NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 11, 2024) – Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) today announced that three Bridgestone-backed riders secured top 10 finishes at the historic 82nd running of the Daytona 200. Karel Hanika rode his YART-ProKASRO Yamaha R6 to a fifth-place finish, followed by YART teammate Marvin Fritz in sixth place and Ben Young of Team BATTLAX in ninth. This was a record showing for Bridgestone BATTLAX race tires at the Daytona 200.
In addition to three of the top 10 riders being on Bridgestone BATTLAX tires, Hanika completed the second overall fastest lap time at 1:48.628, only 0.003 seconds behind the fastest lap of the race. This was the first Daytona 200 for YART Yamaha teammates Hanika and Fritz, who are the reigning champs of the FIM Endurance World Championship series. Canadian Superbike Champion Ben Young was able to advance through the grid on his Team BATTLAX Suzuki Canada GSX-R750 for a ninth-place finish.
Bridgestone marked its largest presence to date at this year’s Daytona 200, providing full engineering support, sponsorship and BATTLAX race tires to 15 riders from seven different countries:
- Karel Hanika, YART Yamaha (Czech Republic)
- Marvin Fritz, YART Yamaha (Germany)
- Ben Young, Team BATTLAX (Canada)
- Matt Truelove (England)
- Diego Perez Zuasti (Spain)
- Trevor Daley, Team BATTLAX (Canada)
- Matt Simpson (Canada)
- Alexandre Michel (Canada)
- Maverick Cyr (Canada)
- Niccolo Canepa, YART Yamaha (Italy)
- Harry Truelove (England)
- Alex Coelho (Portugal)
- Sébastien Tremblay (Canada)
- Brad MacRae (Canada)
- Samuel Guérin (Canada)
An incredible effort was put in by all teams, although racing incidents and mechanical issues caused a few riders to miss the start or DNF. But notably, all Bridgestone riders who finished the race advanced significantly from their starting grid position.
Rider |
Number |
Country |
Grid Position |
Finish Position |
Karel Hanika |
98 |
Czech Rep. |
17 |
5 |
Marvin Fritz |
17 |
Germany |
14 |
6 |
Ben Young |
86 |
Canada |
20 |
9 |
Matt Truelove |
123 |
England |
21 |
12 |
Diego Perez Zuasti |
135 |
Spain |
34 |
16 |
Trevor Daley |
166 |
Canada |
30 |
20 |
Matt Simpson |
191 |
Canada |
46 |
25 |
Alex Michel |
199 |
Canada |
53 |
28 |
Maverick Cyr |
104 |
Canada |
39 |
30 |
“We’re thrilled that three riders finished in the top 10 on Bridgestone BATTLAX tires at the Daytona 200 this year, marking a first for Bridgestone,” said Jared Williams, General Manager Bridgestone Motorcycle Tire business in the United States and Canada. “These outstanding results, and the fact that each of the riders who finished advanced significantly through the grid from their starting positions, underscores the incredible grip, performance, and reliability of Bridgestone BATTLAX tires. Congratulations to all riders and teams on an incredible race weekend.”
“The Bridgestone tires performed unbelievably well,” said Young. “During the last stint in particular, the tires provided the extra edge and advantage needed to push past and gap the other riders to get the job done and end in the right position.”
Bridgestone’s top 10 finish at the Daytona 200 aligns with the “Emotion” and “Ease” values of the Bridgestone E8 Commitment. The Bridgestone E8 Commitment, encompassing eight values all beginning with the letter “E,” solidifies Bridgestone’s dedication to fostering a more sustainable world.
For more company news, visit BridgestoneAmericas.com.
