Both Brandon Paasch and Danny Eslick could make history with a win
The TOBC-Triumph racing team returns to the Daytona 200 aiming to repeat Brandon Paasch’s sensational win in last year’s race. For the 2023 race, a win by either Paasch or teammate Danny Eslick would further cement the legacy of the TOBC-Triumph team and the iconic Street Triple. It would also make history for both the winning rider and team principal Michelle Lindsay.
Another win for the two-time defending champion Brandon Paasch would make him the only rider in history to win three back-to-back Daytona 200 races, while a victory for Danny Eslick would put the veteran racer in rare air, tied for most wins all-time with five. Lindsay has already made history as the only female team owner to reach the top of the Daytona 200 podium, and a 5th win would further add to her legacy.
The boss, her boys, their bikes. Photo by Triumph Motorcycles.
Brandon and Danny will both pilot the all new Triumph Street Triple 765 RS. After powering Paasch to the top of the 2022 podium and four seasons of outstanding performance and reliability as the exclusive engine in the Moto2 World Championship, the 765 triple engine has been further refined for the 2023 season. The upgraded engine, which is now included in the Street Triple 765 family of production motorcycles, has already seen its first taste of race action in the World SuperSport Championship and will be a notable improvement to the already proven race bike.
The TOBC riders took charge early in last year’s race. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Eslick, 4-time Daytona 200 winner, reflected, “Last year was tough, knowing I was in the hunt the whole race and just having a couple things not go my way. I can tell you one thing, I learned from last year though and it’s that this is the bike and team to be on. So no doubt about it, I’m coming for win number five next week.”
2-time defending Daytona 200 champ Paasch declared, “I’ve been waiting all year to jump back on my Triumph and race the Daytona 200 with this TOBC team. Last year’s win reinforced the trust I already had in the bike and in Michelle’s team. It will be great to carry that confidence into the 2023 race as we strive to defend last year’s win.”
Fast, efficient pitting is critical to success in the Daytona 200, and the TOBC team put on a master class last year with Eslick and Paasch. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Jeremy Appleton, Global Racing Manager for Triumph stated, “The Daytona 200 ranks among the world’s legendary races, making the win in 2022 a significant moment in the history of Triumph Racing. Now it’s down to business again and going racing to demonstrate that the Triumph Street Triple and its 765 three cylinder engine represents the ideal combination of power and handling. Michelle’s experience and professionalism with her TOBC Racing team combined with the pedigree that Brandon and Danny bring to the race make for a formidable combination.”
Led by owner Lindsay, TOBC Racing won the 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022 Daytona 200, and came in 2nd overall for the MotoAmerica 1000 Superstock Championship and the 2014 AMA Supersport Championship. TOBC Racing is a privately funded team focused on the support of Amateur Road Racing and the development of younger racers through the National Endurance, Team Challenge, and Sprint Series hosted by CCS, WERA, CMRA, ASRA, and FIM/MotoAmerica.
The intense battle to the checkered, which Paasch won by a nose. Lower right shows Josh Hayes chasing 4th. Photo by Tim Lester Images.
This year marks the 81st running of the Daytona 200 on March 11, 2023, now managed by MotoAmerica, and will field one of the largest and most nationally diverse grids in years. Fifty one riders from sixteen countries will grid up for the historic, world-renown race, astride six different brands of Supersport machines. “We’re thrilled with our entries for the 81st running of the Daytona 200,” said MotoAmerica COO Chuck Aksland. “This will mark MotoAmerica’s second year of running the race and interest in the event continues to rise at a rapid rate. To have riders from 16 different countries heading to Daytona Beach is huge as one of our goals was to work toward building the race into a truly international event as it once was. We’re really looking forward to getting to Florida and getting the 2023 season started. It’s going to be a good one.”
Paasch frying what’s left of his rear tire after his epic win. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
The weekend also includes races for the Mission King of the Baggers class, the REV’IT! Twins Cup, and the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship. There’s nothing like watching the motorcycles in each class take to the high banks, throttles pinned, across the exhausting endurance road race. Can Team TOBC retain their title? Can Paasch or Eslick rewrite Daytona 200 history?
For more information on the weekend of races, check out MotoAmerica’s link:
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