| Although it’s affectionately called “The Great American Motorcycle Race,” this year’s Daytona 200 should more accurately be referred to as “The Great Global Motorcycle Race.”
For the 82nd running of the Daytona 200, which takes place March 7 through 9 on the 3.51-mile, 12-turn road course at Daytona International Speedway, a full 28 riders – nearly half of the 67 riders on the entry list – are from countries outside the United States.
The list of nations represented reads like a global competition akin to the Olympic Games, and the level of talent includes three past Daytona 200 winners (Josh Herrin, Brandon Paasch, and Danny Eslick), the 2023 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion (Xavi Forés), the two-time FIM World Endurance Championship-winning team of riders (Niccolò Canepa, Marvin Fritz, and Karel Hanika), a 13-time Isle of Man TT winner and all-time lap record holder (Peter Hickman), a four-time AMA Superbike Champion (Josh Hayes), a three-time Canadian Superbike Champion (Ben Young), and a two-time British Superstock 1000 Champion (Richard Cooper), just to name a few.
Here’s the rundown of the 13 countries represented:
Australia
Brazil
Canada
Colombia
Czech Republic
Germany
Guyana
Mexico
Portugal
Spain
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States
“We are really pleased with the number of entries for this year’s Daytona 200, and also with the amount of foreign riders who are coming to race,” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. “It shows how popular the Daytona 200 is as one of the biggest races in the world. We’re excited to start our 10th year of MotoAmerica, this year at Daytona, and we wish all our riders the best of luck. It’s going to be a lot of fun to watch.” |
