#604 Tsujimoto going through the Daytona infield. The AMA Superbike-spec GSX-R750 was his favorite since, although it was heavier than the Formula TT-F1 version, it was substantially more powerful. The AMA allowed the use of 1mm oversize pistons, so the Superbike version’s displacement was enlarged to 771.25cc with a bore and stroke of φ71 x 48.7mm, while the TT-F1 engine was bored 1% oversized 756.12cc with φ70.3 x 48.7mm (the stock is 749.68cc with φ70 x 48.7 mm).

1986 Daytona, Part Two

The 1986 Daytona 200 miraculously brought together champions and promising young riders. In this race Team Yoshimura Suzuki entered the new oil-cooled GSX-R750 for its AMA debut, piloted by 1985 All-Japan TT-F1 champion Satoshi Tsujimoto and Kevin Schwantz. The team also introduced their innovative Duplex Cyclone exhaust technology in the United States for the first time.

Yamaha brought in the 1981-1982 AMA Superbike Champion and the 1984 GP500 World Champion Eddie Lawson just for this one race, while their AMA regulars were 1985 US Formula One Champion Mike Baldwin and Kenny Roberts’ disciple, 1981 AMA Flat Track Rookie of the Year Jimmy Filice. Yamaha also gave 17-year-old rookie John Kocinski –––– who could not enter the Daytona 200 (March 9th) because it was before his birthday (March 20th) –––– an FZ750 to race in the AMA/CCS race held the week before. That is how much Yamaha wanted the FZ750 to win in its second year of AMA competition. And unlike the previous year, the 1986 FZ750 (OU45) was factory built by Yamaha Motor headquarter in Japan.

#604 Tsujimoto had the Hinomaru (Japanese national flag) design on both his suits and
his pitstop board. The team staff also wore white uniforms, giving the team a sense of noble grace. With the GSX-R750, a machine that can win, the team had an atmosphere similar to that of the GS750/1000 era, as they were “highly motivated to do it again!” as Suehiro Watanabe (Yoshimura R&D) recalls.

For American Honda, like Suzuki, the 1986 Daytona 200 was the debut of the up-to-the-minute VFR750F (2nd generation V4) and their team boasted a strong lineup including the 1983 AMA Superbike Champion Wayne Rainey and the 1984-1985 AMA Superbike Champion Fred Merkel. The original lineup was a three-rider team that also included Freddie Spencer, but Spencer was sidelined with an ear infection (which made Tsujimoto really disappointed).

There were even more champions at the event, including the 1978-1979 GP250 & GP350 World Champion Kork Ballington on Suzuki Great Britain’s Skoal Bandit GSX-R750 and a total of three AMA Grand National Champion flat-trackers: 1985 Champ Bubba Shobert on American Honda VF750F (previous year's factory machine), 1976-1977-1978 Champ Jay Springsteen on Super Team Yamaha FZ750, and the 1982 and 1984 Champ Ricky Graham on another Super Team Yamaha FZ750.

At Daytona, the race starts from the wide pit road. Pole position went to #4 Lawson, with #6 Rainey second, #34 Schwantz third, and #604 Tsujimoto fourth. The flat-trackers #67 Shobert at far right, and #129 Springsteen behind Tsujimoto. Tsujimoto was amazed by the left-hand oval-track riders as he recalls, “Springsteen was incredibly fast on left turns, but was like an amateur on right turns, which was quite interesting.”

The starting grid positions for the Daytona 200-mile race is determined by a unique qualifying system. First, the top five (front row) are determined by Timed Practice. The entrants are then divided into two groups, each of which goes out for a 50-mile, 15-lap heat race, and the results will determine the starting grid for the 6th position and below. The 200-mile, 57-lap final race features a total of 80 entrants (with some failing to qualify).

As a result of the Timed Practice for 1986 Daytona 200, the pole position went to active GP500 rider Eddie Lawson (1:56.228), followed by Wayne Rainey (1:56.423) in 2nd and Kevin Schwantz (1:57.429) in 3rd. Tsujimoto was 4th with a brilliant 1:59.032, followed by Mike Baldwin in 5th with a 1:59.034.

During the Timed Practice, and throughout the practice sessions, a photoelectric speed 
trap was informally set at the finish line –––– on the 18-degree banking in front of the grandstands –––– to measure top speed. Although that location may not always be the best spot to measure the maximum speed, the record showed that the fastest rider was Rainey on VFR750F at 171.42 mph (about 275.58 kph), followed closely by Lawson on FZ750 at 170.13 mph (about 273.74 kph) and then by Schwantz on GSX-R750 at 169.17 mph (about 272.19 kph). The fact that Lawson's FZ750 was the only one of the three bikes that was not fully faired proved just how good his riding skills were.

As for power, it was American Honda VFR750F that dominated the rest of the field in the super-fast sections from the west 31-degree banking, through the backstretch, the east 31-degree turn 4, the bottom straight and to the 18-degree banking in front of the grandstands. Still, Lawson consistently beats others in lap times and is almost always the fastest. For example, the section prior to the west 31-degree high bank runs from the flat infield, through the concrete apron (outside of the asphalt main course) and then it rises sharply and suddenly. Both Rainey and Schwantz open wide on the flat section and then get into a massive power-slide in conjunction with counter-steering to climb up the banking, trying to enter the line right next to the outer wall. In contrast, Lawson accelerates smoothly by opening the throttle modestly as he lifts his torso up to absorb the shock of the transition between the infield and the banking,and climbs up the banking swiftly as if there was no transition.

Tsujimoto recalls, “Eddie overtook me on the bank without crouching. He was sitting straight up. It was humiliating…. No one could ride that smooth. It was hard to believe we were riding on the same track.”

Kevin Schwantz has been wearing #34 since the 1986 season. Here, he is just sliding his butt sideways, still far from his typical lean-out riding form. He finished 2nd in the final, but he was not satisfied with his performance. He also had a problem with his left handlebar grip which, although safety-wired at three points, became loose during the race. He pulled the grip off and showed it to others after the finish.

In the heat races, the 1st heat (of 59 bikes) was won by Lawson, followed by Filice in 2nd and Ballington in 3rd. The 2nd heat (of 60 bikes) was won by Rainey, followed by Merkel in 2nd and Tsujimoto in 3rd. 80 riders made it to the final and about half of the entrants end up participating only in a heat race, but still, it’s a great 50-mile race and the whole event is considered to satisfy even those who fail to qualify. In fact, what’s great about American racing events are that they are all about the entrants having the most fun.

Tsujimoto once asked Schwantz about his strategy for Daytona. “Kevin’s answer was
simply, WIDE. OPEN.”

Stories and photos supplied by Yoshimura Japan / Shigeo Kibiki / Takao Isobe
Written by Tomoya Ishibashi
Edited by Bike Bros Magazines
Published on December 12, 2022