DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A nearly perfect race by Josh Herrin and his No. 2 Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team gave him a dominant performance in winning his second straight and third overall Daytona 200 at Daytona Int’l Speedway.
Herrin had to wait 13 years between his first two championships at The World Center of Racing, but less than a year later for his third. He became the sixth rider to capture three Daytona 200 victories.
As the first stint of the race wound down and pit stops loomed, Herrin, Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki rider Richie Escalante and Wrench Motorcycles’ Bobby Fong pulled away from the rest of the lead pack.
Herrin and Escalante were the first to break off for pit road coming to lap 17, but a lightning fast stop by the Warhorse Ducati team allowed Herrin to head back out on track first and take a solo lead after pit stops cycled through.
Fuel strategy became the name of the game as contender and two-time Daytona 200 champion Brandon Paasch sputtered around for a lap before coming in for his first pit stop, and the eventual race winner Herrin faced a similar issue coming to pit road for his second stop coming to lap 38.
But it was a non-issue for the now three-time champion as his lead was too great to overcome.
In the final laps, the question became who could make it to the finish on fuel. That question ended in heartbreak for Escalante, who held a 38-second lead on Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott heading into the infield portion to start the final lap of the 57-lap event.
Escalante’s bike started to sputter as he rounded the International Horseshoe and couldn’t stay up to speed while completing the 3.56-mile course. As he exited the final turn on the oval portion of the track, Scott blew past him to finish second after starting on pole.
Shortly after, Vesrah Racing rider Hayden Gillim caught and passed Escalante to complete the podium.
Fong finished fourth and Esclante finally crossed the line in fifth.