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Duhamel's Quest for 600 Supersport Victory Highlights Daytona Support Races

2 March 1998

WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- Nine years ago, a young Canadian made his first appearance at Daytona International Speedway. The youngster was Miguel Duhamel, who at the time was best known as the son of motorcycle racer Yvon Duhamel. The younger Duhamel's debut at Daytona was barely noteworthy. He finished 12th in the 600 SuperSport final, and later that same day came back to take eighth place in the 250 Grand Prix race. His 1989 introduction to AMA Pro Racing was rather inauspicious, but as race fans now know, Miguel Duhamel has become one of the all-time greats in the history of AMA racing.

Duhamel will return to the site of his first AMA race March 8 and attempt his 35th career victory in the Pro Honda Oils 600 SuperSport final at Daytona International Raceway. If Duhamel wins at Daytona, it will not only mark his 35th win in the Pro Honda Oils 600 SuperSport, but also his fifth win in the series at Daytona.

The defending series champ will have his hands full at Daytona this year. Three-time MBNA Superbike Champion Doug Chandler is racing in Pro Honda Oils 600 SuperSport for the first time in his career. Chandler's debut in the class resulted in a victory at the series opener in February at Phoenix International Raceway. Chandler's machine, Kawasaki's updated ZX-6, seems ready to take on Honda's CBR600, which has won over three times more 600 SuperSport races than any other bike in the 11-year history of the series.

Suzuki riders will also factor into the possibilities at Daytona. Suzukis finished first and second in Pro Honda Oils 600 SuperSport last year at Daytona, and Suzuki's Aaron Yates is eager to get back at Chandler, who edged him out with a last-second pass at Phoenix. Other races scheduled on the 3.56-mile road course in support of the 57th Annual Daytona 200 are the Elf Race Fuels & Lubricants Grand Prix , the Teamline 750 SuperSport final on Friday, March 6 and the Progressive Insurance Pro Thunder race on Sunday.

Four-time Daytona 250 Grand Prix winner Rich Oliver has moved on to Superbike racing for Yamaha. Oliver's absence has actually spawned new excitement for the Elf Fuels & Lubricants Grand Prix series. Oliver protg Chuck Sorensen comes to Daytona as the early favorite to win, but Sorensen will be challenged by veterans Randy Renfrow and Takahito Mori, as well as rising stars like Roland Sands and Kurtis Roberts (son of motorcycle racing legend Kenny Roberts).

Defending Teamline 750 SuperSport champ Jason Pridmore is heavily favored to defend his victory at Daytona. Pridmore is second on the all-time Teamline 750 SuperSport wins list, and hopes to catch Scott Russell's record of 23 victories in the class by the end of the season.

The Progressive Insurance Pro Thunder series is a new class for 1998. While many riders would love to become the first Pro Thunder winner at Daytona, Shawn Higbee appears to have the inside line on capturing that distinction. Higbee convincingly won the opening round at Phoenix, giving Buell its first AMA National victory. Higbee's Buell will be challenge by a wide variety of bikes, including Triumph triples, Wood-Rotax singles and Ducati V-twin bikes.