Tom Toparis to compete at Daytona 200
Tom Toparis is heading for America straight from his World Supersport wildcard appearance this weekend at Phillip Island to ride in the historic Daytona 200 on the weekend of March 9th in Florida.
Toparis will aim to be only the second Australian to win the historic race. Mat Mladin won the event three times, the first two victories on a GSX-R750 and the third success on a GSX-R1000. Thus, it is somewhat befitting that Toparis will contest the event on a GSX-R750.
However, while Mladin was racing in the era of bespoke unobtanium FIM spec’ Superbikes, as seen above, Toparis will be on a mainly standard Supersport Next Generation GSX-R750.
The competition will be fierce, with names like Josh Herrin, Brandon Paasch, Danny Eslick, Peter Hickman, Xavi Fores, Josh Hayes, PJ Jacobsen, Marvin Fritz, Niccolo Canepa, Karel Hanika, and Richard Cooper all expected to race the Daytona 200 this year.
Toparis will not be the only Australian on the grid, as also racing in the Daytona 200 will be Australians David Anthony (GSX-R750) and Shane Maggs (YZF-R6).
Other motorcycles in this tightly controlled class include the Ducati Panigale V2 (955), MV Agusta F3 800, MV Agusta Superveloce (800), and Triumph Street Triple RS (765).
This new generation of Supersport competition is yet to be introduced here in Australia, but we will see it in action this weekend at Phillip Island in the World Supersport Championship, where Toparis will ride a Stop and Seal backed Yamaha YZF-R6.
The Daytona 200 was a race for Superbike machinery until the bikes grew too powerful for tyres to survive the daunting Daytona banking. Thus the Superbikes were replaced by Supersport machinery from 2005 onwards.
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, Florida.
Toparis, Anthony and Maggs will not be the only Australians racing with MotoAmerica on the Daytona weekend as Tom’s fellow Goulburn-raised speedster Troy Herfoss will race for Indian in the King of the Baggers event.
