Sensational BMW Duo in top six at Daytona!
By Andy Dukes
Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport riders Richard Cooper and Brian Parriott
finished a sensational fifth and sixth respectively in the Formula
Xtreme Daytona 200. Both riders had heart-stopping moments on the
opening lap, with Parriott crashing, but each brushed aside any
difficulties and carried on to record impressive finishes. Rico
Penzkofer was hit from behind on the opening lap and crashed,
almost taking out team mate Cooper in the process. He suffered
heavy bruising and was unable to remount his bike and continue.
Nate Kern had crashed in the morning warm-up and injured his right
hand, but decided to try and start the race. However, on the
opening lap, he couldn't feel the throttle so was forced to pull
out.
Current Formula Xtreme champion Joshua Hayes (Honda) won the 69
lap race, with Chaz Davies (Kawasaki) second and Steve Rapp
(Kawasaki) third. However, well after the post-race celebrations
had finished, Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport found out that Hayes
had been disqualified because of a technical infringement - and
Chaz Davies was awarded the victory. This means that BMW Motorrad
Motorsport riders Richard Cooper and Brian Parriott - who
originally finished sixth and seventh, moved up the order to fifth
and sixth places respectively.
After the news was broadcast, Berti Hauser (Director of Motorrad
Motorsport) said, "The news is fantastic for sure. We were very
happy with the original results, so to now get fifth and sixth
makes us even more happy and an even bigger reward for all the
hard work the whole team has put in this week. To get two riders
in the top ten in such a famous race is a big achievement indeed
and is a testament to our great team and their never-say-die
attitude.
"Richard used great strategy and thoroughly earned his result and
I'm proud of the way he conducted his race today. Brian crashed
in the beginning, but showed his fighting spirit and made a super
result. Rico's crash was not his fault, because he was hit from
behind, and I know he's sorry that he couldn't finish the race.
Nate tried his best to start the race, but he knew that his hand
wasn't up to it and he made the right decision to pull out. We
learned a lot here because the procedure for the Daytona 200 is
nothing like an Endurance race, but the team adapted to this
superbly and we want to dedicate our success to Thomas
Hinterreiter."
Richard Cooper - 5th: "I can't tell you how surprised, but happy
I am over this result. This is my fourth time at Daytona and every
time before I've had some misfortune or other. On the first lap, I
nearly hit Rico, when he was nudged from behind. I managed to brake
hard and just missed him, but it was pretty close! After that the
race settled down and I had no problems whatsoever. I knew that a
top 15 finish was the goal, but I was hoping for a top ten result,
so to get fifth is amazing - particularly as this place is so
special for me. The pit-stops were perfect and the bike was a
dream, and that's down to all the hard work the team put in."
Brian Parriot - 6th: "That was a pretty eventful race for me,
starting with the crash on lap one! I think it was because the
tyres might have not been warm enough, because I lost the back end
without warning and was thrown up into the air and onto the
windscreen, before falling. I went over to the bike, made sure all
the levers were OK and started off again. I suppose I was a bit
lucky, because a bit later on the course car came out and I was
able to recover some of the ground I'd lost. The rest of the race
was good and throughout it I felt I learnt more and more about the
bike and got more and more comfortable. In fact, I felt that the
bike was better then it had been all week. Before the race, I
believed that a top ten was definitely possible, because I had
looked at last year's race and the lap time, so I had an idea of
how we would do. But to get sixth is a tremendous result and
a just reward for all the hard work the team has put in."
Nate Kern - DNF: "I'm disappointed because I felt I could've got
a good result here today. I crashed in the morning warm-up and
badly hurt my right hand. I don't think I broke anything, but it
was really sore. I decided to try to make the start and see how
it felt, but once I got off the line and went through a couple of
turns, I realised that I couldn't feel the throttle at all! So,
for the safety of everybody, I pulled in. Congratulations to
Richard and Brian though for doing such a good job and sorry to
all my mechanics after all the effort they made this week."
Rico Penzkofer - DNF: "I am very disappointed with the crash. I
think I was bumped from behind - there are marks on my tailpiece
- and I couldn't control the bike and fell. That was that for me
and I was pretty angry because we've put in so much good work
this week and it would've been great to bring the bike home and
get another strong finish for the team."
Results
1. Chaz Davies, Kawasaki, 69 laps
2. Steve Rapp, Kawasaki, 69 laps
3. Larry Pegram, Ducati, 68 laps
4. Martin Cardenas, Suzuki, 68 laps
5. Richard Cooper, BMW Motorrad Motorsport, 67 laps
6. Brian Parriott, BMW Motorrad Motorsport, 67 laps
7. Bobby Fong, Suzuki, 67 laps
8. Bostjan Skubic, Yamaha, 67 laps
9. Steve Atlas, Honda, 66 laps
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This feature originally appeared in March 2008 - Updated: 04/25/08
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