While many sports enthusiasts go into a deep lull and sadness post Super Bowl weekend, motorcycle racing fans are getting amped up as the beginning of many racing seasons are set to begin. And there is no season-opening race like the Daytona 200. As race teams and fans flock to central Florida for sunshine, action, and the sweet smell of VP fuel, it’s the annual sign that hibernation is over and it’s time to go racing.
This year is the 82nd running of the 200 mile race in Daytona, and it’s arguably the most stacked field of capable riders the event has ever seen. As highlighted by MotoAmerica, nearly half of the registered competitors are coming from twelve countries outside of the U.S. to race the high banks of Daytona International Speedway at speeds in excess of 170mph.
It’s a tradition here at SoBros Network for us to highlight our favorite candidates we think are most likely to win, and this year’s entry list has made it extremely difficult to narrow that list down. My race prediction summary is that we might see the largest ever finishing pack of riders drafting for position on the final lap, which will contain multiple Ducati Panigale V2s, a TOBC Racing Triumph, a few GSX-R 750s, a couple of Yamaha R6s, and potentially a Triumph ridden by 13 time Isle of Man TT winner Peter Hickman.
Check out our race-winning potential candidates below and be sure to tune into the 82nd running of the Daytona 200 event March 7-9! Watch Here
Daytona 200: Our Favorites for the Win
Josh Herrin #2
Herrin is now a series veteran and has been racing Daytona for the majority of his professional career. This is his third Daytona 200 visit aboard the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V2, where he won last year’s event. He’ll be the definite rider to beat as he and the Warhorse HSBK Racing team are more than dialed into the track and pit stop routines.
Richie Escalante #54
The Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team and rider, Richie Escalante, have serious unfinished business to attend this year in Daytona. Last year’s race saw Herrin and Escalante pull away from the field and engage in a two rider battle for the lead. With only eight laps remaining, Herrin and Escalante came together in a highly controversial collusion through turn 1, which put Escalante on the ground and out of the race. Escalante’s GSX-R 750 was an absolute rocket last year, and I expect him to have a bit of extra determination at this year’s event.
Danny Eslick #69
You can’t have a Daytona race winner prediction list without throwing Danny Eslick’s name into the pot. The super-fast and talented rider from Oklahoma is a four-time Daytona 200 champion and knows how to play the game better than anyone in the field. Danny returns for 2024 with the highly-touted TOBC Racing team aboard the trusty Triumph Street Triple 765 RS. Last year’s race did not go as planned for Eslick and the TOBC Racing crew, but they will always be a force to reckon with.
Brandon Paasch #96
Former teammate to Danny Eslick, two-time Daytona 200 champion Brandon Paasch is returning to the track with a new ride. He will compete aboard one of the many Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R 750s, which I think will suit his style perfectly. A pit-lane speeding violation knocked him off the podium last year, where he landed way back in eleventh position. Brandon knows how to play the pit stop and drafting strategies, and he is more than fired up to get to the coveted top step of the Daytona podium.
Rahal Ducati Moto: PJ Jacobsen #15, Corey Alexander #23, Kayla Yaakov #19
I’m lumping all three of the Rahal Ducati Moto riders together here. Each of these racers are capable of winning; and the team, although brand new, is expected to be a top-contending force in the paddock. We know the Ducati Panigale V2 is more than capable, but is the team prepared to manage pit stops for three bikes during this grueling 200 mile event? With the IndyCar legend ownership of the Rahal family, we expect that answer to be an absolute yes. This will be Jacobsen’s and Alexander’s first race stepping down in the SuperSport class after several years aboard Superbike machinery, but I don’t doubt their readiness and ability to adapt one bit. This will be Yaakov’s first attempt at the Daytona 200, and she only has a handful of SuperSport races under her belt…but do not discount her talent. I wouldn’t be surprised to see an all Rahal Ducati Moto team podium finish to be honest.
Josh Hayes #4
Last year’s event almost saw Josh Hayes taking the victory. He was just barely edged out in the draft battle to the finish line by Josh Herrin, losing by a mere .07 seconds. Hayes broke records last year after becoming the all-time winningest rider in AMA/MotoAmerica history, and I’m sure he’s looking to add more wins to the list. Will Hayes finally get the Daytona 200 win that has eluded him for his entire career? I think it’s very possible, and we’ll see him try his best aboard the CSU One Cure/J4orce Racing Yamaha YZF-R6.
Blake Davis #22
2023 was Blake Davis’s first attempt at the Daytona 200, but he has plenty of on-track experience racing through the Twins Cup class there, and gained further SuperSport experience through select rounds later in the season. Last year’s race started off slow for Davis, but after a late-race red flag event, the Virginian found himself in the mix with the lead group after a 10 lap sprint race restart occurred, where he even pushed up into second place with two laps remaining. A pit-lane infraction caused his official result to be twelfth place, but Davis and the N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto crew are prepared to get their Yamaha YZF-R6 to the stop step of the podium.
Tyler Scott #70
Last year’s race was looking good for Tyler Scott, where he qualified on the front row in third position. However, electrical issues with his machine eventually forced him to retire from the event before the halfway point of the race. Scott went on to win four SuperSport races in the 2023 championship and is looking to bring that momentum back into Daytona. I expect big things from Scott and the fast Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R 750.
Wildcards
Peter Hickman #765
Due to his Isle of Man TT success, Hickman will likely be the fan favorite of the weekend, but his first attempt at the 200 might be a significant learning curve. However, I’m not ruling him out at all as a wildcard potential for a win.
Xavi Fores #1
I probably should have Xavi Fores in the “Favorites” list…I mean he did win the 2023 Supersport championship by a country mile, but his Daytona experience is very limited. He had an early retirement from last year’s race and is looking for a solid result this year.
Teagg Hobbs #79
Teagg Hobbs is fast and his bike is capable. He was able to get good experience shuffling through the lead group after last year’s red flag restart, but ended up with a sixth place finish. Keep your eye out for a surprise lunge forward from Scott.
Bobby Fong #50
He’s experienced, and he’s on a GSX-R 750. Bobby Fong has proven himself in the paddock that if you throw him on a bike, he can likely get it to the finish line first. The Wrench Motorcycles team will need to ensure their pit stop strategy is perfect if they want to be there for the last leg of the race.
Gus Rodio #113
The Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering team is throwing their hat into the ring for this year’s 200 with a Ducati Panigale V2. This is definitely a new venture for the team, but they’ve proven themselves more than capable for years in the Twins Cup class. This is a fast rider on a fast bike with a good team, don’t count them out.
Karel Hanika #98/Niccolo Canepa #65
The YART – ProKASRO team is making their Daytona debut this year. As the reigning FIM Endurance World Champions, these two riders and the Austrian team are ready to put their skills to the test against the current Daytona veterans.
Stefano Mesa #37
Give Stefano Mesa a bike and he’ll be at or near the front, period. Mesa is a highly capable, well-rounded competitor. He’ll be aboard Boulder Motor Sports Ducati Panigale V2 for this year’s race and I know he’s capable of putting pressure on the lead group. Can his bike and team keep him there for the entire 200 miles?
Ryan Yearwood is the motorsports correspondent for SoBros Network as well as the pioneer and visionary behind SoBros Outdoors. Follow on Twitter: @OutdoorSoBro.
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