Scott on pole position for 82nd running of Daytona 200

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Category: Other Racing News

Published on Friday, March 8, 2024 16:08 EST

Written by Cam Bickle

Tyler Scott will start the 82nd edition of the historic Daytona 200 from pole position on Saturday, after the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki teenager topped the Time Attack session at Daytona International Speedway.

It was a different M4 Suzuki rider who looked like the man to beat entering Friday, as Richie Escalante powered his GSX-R750 to a new lap record of 1:47.833 in Q1 with Scott in second, but the 18-year-old hit the front when it mattered most.

Avoiding the chaos of two separate three-rider groups, Scott took on the Top-12 Time Attack completely by himself – a bold strategy around the slipstream-heavy circuit – but managed to power through his own air effectively, climbing into third, second, and then provisional pole in consecutive laps.

His time of 1:48.047 was slower than Escalante’s earlier pace, but it wouldn’t matter as the Time Attack session forms the first four rows of the grid, replacing the Mexican as the new benchmark. 

A four-rider group of Stefano Mesa, Bobby Fong, Richard Cooper, and Paasch would try to displace the teenager in the final moments, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the solo effort of Scott as he becomes one of the youngest pole-sitters in Daytona 200 history. 

Mesa was the biggest surprise of the session, leading for majority of the 15-minute Time Attack before Scott snatched provisional pole from the Boulder Motorsports Ducati rider by only 0.100 seconds, putting Mesa on the middle of the front row on Saturday.

Joining them will be former M4 Suzuki rider Fong, who returned to the Daytona 200 field and didn’t miss a beat aboard his Wrench Motorcycles Suzuki, though he did end the session with a small crash on his final flying lap.

Hayden Gillim will lead off the second row aboard his Vesrah Racing Suzuki, beating out defending Daytona 200 winner and last year’s pole-sitter Josh Herrin by only 0.036 seconds. 

Herrin fought through mechanical issues aboard his OnlyFans Warhorse HSBK Ducati to salvage fifth on the day, one spot (and just 0.025 seconds) clear of former garage-mate Xavi Fores in sixth, a strong effort for the Attack Performance Yamaha rider and reigning Supersport champion.

Notably absent from the first two rows is Escalante, who could only manage a best lap of 1:49.053 in the Time Attack to put himself ninth on the grid and at the end of row three. It was an equally frustrating result for teammate and two-time Daytona winner Paasch, who sits two spots behind Escalante in eleventh going into Saturday’s race.

Full results from Friday’s provisional qualifying can be found on MotoAmerica.ca, while the feature 57-lap race can be watched live on MotoAmerica Live+.