DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Construction began Monday, Feb. 26 in the tri-oval area between pit road and the start/finish line to create the course for the Daytona Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, scheduled for Saturday night, March 10.
For the 11th straight year, Supercross legend Ricky Carmichael returns as the course designer and Bomber Built, owned by three-time AMA 125cc National Motocross Champion Mark Barnett, is building the course. Five-time DAYTONA Monster Energy Supercross champion Carmichael retired from supercross in 2007 as the most decorated rider in history with 15 AMA championships and 150 wins.
This year’s Ricky Carmichael Signature Design course places the starting gate at the center of pit road with competitors racing in a clockwise direction, both of which are changes from last year.
Daytona International Speedway has been hosting the DAYTONA Monster Energy Supercross since 1971, making it the longest continuous supercross event in America. Two-time defending race champion Eli Tomac is looking to add his name to the record books of the illustrious event by becoming only the fourth rider to claim three consecutive victories in the 450 main (Jeff Stanton, 1989-92; Mike Kiedrowski, 1993-95; Ricky Carmichael, 2000-03).
Here’s a look at some of the numbers behind the construction of this year’s DAYTONA Monster Energy Supercross course:
300 – Truckloads of dirt
6,600 – Tons of dirt
12 – Trucks used to transport the dirt into the Speedway
2 – Days to bring all of the dirt into the track
40 – Obstacles on the DAYTONA Monster Energy Supercross course
647 – Tuff Blox
3,200 – Length in feet of the Supercross course
900– Man-hours (approximate) to set up the DAYTONA Monster Energy Supercross course
In addition, two crawlers, two front loaders, two bulldozers, three skid steers, one sheepsfoot, one roller, one grader and two excavators are used to move the dirt during construction.
The supercross pits will be staged in the blue garages, located adjacent to the UNOH Fanzone through which fans can access the pits from noon to 6 p.m. – admission is included with your race ticket.
Also returning in 2018 will be the ninth annual Ricky Carmichael Daytona Amateur Supercross. Scheduled for Sunday, March 11 and Monday, March 12, amateur supercross racers will have an opportunity to test their skills on the same course used in the DAYTONA Monster Energy Supercross. Following the Ricky Carmichael Daytona Amateur Supercross will be the fourth annual FLY Racing ATV Supercross on Tuesday, March 13.
American Flat Track held the inaugural DAYTONA TT last year, moving their event from the quarter-mile oval outside Turns 1 and 2 into the stadium and onto a TT course which consists of left- and right-hand turns and a jump; this course is built underneath the supercross course to assist with the quick turnaround following the supercross events. On Thursday, March 15, riders will take on a course that is bigger and faster than last year’s and includes a 6-foot jump – the largest jump the riders will navigate this season.
Tickets for all Bike Week At DAYTONA events are now on sale at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. General admission tickets for DAYTONA Monster Energy Supercross start at $60 and youth tickets (ages 6-12) are $15; kids five and under are free in general admission stadium seating. Fans can upgrade their Supercross experience and get closer to the action than anywhere else on the circuit with Trackside Access which allows them to view the races from the frontstretch of the Speedway’s famous tri-oval. Trackside Access is an additional $20 and kids 5 and under are free.
Fans can stay up to speed on the latest news by using #DAYTONASX and #BikeWeek. Stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and Snapchat, and by downloading Daytona International Speedway’s mobile app, for the latest Speedway news throughout the season.
