DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Supercross is back at Daytona Int’l Speedway, and for the 16th year in a row, five-time Daytona Supercross champion Ricky Carmichael has created another tough course to conquer.
The course was unveiled today for the 53rd annual Supercross race at the World Center of Racing, taking place Saturday, March 4, as part of Bike Week at DAYTONA presented By Monster Energy. Construction on the course begins two days after the 65th running of the DAYTONA 500, which will be run on Feb. 19.
“Ricky has designed yet another incredible course for this year’s Daytona Supercross,” said Daytona Int’l Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “We’re thrilled to unveil it to the fans, and we can’t wait for them to come out to the track and see it in person.”
The Supercross course will feature 42 obstacles for riders to tackle over the 3,300-foot course, including sharp turns, plenty of vaulted jumps and a finish line that lines up precisely with the iconic Daytona Int’l Speedway start/finish line. Course construction begins on Tuesday, Feb. 21, to fill the famous grass ballfield with approximately 7,200 tons of dirt.
“This year’s Daytona Supercross design is one of the best. It races great for the riders — it’s safe yet challenging and it’s very similar to last year with the split lanes,” said Carmichael. “Daytona is the toughest, gnarliest race on the Supercross circuit, but it’s the most special to win. This track is going to produce great racing and I think the riders are going to put on a fantastic display for all our fans.”
The 53rd annual DAYTONA Supercross race kicks off at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 4.
Riders will tackle the grueling course, with Eli Tomac looking to add a seventh win at Daytona, after making history last year in Florida by securing his sixth record-breaking Supercross crown.