Thursday 3/7

After watching Q1 from this afternoon, I have changed my mind a little bit about Josh Herrin taking over right away. Josh stayed just inside the top 10 for the majority of qualifying until towards the end when he landed in 4th for the day. After Herrin won last year, having only(!) crashed out one other rider and he could have won the year before if not for bad luck, and it’s easy to forget the 2020 unofficial lap record of 1:48.331 for pole until uncle COVID ruined the party. Herrin will find a way to be there at the end if he can keep it on at least one wheel. The Suzuki’s were, not a surprise, fast as they ran around together in some variation throughout the session. Richie Escalante had the ability to win in 2023 until Uncle Herrin ruined his party and could finish the job this year. Tyler Scott looked like he studied Richie’s playbook, turning his 750 on a knifes edge through the bus-stop chicane, until it bit him at the very end, low-siding as he tipped to the right at very high speed. Scott tumbled hard and was in some discomfort waiting for a ride back. Teagg Hobbs had some obvious problems staying on pace but their new teammate at Vision Wheel, Brandon Paasch looks patient and dangerous as usual and could add a third Daytona 200 trophy to his mantle. The dadbods were well represented in Hayden Gillim and Danny Eslick, the former continuing his fast pace from the end of last year’s Daytona 200 and staying at the front, finishing Q1 in third position and the later acting like he’d been there once or four times before, rounding out the top 10. Fellow Kentuckian JD Beach and new BMW superbike rider was busy keeping Hayden’s Vesrah Suzuki cool throughout the session. Bobby Fong is a bit of a surprise just because he has bounced around lately, but he looks capable as ever in 5th position on the Wrench Suzuki. Josh Hayes for some reason did not record a time for Q1, although he did put in laps during morning practice. Stefano Mesa is on a Ducati V2 after taking six years off from Daytona and finished a respectable 9th, but he could qualify top ten on a pogo-stick so look for him at the end of the race on Saturday. Kayla Yaakov spent much of the day getting up to speed with new everything and paced the session on her own, I’m looking forward to seeing what times she can run in qualifying and the race overall. The Rahal trio are all behind to start Daytona, PJ having a crash in practice and maybe an injury that could hamper his pace on Saturday. Corey Alexander has a new team and his own orange color scheme but continues to play third wheel and unfortunately for his racing career continues to be very tall, albeit talented. Xavi Fores was on a blue Attack Yamaha running the number 1 plate and ended Q1 in sixth place and I really don’t know what to make of his race possibility since he made it just a few laps last year before blowing up. Blue Yamaha’s were well represented in the YART team; with Europeans Hanika, Fritz and a name known to U.S. fans Niccolò Canepa being rewarded with the opportunity to race stateside. YART looks extra cool still running EWC mandated running lights, very professional. Crossing the ocean as well was Peter Hickman, who stayed outside the top 20 and a not surprising (if you listen to Hickman) Richard Cooper, on a bona fide Isle of Mann TT Triumph running up front all day and finishing 7th. Cooper could play a real spoiler in the race.

It’s hard not to expect one of the Suzuki’s to be there at the end, given they have four bikes and riders who are all racing at a very high level. Pre-Q2 I’m looking at Richie Escalante to win on Saturday followed by Herrin and a surprise European in third. Let’s see what Q2 looks like and pray Live+ actually works this time.

1. 54 -Escalante 1:47.833 L13
2. 70 – Scott 1:48.045 L12
3. 95 – Gillim 1:49.301 L12
4. 02 – Herrin 1:49.302 L11
5. 50 – Fong 1:40.372 L10
6. 01 – Xavi Fores 1:49.859 L11
7. 147 – Cooper 1:49.933 L7
8. 96 – Paasch 1:49.938 L7
9. 37 – Mesa 1:49.947 L6
10. 69 – Eslick 1:50.156 L5

UPDATE: Friday 3/8

The Suzuki freight train kept rolling in Q2, including a racing wounded Tyler Scott. He separated his shoulder while crashing at the very fast bus-stop chicane at the very end of Q1 but his toughness shows in the second qualifying session, running near or so to the front and ending Q2 in twelfth. That is good enough to put him into time attack later in the day, which is comprised of the top 13 riders. Scott left with his teammates to start but let them go ahead, testing his shoulder as well as his pace without a draft. Escalante clocked a safe time of 1:49.379, good enough for 8th fastest, and kept his distance from Josh Herrin today. The Ducati superbike rider used one flying lap to best the majority of the field with a 1:48.826 and 3rd position, on his understated baby blue sex rocket sponsored by Only Fans. The other 750 Suzuki of the Vision Wheel trio stayed focused on Saturday, with Paasch barely making waves as he finished the session in 5th place and setting a time of 1:49.213 for 5th place. Stefano Mesa has hundreds of laps around Daytona, and it shows, the deservedly well supported Boulder Ducati rider fought for pole all morning and ended Q2 in 4th with a time of 1:48.957. Bobby Fong, also showed his expertise by leading for large chunk of Q2 and finished with a time of 1:48.765, good enough for 2nd to Xavi Fores. Riding what was supposed to be Cam Peterson’s entry, Fores came through late and snatched pole with a 1:48.655. The TT riders ended up next to each other in 6th and 7th, Cooper staying with the fast group since showing up and Hickman pushing hard for a good lap right at the end of qualifying. Some surprises include PJ way down the order in 26th, possibly due to injury and Teagg Hobbs in 21st, having never really showed pace all weekend.