The decision by Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Performance to enter Miguel Duhamel in the 2009 Daytona 200 Mile race was taken very late in the game, as the budget necessary to get the five-time 200 winner Miguel Duhamel on a Suzuki GSX-R600 was finalised 13 days before the race truck had to leave Granby for the Florida track.
Given that "Go" decision, it flowed that entering lead rider Brett McCormick in the AMA Superbike race, even aboard a 2008 Canadian Superbike-spec GSX-R1000 made eminent sense. It meant good experience and a head start on the 2009 season for the youngster, at a reasonable cost.
While minimal preparation was necessary on the Superbike, the team unwrapped two brand new 2009 600s for Miguel. These machines were then built up to American SportBike rules, a variation of the Canadian Pro 600 Sportbike rules. This similarity was important, as the knowledge from the past year's machine could be applied to this year's models, and the suspensions and motors would start off with a good knowledge base.
All that was left was to perform standard race preparation on two new machines... This involved sourcing 2009 race fairings, fork suspension kits, rear shocks, exhaust systems, rear-set adjustable footpegs and levers, steering dampers, race brake pads, at least 8 complete spare wheels (Rims, bearings, carriers and rotors), special fasteners, quick change rear and front axles, dry-break fillers on an aluminum fuel dump can and on the two fuel tanks, source a large side-jack to lift the front of the bike for front tire changes during pit stops, paint the bodies and decorate them according to team colours, build and dyno test a total of three race engines, assemble the two bikes, buy standard consumables such as tape, zip-ties, special tools, etc, and load the truck.
All of this in 12 days! Four people and Pascal worked twelve 16-hour days to get the job done and the show on the road.
Miguel was going to hit the track Wednesday morning with zero test time, develop the bike as he got his race-face back on during practice and qualifying, and they would go from there.
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| Here is the team that worked so hard before and during Bike Week: the blond hair belongs to Julie, Miguel's companion, mechanic and truckie Michael Chatelin, mechanic and ex-racer Ben Pilon, Pascal hisself, rider Brett McCormick, mechanic Yves Goyette in the background, Crew Chief Scott Cameron (with the Headset), motor builder and resident Guru Paul Fournier, and mechanic Dave Oackley. Mechanic Robbie Jensen was unavailable for this curtain call. |
Given that "Go" decision, it flowed that entering lead rider Brett McCormick in the AMA Superbike race, even aboard a 2008 Canadian Superbike-spec GSX-R1000 made eminent sense. It meant good experience and a head start on the 2009 season for the youngster, at a reasonable cost.
While minimal preparation was necessary on the Superbike, the team unwrapped two brand new 2009 600s for Miguel. These machines were then built up to American SportBike rules, a variation of the Canadian Pro 600 Sportbike rules. This similarity was important, as the knowledge from the past year's machine could be applied to this year's models, and the suspensions and motors would start off with a good knowledge base.
All that was left was to perform standard race preparation on two new machines... This involved sourcing 2009 race fairings, fork suspension kits, rear shocks, exhaust systems, rear-set adjustable footpegs and levers, steering dampers, race brake pads, at least 8 complete spare wheels (Rims, bearings, carriers and rotors), special fasteners, quick change rear and front axles, dry-break fillers on an aluminum fuel dump can and on the two fuel tanks, source a large side-jack to lift the front of the bike for front tire changes during pit stops, paint the bodies and decorate them according to team colours, build and dyno test a total of three race engines, assemble the two bikes, buy standard consumables such as tape, zip-ties, special tools, etc, and load the truck.
All of this in 12 days! Four people and Pascal worked twelve 16-hour days to get the job done and the show on the road.
Miguel was going to hit the track Wednesday morning with zero test time, develop the bike as he got his race-face back on during practice and qualifying, and they would go from there.
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| Pascal Picotte designed the distinctive bike decoration himself, adding the orange Dayglo stripes to help spot the bike from the pits as it went by at close to 280km/h in the middle of a pack of 10 or 20 madmen. |