Daytona, day 8
March 8, Daytona 200 race day
We originally were supposed to film the BMW FX team efforts in the paddock and on the track - Nate Kern is a Kushitani rider. However, Daytona Raceway would not give us press credentials to film, and BMW could only give us one paddock pass. So, while the filming part of going to Daytona was out, we still got to meet with several different companies regarding support. If the show is a go, there is a lot of interest.
Since the earlier Texas trackday we planned on attending had rained out, we needed to find another trackday that fit our schedule and route for more track footage. Earlier in the trip, I found two trackdays in a row at Jennings GP in Florida. Mike contacted the organizer of X-Act trackdays and told him what we were doing. He invited us to attend his day on Sunday, March 9, the next day.
This meant today we either could watch the races, or fix the bike I crashed so we would have two bikes to film with, return the last scooter, and drive the three hours to Jennings. We fixed the bike. Freddies School had sent bodywork, a lever and footpeg to the campsite.
Mike returned the scooter and met with more people at the track. Steve and I picked him up in the RV and we headed out to Jennings. I am really sorry we missed the Cole Slaw wrestling that Bike Week had to offer: Coleslaw wrestling lives on during Daytona’s Bike Week
We arrived at the track around 4 in the afternoon, met everyone, walked the track, took some photos. While Florida was round 75 degrees when we left, Jennings was around 60 degrees when we arrived and getting colder. The track had great runoff, was really safe (all those trees are not near impact zones) and was quite pretty. NOw I know tracks out East all look better than our West coast desert tracks, but this was particularly picturesque.
We joined 12 other people for dinner at a Japanese Hibachi restaurant. Being a small town, the only thing to do on a Saturday night was go out to eat, so we had an hour and half wait. Most racetracks in the US are in the middle of nowhere, so this is pretty standard for a weekend track event.
The best part of the evening was the party bus that sat at the two adjacent grills around us. 25 drunken overdressed 22 year olds out for a night on the town. It was interesting to note the hairstyle trends the girls were sporting - popular coor stripes that went out on the West coast 5 years ago were the hot ticket. That, and either a smokey, smokey eye, or blue (??) eye shadow. Oh, of course the lower back tattoo was still being displayed, whereas on the West coast most of those are already regretted and ignored. I’m sorry I dont have any photos of the party bus crew, only ours:
Mike, with Pete and Anna, the track day organizers.
These guys changed my tires the next morning with tire irons
Steve and a sunburned dude out from Chicago
