The
AMA Pro Road Racing season kicked off at Daytona with Wednesday practice sessions. Ducati’s Larry Pegram set the pace in the morning's American SuperBike practice, followed by last season's most dominating rider who wasn’t named Mat Mladin, Graves Yamaha’s Josh Hayes. Former MotoGP rider John Hopkins lingered back in eighth aboard the M4 Monster Suzuki. Final qualifying for SuperBike will commence tomorrow, with the first of two races scheduled for 3:30 p.m. EST.
Foremost Ducati pilot Larry Pegram topped the timesheet in the first Daytona session for American Superbike.
1. Larry Pegram (
Ducati) 01:40.3
2. Josh Hayes (Yamaha) 01:40.4 +0.161
3. Blake Young (Suzuki) 01:40.8 +0.55
4. Ben Bostrom (Yamaha) 01:41.0 +0.737
5. Tommy Hayden (Suzuki) 01:41.5 +1.179
6. Aaron Yates (Suzuki) 01:42.0 +1.698
7. Chris Ulrich (Suzuki) 01:42.1 +1.86
8. John Hopkins (Suzuki) 01:42.2 +1.875
9. Jake Zemke (Suzuki) 01:42.2 +1.946
10. Brett McCormick (Suzuki) 01:42.4 +2.123
Daytona SportBike
M4 Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas lapped fastest during the morning free practice for Daytona SportBike. The Colombian-born Cardenas was followed by defending SportBike champion Danny Eslick. Final qualifying for the SportBike class will cap off the racing activities for Thursday, with the Daytona 200 running Friday at 8 p.m. under the DIS lights.
Daytona SportBike Free Practice 1 (Top-10):
1. Martin Cardenas (
Suzuki) 01:50.8
2. Danny Eslick (Suzuki) 01:51.6
3. Dane Westby (
Yamaha) 01:52.4
4. Steve Rapp (Ducati) 01:52.4
5. Josh Herrin (Yamaha) 01:52.4
6. Brett McCormick (Suzuki) 01:53.0
7. P. J. Jacobsen (Suzuki) 01:53.0
8. Michael Barnes (Yamaha) 01:53.3
9. Josh Day (Yamaha) 01:53.5
10. Cory West (Suzuki) 01:54.1
SuperSport
In morning’s SuperSport practice, Joey Pascarella ran a significantly stronger pace than his competitors aboard his Yamaha R6. The Californian, who finish seventh in the East division of the 2009 SuperSport championship, impressed last year at Daytona where he was second in the SS main event. Behind Pascarella during the morning session was Cameron Beaubier and J.D. Beach. Elena Myers made her professional SuperSport track debut with the seventh-fastest practice lap, the 16-year-old Suzuki pilot 1.5 seconds behind the leader’s pace.
Suzuki's Elena Myers was seventh-fastest in the opening practice session for SuperSport.
1. Joey Pascarella (Yamaha) 01:44.3
2. Cameron Beaubier (Yamaha) 01:45.9
3. J. D. Beach (Yamaha) 01:45.9 01:45.8
4. Tomas Puerta (Yamaha) 01:46.4
5. Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 01:46.9
6. Huntley Nash (Yamaha) 01:47.1
7. Elena Myers (Suzuki) 01:47.3
8. Charlie Long (Suzuki) 01:48.2
9. Daniel Guevara (Suzuki) 01:48.4
10. Hunter Propst (Suzuki) 01:52.1
