Josh Hayes |
(Yam) |
1:50.956 |
| 4 |
Josh Herrin |
(Duc) |
1:51.048 |
| 5 |
Brandon Paasch |
(Tri) |
1:51.313 |
| 6 |
Danny Eslick |
(Tri) |
1:51.472 |
| 7 |
Kevin Olmedo |
(Yam) |
1:51.632 |
| 8 |
Jake Gagne |
(Yam) |
1:52.121 |
| 9 |
Geoff May |
(Suz) |
1:52.344 |
| 10 |
Samuel Lochoff |
(Suz) |
1:52.391 |
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