Daytona: All Access

What’s funny is a lot of this happened on accident. I was only expecting a road trip to Daytona for Supercross, RCSX, then onwards to Birmingham for more Supercross.  That was the original plan with travel partner, friend, photographer, privateer mechanic, nomad, Jason Watkins. HOWEVER, as per usual with our very loose program, plans began to adapt, change, adapt some more. In fact, before even embarking on our 10+ day trip, I volunteered us to cover the American Flat Track opener for Racer X—low key as a way to get in and not have to mess with the infamous DIS security staff—but we will write a story on those boys on a different day, IYKYK. But, I digress. Supercross, RCSX, AFT, Birmingham, got it. That’s the new plan…HAHAHAHHAA right, Wheels, riiiiight.

While in Daytona, we met up with our international friend, four-time Spanish Supercross Champion, and Supercross 450 Privateer, Joan Cros, as he planned to camp at the speedway and spend some time hanging out in between rounds. Camping at the speedway itself is something that everyone should experience at least once in their lives, it’s just really cool to go to bed, and wake up, and shower, and do all of your morning routine things at the Daytona International Speedway. I’m not even sure how it happened, but sometime amidst the day between DIS Supercross, and Sunday, the boys at the Privateer Paddock ended up camping with us, and what a step up that was for TeamJason + Joan, who had been living off of bologna sandwiches and eggs cooked in Joan’s air frier. The Privateer Paddock boys provided us with meals meant for kings for the next week, and I think it even began to get a little more difficult for Watkins to lift me in/out of the van due to how well we were eating!

Supercross is over, time to go home, right? Nah, RCSX is next, then Vintage SX / ATVSX, which we used as sort of our rest days—we hung out, ate more food, and Productions (Jason Watkins will be referred to as “Productions" from here on out Why? Ask Weege.) shot some photos of Mitch Kendra from Racer X, who was racing during the Vintage SX. It’s a fun couple of days watching more supercross from the infield. Also, up the road, Progressive Grand National Cross Country action was taking place in the sand at the Wild Boar. If you are looking for an excuse to stretch out a bit and get away from the Speedway--and anyone who brings a street bike down here should--GNCC is a neat reason to hit the road for a day or so.

Once GNCC and RCSX were done, we geared up to move over to the Daytona Short Track for the opening round of the American Flat Track season. We picked up camp, Privateer Paddock boys in tow, and moved our whole operation to the pitting area of AFT.

Preston Taylor was hanging out with us as well, and being a racer, he started talking about how he thought he could race the Singles class of AFT. What started out as talking and a joke, I took upon myself to up the peer pressure, and convinced / maybe borderline bullied him into going to try to sign up. Unfortunately (fortunately for him) the powers that be said no, he didn’t have a license and wouldn’t let him participate. It took watching about three rounds of practice for Preston to understand that he really didn’t want to be out there anyway. At one point during AFT, I began to laugh to myself, because there were bleachers full of people who live and breathe American Flat Track. They understood all of it, AFT is a classic style of racing in the U.S., complete with deep Harley-Davidson heritage. Among those fans, not really processing what he was watching, but also kind of processing what he was watching, was that multi-time Spanish Supercross Champion, Joan Cros, sitting there, in the bleachers, watching motorcycles go really fast in a big circle. Confusing but awesome to see multiple sides meet. Man, Daytona is cool!

Flat Track is over, NOW it’s time to pack up and head to Birmingham for more Supercross, right? HAHAHHAHAHA no, Wheels, not yet. See, it had been projected all week that there would be rain in Birmingham, and the weather was really nice in Florida, and there just happened to be two more rounds of AMA Arenacross set to take place during Bike Week as well, so…with some convincing from his friends, Joan Cros decided to stay in Daytona and race Arenacross, rather than make the journey to Birmingham.

Supercross, RCSX, Vintage SX, ATVSX, American Flat Track, AMA Arenacross. Got it, that’s the new plan. HAHAHAHA right, Wheels, riiiight.

Arenacross is gnarly, we all know that, but what would make it even more gnarly? SAND. That’s right, a 100% sand-based arenacross track is what Joan chose to race on versus the ruts of Birmingham. Which was the right choice? I’m just a spectator, so it makes zero difference in my world. Before racing Arenacross however, Joan needed to find a sponsor for the event to help cover the cost of racing, so naturally Froggy’s Saloon is the route he chose to go with. If you’ve been downtown Daytona, you’re familiar with Froggy’s Saloon, if you’re not, well go there and ask for the hurricane shot, el oh el. Sand arenacross, questionable weekend sponsor, dirt bikes at the bar of said sponsor, a fight—you all seen it, shoutout to Preston Taylor and Crockett Myers for the entertainment—and a lot of intense racing action. Phew, that was a wild week, it’s time to pack up and go home now, right? HAHHHAHAHAHAHA not yet, Wheels. Not yet.

Remember how we had been camping at the speedway all week? Well, after the AFT event, we moved our campsite back into the infield of the speedway near where we were pitted for Supercross, only this time, the Daytona 200! Moto America had begun to take over the speedway, and well, we ended up camping amongst the racers, mere feet from the paddock, of the Daytona 200.

Never in my life have I been to the Daytona 200, and now, here I was, camping amongst the riders who were competing in the event. But wait, there’s more. The boys at the Privateer Paddock had connections, and ta-da Productions and I ended up with industry passes to the event. We were not planning to be here, and now, Productions and I have passes, and Jason is meandering around, shooting photos from the fence line. While Productions is doing that, I take a roll around the paddock and just sort of take in what I’ve stumbled upon (I don’t know what other word to use, I can’t walk so stumbled isn’t the correct term, but this entire story has been off the rails, so whatever). Next thing I know, I’ve wheeled out onto the starting grid, and not one person stopped me from doing so, because there is a slew of others out on the grid as well! Cool, this is sick, I’m going to FaceTime Weigandt (who is now in the pits at the Birmingham supercross), because he isn’t going to believe this. While I’m facetiming Weege, from the starting grid of the Daytona 200, I bump into Casey Cochran and his dad, because why wouldn’t I bump into someone from Supercross and bring this saga back 360 degrees to where it began, supercross.

The race begins, and Productions and I mosey around, from spot to spot, watching the race, and he’s taking photos, from the fences, nothing “exclusive” but still just shooting the event no big deal. Then it happens, THE moment, the moment that defines EXACTLY who Jason “Productions” Watkins is…we roll up to this gate by the start / finish line of the speedway, and a man sees Jason’s camera, AND OPENS THE GATE AND LETS HIM INTO THE DESIGNATED AREA FOR CREDENTIALED PHOTOGRAPHERS ON ASSIGNMENT TO SHOOT THE EVENT. No proper credential, just an industry guest pass, and now Productions is officially shooting the Daytona 200. I got nothing left, this day is over. Right? HAHAHAHAHAH right, Wheels. Right.