GEICO Powersports Honda - Daytona

Daytona Beach, Fla. – The GEICO Powersports Honda team rolled into Florida for the Daytona Supercross by Honda with their bikes replicating the blacked-out bikes the riders rode in the filming of the upcoming GEICO Powersports commercial, to be aired for the first time this week.

 

One of the commercial’s stars, Kevin Windham, had a strong showing at the event he won a year earlier in the mud. Windham started outside the top five in the main event and quickly began to work his way forward. He got up as high as third twice in the main event, but a few mistakes cost him and he eventually finished a strong fifth.

 

“It was sort of par for the course, but I had some swaps, and that stuff happens here, but it slowed me down a couple of laps,” Windham said. “I started riding a little bit tight and then was able to reverse it and then come on strong at the end. I felt like I was decently strong at the end. It was a good ride for me. It would’ve been a good one to get on the podium or even back up last year with another win, because all the pieces were in place and some of the players went down in the first turn. The bike was working good, though. It was probably the best it’s ever been, it’s just that this track kind of requires you to push it over the edge, and as everyone knows, that’s not really my style. So I stayed in control most of the race, lost it a time or two, and struggled with it for just a sec, but I thought I had a good night. Obviously, I would’ve loved to hit the podium, but all in all, it was good.”

 

In the Lites class, the GEICO Powersports Honda team brought in a new replacement rider for Brett Metcalfe, who was injured at round two of the Lites East. Daniel Blair, the longtime privateer, actually got the holeshot in his Heat race and led quite a few laps. In the main event, he started just inside the top 10 and battled it out on the tough circuit for 15 laps, eventually finishing 11th.

 

“Overall, it was really good,” Blair said. “I holeshot the Heat and got to lead a couple laps, and the main thing I got out of this race is I know that Daytona’s a very difficult race – especially for me, because I haven’t done anything like this in a long time... I’ve been riding regular supercross, which is nothing like this. I just wanted to get through the weekend solid and be able to learn more about the bike, more about the team, and get something to build off of. So, to be honest, I rode really cautious, really smart, and just tried to make no mistakes and tried to get through it without doing anything really stupid. I know a lot of other guys, like Jimmy Albertson and some others, who have gotten opportunities like this, have had bad things happen and it kind of blew it for them. I really wanted to get through it smart, and I think that’s what happened.”

 

His teammate Blake Wharton had a tough go of it in Daytona. Before the main event, on the sighting lap, the AMA didn’t block off the track where it crossed the start straightaway, and Wharton collided with Wil Hahn, who was doing a practice start.

 

“That little hot-lap incident was pretty scary,” Wharton said. “I went to do my start, and I took off first, and then most everyone else had taken off, but when you came around, it looped back in front of the start, and me and Wil Hahn kind of had a head-on collision. It was a nice way to start off the main event. It was kind of strange. We both came away pretty lucky because I think we hit just at the right part of the bike. We didn’t totally hit, we just kind of clipped each other. My bike was still good, though, so that was good.”

 

Wharton was able to keep his head in the game, though, but then he was taken down in a first-turn pileup at the start of the main event. Still, he got up and charged, even without a front fender, and finished a strong ninth.

 

“Then, the main event rolled around, but I was on the outside,” Wharton said. “I felt my jump was good, but I just need to work on my acceleration to the first turn. I didn’t get there very well, and I got in a pileup. I kept my bike running, but it took me a while to get unhooked. I was sitting there for a while. Then, I got unhooked, and was basically in no-man’s land for a while, and caught up to ninth, and that was it. Kind of a boring night, I guess.”

 

From here, the GEICO Powersports Honda team heads to New Orleans, Louisiana, for round 11 of the AMA Supercross Series, and round five of the Lites Eastern Regional Supercross Championship, on March 14 inside the Louisiana Superdome.

 

Team Sponsors: GEICO Powersports, Honda, Planet Fitness, Unbound Energy, AM/PM, Factory Connection, Fox, Shoei, Gaerne, DVS, Amsoil Lubricants, Cycra Plastics, Dunlop Tires, EK Chains, Filtron Air Filters, Hinson Clutches, Leatt Brace, One Industries, Pro Circuit, Renthal, Shock Doctor, Showa, TAG Sprockets, Vortex Ignitions, VP Fuels, and Works Connection.

 

Daytona Lites Main:

1. Christophe Pourcel Kaw

2. Martin Davalos KTM

3. Nico Izzi Suz

4. Matt Lemoine Yam

5. Wil Hahn KTM

6. Matt Goerke Suz

7. Darryn Durham Yam

8. Broc Tickle Yam

9. Blake Wharton GEICO Powersports Honda

10. Kyle Keylon Hon

11. Daniel Blair GEICO Powersports Honda

 

Daytona 450cc Main:

1. Chad Reed Suz

2. Jason Lawrence Yam

3. Davi Millsaps Hon

4. Mike Alessi Suz

5. Kevin Windham GEICO Powersports Honda

6. Ryan Villopoto Kaw

7. James Stewart Yam

8. Andrew Short Hon

9. Ryan Sipes KTM

10. Tommy Hahn Kaw