Because NASCAR is pushing the Daytona 500 back a week, Bike Week 2012 will also be held a week later to allow sufficient time for Daytona International Speedway to make the course motorcycle-ready and build the Supercross track.
Breaking from tradition,
Bike Week 2012 will take place a week later next year. The motorcycle rally, which just celebrated its 70th anniversary, is moving from its initial projected date of March 2-11, to March 9-18, 2012, according to the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce. The move coincides with NASCAR’s decision to push the date of the 2012 Daytona 500 back one week. Daytona International Speedway requires two weeks to make the conversion from car to motorcycle racing, including the building of a Supercross track on the Speedway’s infield.
NASCAR.com said its move is three-fold. It shortens the racing season by a week, it “maintains momentum in the early part of the racing season (TV viewership, media coverage, fan interest, etc.)" and “moves the race further away from the ‘Daytona 500’ of football (the Super Bowl) held in early February.”
NASCAR’s decision hinges on the current NFL labor negotiations and the potential of expanding the current NFL schedule to 18 games, which would subsequently push the Super Bowl to later in February.
Bike Week would still start on a Friday and run the same length of time, ten days. Starting a week later potentially means even better weather for the event, but it also could lead to more competitiveness for hotel rooms between bikers and college Spring Breakers who generally show up in droves as motorcyclists are leaving. The official announcement about moving Bike Week back a week should come next week.
* Be sure to check out our Daytona Bike Week 2012 Schedule to help you plan out your trip to the rally this year.
