Daytona International Speedway has long been considered the Mecca of motor racing. As such, about forty years ago, it welcomed what came to be the premier off-road motorcycle racing series onto its infield; AMA Supercross. Now, the venue’s record books read like a who’s who of the legends of this sport, with names like Jeff Stanton, Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael, James Stewart, Chad Reed, David Bailey, Rick Johnson, Mike Kiedrowski and more all recording wins at this historic facility. And now, you. With the Monster Energy Ricky Carmichael Amateur SX taking place, you no longer have to be one of the sport’s elite racers to become a winner at Daytona. Over the next two days, we will cover this event in this blog right here on Racer X Online, so sit right back, and keep hitting refresh to catch the latest goings on from the famous Daytona infield.
450 A/Pro Sport Heat 1: Jace Owen – SUZ
450 B Heat 1: Donny Brown – KTM
450 C (14-21) Heat 1: Denton West – KAW, Heat 2: Nicholas Jones – KAW
450 C (22+) Heat 1: Joseph Kundrot – YAM
250 A/Pro Sport Heat 1: RJ Hampshire – HON
250 B Heat 1: Jeremy Smith – HON, Heat 2: Jeff Walker – HON
250 C (12-16) Heat 1: Bryce Mauldin – KTM, Heat 2: Nicholas Jones – KAW
College (17-24) Heat 1: Wifredo Guzman – HON, Heat 2: Jeff Walker – HON
Junior 25+ Heat 1: Andrew Matusek – SUZ
Vet A 35+ Heat 1: John Grewe – KAW
Vet B/C 35+ Heat 1: Chad Murphy – KAW
Senior A 40+ Heat 1: Barry Carsten – SUZ
Senior B/C 40+ Heat 1: Lance Richotte – KAW, Heat 2: Steve Dummond – KAW
Senior A 45+ Heat 1: John Grewe – KAW
Senior B/C 45+ Heat 1: James Adams - KAW, Heat 2: Lance Richotte – KAW
Masters 50+ Heat 1: John Camelio – HON, Heat 2: Scott WITT – KTM
50cc (4-6) AMA Stock 1 Heat 1: Daxton Bennick – KTM
50cc(7-8) Heat 1: Jacquel Gonzalez – COB, Heat 2: Reed Cooper – OTH
65cc (10-11) Heat 1: Ty Masterpool – KTM
65cc Unlimited (7-11) Heat 1: Ty Masterpool – KTM, Heat 2: Bryce Clark – KTM
85cc (7-11) Heat 1: Ethan Mann – KTM, Heat 2: Jackson Turpin – YAM
85cc (9-13) Heat 1: Jordan Bailey – KTM, Heat 2: Brock Papi – KTM
Super Mini (12-16) Heat 1: Ramyller Alves – SUZ
Schoolboy 1 (12-16) Heat 1: Alexander Frye – KTM, Heat 2: Andy Kost – YAM
Schoolboy 2 (13-16) Heat 1: Jacob Williamson – YAM
Women (14+)Heat 1: Mackenzie Tricker – YAM
For a complete list of results, go here.
Photo: Steve Cox
Jace Owen (401) led nearly the entire 250A /Pro Sport heat over Thomas Covington (64), the guy some would consider the favorite.
Photo: Steve Cox
Monster-backed Thomas Covington (64) made the pass for the lead, aggressively, on the final lap, but Jace Owen wouldn’t roll over easily, and with less than half a lap to go, the two went down together in a collision in a turn.
Photo: Steve Cox
Because of the crash between Covington and Owen, the heat win actually went to RJ Hampshire (21).
Photo: Steve Cox
Thomas Covington (64) recovered to finish second (sans rear fender), with Jace Owen third.
Photo: Steve Cox
Photo: Steve Cox
Wilfredo Guzman (48) lets Nick Fratz Orr (38) have it in the second turn of the first College (17-24) heat. Guzman led the entire race over Fratz Orr, while Austin Rue (613) finished eighth.
Photo: Steve Cox
The 25+ Heat leaves the line. Andrew Matusek (not pictured) ended up taking the win over John Ayers, Jr. (333).
Photo: Steve Cox
Ed Higgins gets the jump on the field in the second 45+ B/C heat race, eventually finishing fifth. Lance Richotte (29) actually ran away with this one.
Photo: Steve Cox
After losing to John Grewe (70) in the two previous heats where they encountered one another, “Big Bore” Barry Carsten (31) finally got the best of Grewe with this pass just before the white flag in the 40+ A heat race. And Jason Weigandt almost lost his voice in the process.
Photo: Steve Cox
Seriously, it’s just not the same without the Monster Girls.
Photo: Steve Cox
Photo: Steve Cox
Photo: Steve Cox
The good thing about sand on the start line is that it looks cool and provides good traction when wet. The AMA spent $2000 on the sand on the start stretch. The bad thing is that the ruts behind the gate could swallow some 50cc racers whole.
Photo: Steve Cox
Jacob Parsons awaits his turn on the track in 85cc (7-11) heat Two. Parsons finished tenth in his heat.
Photo: Steve Cox
Brazilian Enzo Lopes (16) chased fellow KTM pilot Jordan Bailey for their entire first 85cc (9-13) heat race, but couldn’t quite get close enough to make the pass. He finished second and qualified for tomorrow’s main event third overall, behind heat-two winner (and also a KTM racer) Brock Papi.
Photo: Steve Cox
The KTM dominance was so solid in 85cc (9-13) that the top non-KTM racer at the end of qualifying was Tommy Rios (24), who qualified seventh overall via a fourth-place finish in the first heat.
Photo: Steve Cox
The second 85cc (9-13) race lined up on the gate. Eventual winner Brock Papi (144) is on the left, four gates to the left of the box.
Photo: Steve Cox
Michael Ward (450 B Class) looks the part on his Factory Connection CRF450R and Alias race gear.
Photo: Steve Cox
B. Taylor won his 450 B heat on his KTM
Photo: Steve Cox
DJ MacFarlane was second in the 450 B heat.
Photo: Steve Cox
Check out this trick YZ250 two-stroke with YZ250F body work ridden by James Nagy, Jr., to fourth place in the 45+ A heat.
Photo: Steve Cox
John Grewe (70) held off “Big Bore” Barry Carsten (31) to win the 45+ A heat. Carsten ran it in on him a few times early in the race, but couldn’t quite make it stick, much to Jason Weigandt’s chagrin.
Photo: Steve Cox
Chad Murphy led every lap of the opening heat race of the day, 30+ B/C.
Photo: Steve Cox
Isaac Teasdale does battle on his Monster-backed Kawasaki KX450F in 450 B action.
Photo: Steve Cox
Earl May finished a lonely third in the 45+ A heat.
Photo: Steve Cox
One of the better battles on the first part of the day, before the first break, was between Ramyller Alves (222, right) and Joey Crown (35, left) in the Supermini (12-16) heat. Alves led the early part before Crown found his way by. Then Alves hounded him for the rest of the race and retook the lead two turns from the finish to take the heat win.
Photo: Steve Cox
Not quite the 30-second-board Monster Girls we’re used to...
Photo: Steve Cox
Ricky Carmichael gives some advice to the racers, including, “This isn’t motocross, so take it easy out there. Stuff can come at you pretty fast.”
Photo: Steve Cox
Tate Reed tries to run down Dean Wilson on his Strider bike.
Photo: Steve Cox
Photo: Steve Cox
Chad Reed (center) and Dean Wilson (left) talk things over. Reed said he was hanging out “to wear the kid out,” speaking of his son, Tate (bottom right).
Photo: Steve Cox
The track was tamed down, but not so much as to remove the “supercross” element of the racing on the Daytona infield.
Photo: Steve Cox
One of these is not like the others... Dean Wilson (center) pulls a cool-guy pose to fit in with Kenny Watson (left) and Carey Hart (right).
Photo: Steve Cox
The manufacturers all have people on-hand to help anyone who needs it at Daytona, as long as you’re not riding a Gas Gas or Husqvarna, or something.
Photo: Steve Cox
Jeff Stanton and Ricky Carmichael are the only members of the four-in-a-row club at Daytona.
Photo: Steve Cox
Over the course of a 20-lap main event, the Daytona race track changes so much that the top racers are frequently riding entirely different lines by the end of the race than they are in the beginning. What will happen with over 600 racers hitting the course? Watch and see.
Photo: Steve Cox
Daytona is consistently the most grueling supercross event of the season. Over the years it has humbled some of the best racers the sport has ever seen, and now Average Joes and Josephines get their shot at taming the Daytona dirt.
Photo: Steve Cox
Photo: Steve Cox
It used to be that you had to be among the sport's elite to even consider riding on the famed Daytona infield, but with the introduction of the Monster Energy Daytona Amateur Supercross, all you have to do is sign up.
