Martin Cardenas won the 23-lap Daytona Sportbike event during the combined AMA and MotoGP motorcycle racing weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Martin Cardenas won the 23-lap Daytona Sportbike race during the combined AMA and MotoGP motorcycle racing weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Second was Steve Rapp, who made an impressive dash through the field with Clinton Seller taking the final podium position.
When the flag dropped it was pole-sitter Tommy Acquino with the holeshot followed by his Graves Motorsports teammate Josh Herrin and Suzuki’s Danny Eslick. As the pack funneled through Turn 3, Dane Westby highsided just like Tomas Puerta did in yesterday’s Supersport race. Thankfully, Westby avoided being run-over and appeared uninjured in the crash.
Ducati rider Bobby Fong moved into the lead followed by Eslick, Seller, Herrin and Aquino. A series of passes would ensue while Fong started building a lead courtesy of his consistent 1’27 lap times. This made it a five-way battle for second position.
By Lap 6, Martin Cardenas had joined the party making it a six-way battle for second position. Eslick would succumb to pressure from Cardenas and move back to sixth. He then would start to lose distance with the pack, making it a four-way battle for second position.
Halfway through the race Seller moved into the second spot then Cardenas bombed inside Aquino for fourth. Herrin then ran off track in the Corkscrew but somehow kept it on two wheels. Moments later, Cardenas dive-bombed past Seller in Turn 10, inheriting second position.
With nine laps to go the leaders had already started passing lapped traffic. This allowed Cardenas an opportunity to catch up to Fong. It was absolutely unreal to see Cardenas slice through lapped traffic as if they were standing still. Good stuff. Cardenas eventually reached Fong and attempted another dive bomb pass, but Fong was hanging tough and holding a tight line in each corner.
Moments later Fong crashed on the front brake as he apexed Turn 2, effectively handing over the win to Cardenas.
(Above) The start of the Daytona Sportbike race at Laguna.
(Below) Martin Cardenas won the Daytona Sportbike race at Laguna.
"I put my head down and tried to do some quick laps," said Cardenas after the race. "Unfortuanetly he [Fong] crashed in the first turn. From then on it was a lonely race for me and it was difficult to maintain the pace and concentration. And at the end the rear tire was sliding a lot."
Meanwhile Steve Rapp was steadily slicing through the field and eventually reached Seller and Acquino. Rapp put a move on both of them for the P2 spot with two laps to go but was still out of striking distance of Cardenas.
AMA Daytona Sportbike Laguna Seca Results:
1. Martin Cardenas (Suzuki)
2. Steve Rapp (Ducati)
3. Clinton Seller (Yamaha)
4. Tommy Aquino (Yamaha)
5. Danny Eslick (Suzuki)
6. Josh Herrin (Yamaha)
7. Cory West (Suzuki)
8. Chris Fillmore (Suzuki)
9. Michael Beck (Ducati)
10. Fernando Amantini (Kawasaki)
11. Tyler Odom (Honda)
12. Shawn Higbee (Buell)
13. Russ Wikle (Suzuki)
14. Jimmy Wood (Kawasaki)
15. Santiago Villa (Suzuki)
2010 AMA Daytona Sportbike Championship Points:
1. Josh Herrin, 264
2. Danny Eslick, 263
3. Martin Cardenas, 252
4. Steve Rapp, 215
5. Cory West, 178
6. Dane Westby, 157
7. Tommy Aquino, 156
8. Clinton Seller, 134
9. Chirs Fillmore, 128
10. Bobby Fong, 123
