Defending Champion Brandon Paasch Leads Stellar Field of 50 Entries for Saturday’s 80th Edition of The DAYTONA 200
140 Riders Set to Tackle Daytona International Speedway in Four Divisions Beginning Thursday; Great Tickets are Available!
Editor’s Note: For Schedule of Events, Entry Lists, and 81st Annual Bike Week At DAYTONA and DAYTONA 200 logos, click here.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 9, 2022) – Defending DAYTONA 200 Champion Brandon Paasch leads a stellar field of 50 riders – including two other former winners – who will vie for victory in Saturday’s 80th running of the DAYTONA 200, hosted by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike and North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series.
Paasch, the Freehold, NJ native who used the draft with a perfect, calculated slingshot move at the entrance of the trioval coming to the checkered flag to win a year ago, will look to become the first rider since Danny Eslick to claim back-to-back DAYTONA 200 triumphs. Eslick, from Tulsa, OK, has a total of four DAYTONA victories, coming in 2014-15 and 2017-18). Lake Elsinore, CA native Josh Herrin, the 2013 Supersport Champion, went to the Daytona Ruoff Victory Lane in 2010.
The DAYTONA 200, which features the incredible machines on both the high banks of Daytona International Speedway as well as the infield road course, has tickets starting at $35 for frontstretch seating only and $45 for frontstretch seating coupled with infield access, which includes garages and UNOH Fanzone. Parking is also available for $20 in advance. All ticket options can be found at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. It’s all a part of the tradition-rich Bike Week At DAYTONA Presented By Monster Energy.
In addition to the DAYTONA 200 on Saturday, the MotoAmerica weekend at Daytona International Speedway will be the opening round of the 2022 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Championship, marking the first time Baggers will race on the high banks of a Superspeedway with speeds expected to exceed 160 mph. It will also see the first round of the Twins Cup Championship, plus there will be a Super Hooligans race. Race times are as follows for Saturday’s main events:
- 10:30 a.m.: Super Hooligans (5 laps)
- 11:15 a.m.: Twins Cup (9 laps)
- 11:50 a.m.: Daytona Supersport Alternate Main (12 laps)
- 1:00 p.m.: DAYTONA 200 (57 laps)
- 4:00 p.m.: Mission King Of The Baggers
Entries From All Over The Map, And Lots Of Them
A grand total of 140 riders and bikes are entered into the races. In addition to the 50 entries for the DAYTONA 200, 46 will take to the 3.56-mile trioval road course that is also used for the Rolex 24. There are 19 riders scheduled for the Mission King of the Baggers. The Baggers will see 19 riders while 25 will go for the checkered in the Super Hooligans.
Seven of the competitors are from the state of Florida, four of which who are set to be in the DAYTONA 500. Deland’s James Rispolli will be one of the riders in the Mission King of the Baggers. A total of 20 riders hail from outside of the United States, including 12 in the DAYTONA 200.
New Rules for 2022
The DAYTONA 200 will feature new rules based off the proposed 2022 World Supersport Technical rules, which take into consideration several performance related items that establish benchmarks for balancing a wide variety of middleweight performance machines. The DAYTONA 200 will not be included as part of the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship, leaving the opportunity open for the best riders from around the world to compete for the minimum $175,000 in purse and contingency that will be offered.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Bikes will be on track first thing Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m. in what will be a full day of on-track (concludes at 4:20 p.m.) activity for all four divisions. Friday will see qualifying, beginning at 9 a.m., in all four divisions plus races for the Super Hooligans, Twins Cup and Baggers. Friday’s slate concludes at 4:15 p.m. Saturday will mark an 8:00 a.m. start of bikes on track, with the DAYTONA 200 set for 1:00 p.m. followed by the Baggers race at 4:00 p.m.
Ride Along
Also, a part of the excitement of DAYTONA 200 weekend is the Dunlop M4 Suzuki Two-Seat Superbike program where fans fan take a ride around Daytona International Speedway with a professional superbike racer at speeds up to 150 mph! All proceeds from the Dunlop M4 Suzuki Two-Seat Superbike program are donated to the Roadracing World Action Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit focusing on improving racetrack safety through the deployment of soft barriers. Fans must be 18 years old to ride. Price is $500 person and includes weekend general admission and a weekend parking pass.
More Than Racing On The Iconic Asphalt
Monster will also be bringing the action and excitement this week with autograph sessions, demonstrations a FREE concert Friday – Steel Panther. The concert, which will be held in Lot 4 outside the Turn 4 tunnel entrance, are brought to fans by Monster Energy and will go from 4-5:15 p.m. For detailed information on all events, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.
Exhibits Galore
In addition, fans and visitors can enjoy the Bike Week Motorcycle Marketplace at Daytona International Speedway, located just off International Speedway Blvd. The area’s largest motorcycle marketplace features the nation’s top motorcycle parts, apparel vendors and much more.
For all Daytona International Speedway event information, fans can visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP. Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the latest speedway news.
About Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the home of The Great American Race – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event garners most of the attention – as well as the largest audience in motorsports – the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, also known as The World Center of Racing, boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe. In addition to at least nine major event weekends, the Speedway grounds are also used extensively for events that include concerts, civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.
