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MLADIN HOPING TO GIVE SUZUKI ITS FIRST DAYTONA 200 BY ARAI VICTORY IN 12 YEARS

3 March 2000

     MLADIN HOPING TO GIVE SUZUKI ITS FIRST DAYTONA 200 BY ARAI VICTORY IN

                                 12 YEARS

     PICKERINGTON, Ohio --  Mat Mladin and Suzuki have been a great match.

The Australian, who turns 28 on March 10, won the American Motorcyclist

Association (AMA) Superbike Championship last year, and is gearing up to

make another run at the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship at the

season-opening Daytona 200 by Arai on March 12.

     If Mladin can win his first Daytona 200, it would mark only the second

time Suzuki has won the March Classic. Former World Champion Kevin Schwantz

gave Suzuki its first and only victory to date in the 200 back in 1988.

     Mladin put together a championship-winning season last year with one

victory at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., and a slew of podium

finishes, including his gutsy second place finish to Miguel Duhamel at last

year's Daytona 200 By Arai. Mladin's Suzuki did not quite have the top

speed that Duhamel's Honda had in last year's race, but the Aussie made up

the difference with some of the most determined riding ever witnessed on

the infield section of the 3.56-mile road circuit.

     On the final lap Mladin tried to make a drafting move past Duhamel to

the finish line, but he came up a mere 14/100ths of a second short. It

proved to be the second-closest finish in the history of the race.

     Mladin will be back this year wearing the No. 1 plate on his Suzuki.

The championship he earned last year marked the first AMA Superbike title

for Suzuki in 10 years. Many see this year's Daytona 200 as Mladin's to

win, especially after coming so close last year. The former Australian

Superbike champ likes his chances as well, but speaks like a realist when

it comes to predicting a win in the 200.

     "The 200 is one of those races where many things can happen," said

Mladin. "As you saw last year there are always a number of guys who seem to

have a hold in the race. Miguel and I obviously did the best job last year.

I guess you can say maybe their Honda was just a second better than ours.

That's the way it goes.  We're looking forward to coming back to Daytona.

We learned a lot last year. We were here for the August tire test. I think

we've proven we really don't need any changes too drastic. We've shown we

have a championship-winning bike and winning crew and then a

championship-winning rider. So we're trying to refine things a little more

and make everything a little better. I think we can do that and we're going

to be strong again."

     Mladin was a racing sensation in Australia when he won that country's

Superbike championship when he was just 19 years old. Cagiva saw the

potential in him and signed him to race in the 500cc World Championship

Grand Prix circuit in 1993. Mladin looks back on his foray in the GPs as a

time of too much, too soon.

     Mladin's racing career almost came to an end in 1994 when he nearly

lost his foot in a light-aircraft accident. While still undergoing

rehabilitation, Mladin made a triumphant comeback and finished second in

the Australian Superbike Series in 1995. He was signed by Suzuki to race in

America for 1996.  This will be Mladin's fifth appearance in the Daytona

200.

     Tickets for the Daytona 200 By Arai are available online at

www.daytonaintlspeedway.com or by calling the Speedway Ticket Office at

(904) 253-7223.

     Content for this release provided courtesy of Daytona International

Speedway and Lawrence media. 

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