Morning Report: Daytona
Saturday, March 10, 2012 | 12:55 PM
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It’s a beautiful day here at Daytona, and everyone seems to be excited to go racing. After so many weekends in the stadiums, Daytona provides a nice change of scenery. Even riding during the week gets a new feel, as a lot of riders get out of the California grind and head to the Sunshine State to test of some different terrain.
But all that nice stuff goes away once the racing begins. The Daytona track looks gnarly and nasty already, but the weather may really have an impact. Heavy rain yesterday has left this place pretty soaked, and that will lead to rough, rutted conditions. Said BTOSports.com/BBMXS’s Jimmy Albertson of one on-off section: “This should be the classic peg dragger to endo city section right here.”
Veteran two-time SX Champion Jeff Ward explained, “At this track, the fastest lap time is just going to go to the guy who makes the least mistakes every lap.”
The track also features two of the now famous Daytona Gator Pits, with a dug out section of dirt followed by a wall. This is the type of section that James Stewart jumped over last year—which was spectacular. But then he crashed in a different spot last year while leading.
Left side...
...and right side of the track.
A Gator Pit.
Weege pics
Stewart is looking to get his day started on a fun note by running his old school #259 on his JGR/Toyota Yamaha—it’s legal to do that in the first five-minute free practice session. He’ll revert to the #7 for actual qualifying and racing.
Bam!
Also, Ricky Carmichael will make his return in today's free practice. Well, just for practice. RC will be taking a lap of the track duirng opening ceremonies so he needs a few practice laps to dial it in.
Meanwhile, Ryan Dungey’s Red Bull KTM bike sits in the pits, a sad sign that Dungey will not be here racing due to a broken collarbone.
The weather report shows a small chance of showers this morning and afternoon, with everything clearing up by the night show. The weather today shouldn’t be a problem, but the rain yesterday could still have an impact on how tonight’s track develops. We will see!
Only at Daytona: teams pull bikes and parts out of the haulers and work inside the NASCAR garages.
A riderless KTM. Bummer.
Weege pics
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Sounds like a job for K-DUB!!!
It would take a lot of things to happen for K-Dub to pull off a win... Would be cool but very big odd's. Corse if its a mud bath anything can happen.
Absolute downpour at the track right now. I'm predicting shortened practices and shortened race. A moisture moto...
that sucks its pouring here in texas too otherwise id be on my bike and not my couch
Weege..........that last pic is all your fault!!! j/k man.
Rocky will sweep the lites
KTM should put David Knight on Dunge's bike it could be an enduro.
@Claxton I doubt RC 's lap times will be that great.He hasn't raced in like 5 or 6 years.
Fricken' rain.... RC was only out there during the first untimed practice, looked good out there. The track was going to be ok until this downpour just soaked it.
Fred, RC was going pretty damn fast. He still rides quite a bit
so
So bummed that Dungey is out, probably not half as bummed as KTM and Roger Decoster. If Stewart can't at least finish second, we"ll know there is something more going on than just bad starts. With the bad weather, Windham could have his best finish of the season.
"It's a beautiful day here in daytona....." uh weege? look outside.
Hope JS does not see the #4 out there and go haywire!!
Looks like one of those any thing can happen races...Daytona's the place to make history...lets have two first time winners....Good luck to all in Muddsville...
Lets start the "RC is making a comeback" train going now and see if he gets the itch!
gator pits! they shoulda left the start blacktop...there was blacktop in that video from racerhead of the 79 daytona. ;)
Any day you're alive and can ride, attend, watch, or race is a beautiful day.
Hey Roger I am a good mud rider just fly the lear jet out here I think the Mckeney TX airport is close enough for me! I wil just hide my broken foot and crutches,
On second thought Soon as the rain lets up here in Plano I am gona get me some beer It wil work for Fred and myself it is a mess cleaning up after a muder.
Gona be a surprize winner tonight, gota get ahold of my bookie?
I was pumped to see JS back to 259. To bad I didn't know it was only for practice :(
stewart 1:21
KW: 1:24.4
RV : 1:24.5
Anyone seen JS7 shirt. Sponsored says Kangaroo Express LMFAO You know JS7 is gonna race like a KAngaroo tonight. $100 says Stewart dominates Daytona.
Hey Welker....remember a track called Rabbitt Run???
Really, Really, Really bummed about "the Dunge"! Weege put the HooDoo JuJu on him. How many times have you been travellin' at a "good" pace on the interstate for an extended period of time, then someone in the car "SAYS" Hey, haven't seen a cop all day......we all know what inevitably happens next!!! Thats what Weege did to the Dunge. My opinion only, just sayin'......
Hopefully "the Dunge " will be back real soon. Get healthy Ryan......
K-Dub is perfect for a win tonight. Just refer back to 2008...
@ Golyoda Yes I do I raced ther my second week i moved to TX in 78 used to go practice there also. stil have my card and sticker. Won the first moto in the intermidiate class then second moto my trany locked in 3rd gear stil got 2nd overall. I used to jump that ditch after the camelhump to flat ground.
@Welker....I raced there, and many other tracks in the DFW area from 72-78. Rabbitt Run was one of the few AMA points paying tracks in the DFW area. It was the host of at least 2 Trans-AMA's, one of which was a serious mudder which Adolf Weil won on his Maico.
I owned the Open Intermediate and then the Open Expert class every time I raced there. I won the Area (TX,OK,MS,LA,AR,MS) Qualifier for the 1977 Amateur National Championship held at Rabbitt Run, and then took 7th O/A at Red Bud for the Regional qualification race and qualified for the Final at Lake Sugar tree.
Lot-O-Memories in North Texas Motocross!
@Golfyoda I probably know ya and you know one ov my if your initials are RF and my friends are KM he used to riede with ya, hint he rode to rabit run on his tm125 smoked the novice class then next wek smoked the 125 intermiates rode his bike from Rener TX are you who I think you are?
@Welker...No, my initials are CB, and I raced for Irving Suzuki from 75 to mid 77 with the nickname "ROCK" on the back of my leathers. Then I raced for Kimbrell Maico from 77 to late 78 when stopped racing. My number was 616........
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