Want to watch this year’s Daytona 200 for the CanCon? We have good news and bad news.
The good news first: Once again, MotoAmerica is streaming days’ worth of Daytona roadracing coverage through the MotoAmerica Live Plus website (see it here). You can pay $98.99 for a full season pass, or $38.97 for a one-month pass, or $12.99 for a single weekend pass. Those prices are in USD, and as far as we know, there are no tariffs on them… yet. Better sign up quick…
As far as Canadian racers at the classic Daytona Bike Week event, attendance nowhere near as strong as it was in the first races after COVID-19. Back then, a strong field of Canadian amateurs and pros attacked the banked corners. Last year. 10 Canucks went down for qualifying; only Ben Young, who was teamed up with Trevor Daley, finished in the top 10 (a ninth-place for the CSBK champ, when Bobby Fong’s oversized fuel tank got him disqualified).
Geopolitical messiness probably discouraged some racers from going, but even before that stuff started happening, the awful exchange rate (the $CAD has slumped horribly against the $USD) ruled a lot of racers out, probably.
However, while Young and most of the others aren’t back this year, Daley has returned and is looking to improve on his top-20 finish from the 2024 race. Some bad luck cost Daley dearly last year, and it is possible he may be able to crack the top 10 with the experience gained in 2024, if he doesn’t hit a similar rough patch. He was fastest in Group B qualifying on Thursday, so he’s definitely picking up the pace.
Aside from Daley, two other Canadians are racing the Daytona 200. Alex Michel and Dylan Bauer, both with years of CSBK experience under their belt, are also in Florida, with Michel actually heading down early to train just like Daley did. Mavrick Cyr also returned to Daytona this year, but is racing in the Twins event, with the first race Saturday March 8, and the second one on Sunday.
