Duhamel one of six Canuck '200' entries

By John Hopkins

Montreal's Miguel Duhamel appears on the entry list for the March 6 Daytona 200, riding a Suzuki GSX-R600 entered under the Suzuki/Blackfoot/Picotte Motorsports banner.

The former American Honda factory rider will be going for a record sixth win in the classic event at Daytona International Speedway, breaking a tie he currently shares with Scott Russell.

“All winter long Alan [Labrosse, Duhamel’s long-time manager] and I have been working really hard trying to get a deal,” Duhamel told U.S. website Roadracingworld.com on Wednesday. “Alan came out here, and we toured the West Coast. We saw everybody here who has a shop and is involved in racing. We let everybody know that we were ready and willing to go race. It’s never stopped for the last four months.

“That led to here. Alan talked to Pascal. He was interested. Then he [Alan] said, ‘Hey Miguel, here’s the deal. We’ve got something here with Pascal,’ and would I be interested. And I’m like, ‘Man, I’ve been trying to get a ride. Yeah, of course.’

“Knowing Pascal, knowing him very well, I know that he knows racing. He’s a winner on the track, and I know that leads to a winner off the track. I know his team and everything has been going really well. So I was like, why not? Let’s do this. It definitely has a good and a fun vibe to it."

Duhamel went on to tell Roadracingworld.com that the deal was strictly for the Daytona event.

Duhamel is one of six Canadians on the most recent entry list, which was published Tuesday night. He will be joined in the Daytona SportBike class by Calgary's Chris Peris on an Erion Honda CBR600RR, Jean Paul Tache of North Bay, ON on a Four Feathers Racing Yamaha YZF-R6, Matt McBride of Mississauga, ON aboard a Vallely Racing Suzuki GSX-R600, Kamloops, BC's Alan Schmidt on a Latus Motors Racing Buell 1125R and Vancouver rider Kevin Boisvert running a Bayside Performance Suzuki GSX-R600.

Duhamel's Suzuki/Blackfoot/Picotte teammate Brett McCormick of Saskatoon will run in the American Superbike class on a GSX-R1000. Aso entered in the big bike class are Tache, Boisvert and Peterborough, ON's Larry Orde on his Orde Racing Yamaha YZF-R1.

There are no Canadian entries currently in the SunTrust Moto-GT or SuperSport field.