It’s been a minute since it was easy to come up with five to 10 potential winners of the Daytona 200. It’s been a real minute since it was difficult to narrow it down to 15 riders with a shot at winning the legendary 200 at Daytona International Speedway.
But here we are.
Tasked with the job of doing just that, we’ve done our best to narrow it down to just 15, and we’ll be sharing that list of racers three at a time, in numerical order, over the course of this week. Since, at the time of this writing, there were 67 riders entered in the 82nd running of the 200, our odds of getting it right are… drumroll, please. One in 67.
So, without further ado, let’s give ‘er a rip. Remember this is in numerical order, not in the order from favorite to least favorite. Also, don’t shoot the messenger.
#50 – Bobby Fong – Wrench Motorcycles Suzuki
Bobby Fong last raced in the Daytona 200 in 2019 and with 54 laps in the books he looked to have a very good chance of winning as he was in a heated battle at the front with Brandon Paasch. At that point it looked to be a two-man race. Then it changed. A red flag meant a four-lap shootout and it was no longer a two-man race.
At the flag, it was Kyle Wyman taking the win over Sean Dylan Kelly and Fong.
So, does he have a chance to win the 200 in 2024? You bet he does. The 2019 race still leaves a bitter taste in his mouth and he comes to Daytona highly motivated to get what might have been his.
#54 – Richie Escalante – Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki
Like Fong, Richie Escalante feels like the Daytona 200 might owe him one. Escalante was in a battle with Josh Herrin at the front of last year’s race when the two collided in turn one with Escalante crashing and Herrin riding to victory.
With lessons learned, Escalante should be one of the favorites to win the 200 based on his speed of a year ago and the fact that he ran at the front the entire time. Well, until the point when he didn’t.
Escalante brings a solid crew to pit lane, a GSX-R750 that’s now a proven winner in Supersport and the motivation from last year’s disastrous finish.
#65 – Niccolò Canepa – YART ProKASRO Yamaha
Niccolò Canepa is hoping to become just the second Italian to win the Daytona 200. The first? Fifteen-time World Champion and the winner of 122 Grands Prix – Giacomo Agostini, who won the 200 in 1974 in his debut race with Yamaha.
Canepa may not have Daytona experience, but he is one of the most experienced racers in this year’s 200 with gobs of World Endurance races under his belt. He also comes armed with a crew that can perform pit stops in their sleep – the YART (Yamaha Austria Racing Team) team that has won two World Endurance Championships.
Canepa will be joined by his two World Endurance teammates Marvin Fritz and Karel Hanika.
