The speed and power of motorcycle racing, free demo rides and displays and charity parade laps highlight the activities during Daytona 200 Week Feb. 26 – March 8 at historic Daytona International Speedway. Here’s a look at some of the activities that will be taking place at the "World Center of Racing" that are a must-see for motorcycle enthusiasts:
• Night riders: For the second straight year, the 69th Daytona 200 Daytona SportBike race, the prestigious season-opening event to the AMA Pro Racing season and the most historic motorcycle event in America, will be held under the lights on Friday night, March 5. Daytona International Speedway will also host the first two rounds of the American SuperBike and AMA SuperSport on Thusday, March 4 and Friday, March 5.
• Daytona Supercross By Honda: The Daytona Supercross By Honda, the toughest and most prestigious Supercross in the country, will be held on Saturday night, March 6. The course will continue to be one of the most challenging Supercross layouts in America thanks to Ricky Carmichael’s Signature Course Design. Star riders expected to compete include three-time and defending champion Chad Reed, Kevin Windham, Ryan Dungey, Davi Millsaps and Ryan Villopoto.
Carmichael, a five-time Daytona Supercross By Honda champion, has designed the course that will be located in the tri-oval of historic Daytona International Speedway while Mark Barnett, former Supercross Champion and three-time National Champion, will do the construction and maintenance during the event.
• New Flat Track: The AMA Pro Racing Flat Track events on Wednesday, March 3 and Thursday, March 4 will have a new home in 2010 – the hallowed grounds of Daytona International Speedway where a quarter-mile dirt track made up of lime rock is located outside Turns 1 and 2.
The new Daytona Flat Track, which will have more than 5,000 temporary seats and lighting from Musco Lighting, will showcase Flat Track stars such as Henry Wiles, Kenny Coolbeth, Chris Carr, Jake Johnson and Joe Kopp.
The track will see its first action beginning this Saturday through Tuesday with the AMA Pro Amateur events.
• XDL Championship Series: For the first time, Daytona International Speedway will be home to the XDL Championship Series on Feb. 26-28. A new event to the schedule, the season kick-off of the XDL Sportbike Freestyle Championship will mark XDL’s fifth season as the only national sportbike freestyle championship and the series’ first visit to the state of Florida.
One of America’s fastest growing action sports, the series pits competitors from all over North America, Asia and Europe on 600cc sport bikes. XDL Championship Series events will take place behind the Lockhart and Keech Grandstands on the West End of Daytona International Speedway with tickets starting at $5 for Friday and $20 for Saturday and Sunday.
• Ricky Carmichael Daytona Amateur Supercross Championship and Ricky Carmichael University: The inaugural Ricky Carmichael Daytona Amateur Supercross Championship will take place on Sunday, March 7 at Daytona International Speedway, and on Monday, March 8, Carmichael will then host Ricky Carmichael University, the first public riding school ever hosted by the 15-Time AMA National Champion.
Both events will take place on the same course that is used for the Daytona Supercross By Honda on Saturday, March 6.
The class structure for the Ricky Carmichael Daytona Amateur Supercross Championship will include classes for youth riders on 50cc bikes all the way up to vet and senior classes. The race will follow a supercross format, using heat races and last-chance qualifiers to seed the field of riders into a main event in each class and riders can sign up by visiting mxsports.com.
The Ricky Carmichael University event on Monday, March 8, is an unprecedented opportunity for amateur racers to learn riding secrets from the legendary Supercross champion who is known as the Greatest of All-Time.
• Demo rides and displays: Outside of Daytona International Speedway, motorcycle enthusiasts can test-ride the latest and greatest motorcycles with free manufacturer demo rides and displays. Among the manufacturers expected to attend include Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Harley-Davidson, Victory, Triumph and Boss Hoss. Riders must hold a valid motorcycle driver license and DOT approved helmet in order to participate in the demo rides.
• Free admission to D5X: Daytona 500 Experience, the Official Attraction of NASCAR, will have free admission on Thursday, March 4 through Saturday, March 6 and will go by the name of D5X and celebrate Daytona 200 Week with food, beverages and entertainment. The attraction is also home to the winning Daytona 500 car – Jamie McMurray’s No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet.
• Spring Dash: It’s the ride of a lifetime – two laps around the historic Daytona International Speedway. On Thursday night, March 4, bike enthusiasts will get that chance in the fifth annual Spring Dash At Daytona. The package includes a Spring Dash T-Shirt, two parade laps around the track, an After Party in the Sprint FANZONE with live entertainment and two beverage tickets. Tickets are only $40. Tickets can be purchased at the Budweiser Cool Your Pipes Zone outside of Turn 4 on Friday, Feb. 26 – March 4, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and are also available at daytonainternationalspeedway.com
• Bikini contest: On Saturday, March 6 between 2 p.m. – 4 p.m., the annual Hooters Bikini Contest will take place in Thunder Alley located in the Midway outside of Turn 4.
• Tickets: For tickets to all the Daytona 200 Week races, including the Daytona 200 and the Daytona Supercross By Honda, call 1-800-PITSHOP or visit daytonainternationalspeedway.com
