AMA SuperSport: Daytona 2008

Graves Yamaha Ben Bostrom finishes on top

(AMA Pro Racing Release) Graves Yamaha’s Ben Bostrom finished what he started, adding a Pro Honda Oils Supersport victory to his Wednesday pole, following an unpredictable 22-lap showdown with his young teammate, Josh Herrin.

Bostrom looked to be in serious danger of losing the victory at the checkered flag, as Herrin appeared to have the Californian exactly where he wanted, sucking up into his draft as they entered the banking for the final time. Herrin was unable to pick a side to slingshot past Bostrom on, however, and the two made contact just moments before Bostrom hit the stripe a wheel earlier, claiming a scant 0.012-second margin of victory.

The win was Bostrom's second career in the Supersport class, the previous one coming just short of ten years ago at Road Atlanta.

While Herrin narrowly missed backing up his first-career victory in the ’07 finale with his second in the ’08 opener, the 17-year-old’s impressive Daytona runner-up performance was an encouraging sign that he will emerge a full-fledged title contender in 2008.

While the race ultimately belonged to Yamaha, a special mention must go to Monster Energy Kawasaki’s defending class champion, Roger Hayden, whose very participation was in doubt after after tearing ligaments and chipping bones in his left wrist during a Superbike qualifying crash earlier in the day.

Hayden did more than just ride around for points, clawing his way back up to the Graves Yamaha stars after they formation flew their way out of the race’s early pack war. On lap 16 the Kentuckian made a double draft pass to take the lead for a short time but his thoughts of victory were effectively squashed when he was severely balked by a slower rider on lap 19 of 22.

Another title hopeful, Erion Honda’s Josh Hayes, had a more disappointing outing, being forced into the pits on lap 8 while running in fourth due to an issue with his machine’s exhaust system. The Mississippian returned to the track and ultimately finished in 17th.

The race for fourth was as spirited as the battle for the win, with Team M4 EMGO Suzuki teammates Blake Young and Martin Cardenas clashing with Attack Kawasaki teammates Chaz Davies and Steve Rapp throughout the 100k contest.

Davies won out at the flag, .053 seconds ahead of Young, 0.108 up on Cardenas, and 0.263 ahead of Rapp.

Erion Honda’s Jake Zemke took a lonely eighth, 22 seconds off the win, while two-time class champion Tommy Hayden finished ninth, another 12 seconds back. Matsushima Suzuki’s Danny Eslick just pipped Safety First Suzuki’s Bobby Fong for the final position in the top ten at the stripe.

The second round of the Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship will take place at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, AL when the series picks back up April 18-20.