Well, it's not long to go before MotoGP and BSB kicks off, but this weekend was the turn of the American series to get underway. Daytona is the traditional series starter and the traditional race winner, Mat Mladin, got his umpteenth championship defence under way in typical style, taking the race win ahead of team-mate Ben Spies. Mladin was made to fight for his win, mind, crossing the stripe just three hundredths ahead of Spies. Miguel DuHamel managed to squeeze himself and his Honda onto the rostrum in third with Britain's Neil Hodgson making a solid start to the season in fourth, after clashing with other riders in the opening laps. Tommy Hayden made an encouraging start for Kawasaki, eventually taking fifth spot.
The Daytona 200 is no longer the superbike race after tyre manufacturers struggled to make a product that would last the 68 laps, so all eyes focused on the Formula Xtreme event where Honda's Jake Zemke took the win after long time race leader Miguel DuHamel highsided mid-race. A late race pace car controversially mixed up the leaders in the final laps but Zemke held off Josh Hayes and Jason DiSalvo to take the win.
British and Irish interest saw Alastair Seeley breaking the top ten in the supersport race taking a 'old' R6 to ninth position, Rob Frost in 23rd in the supersport race, while Rory Rock was 33rd in the superstock race. Jemery McWilliams failed to make the sighting lap, got started but then failed to finish the Daytona 200 on the Warrs backed Buell.
AMA Results:
1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki
2. Ben Spies, Suzuki
3. Miguel DuHamel, Honda
4. Neil Hodgson, Parts Unlimited Ducati
5. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki
6. Aaron Yates, Suzuki
7. Ben Bostrom, Parts Unlimited Ducati
8. Jake Zemke Honda
9. Jason Pridmore, Jordan Suzuki
10. Jake Holden, Jordan Suzuki