The nineteen-year-old, former KTM Cup Champion and British Moto3 Champion, New Jersey native, Brandon Paasch wins the 2021 Daytona 200.
The Daytona 200 saw it’s 79th running, after a Covid induced absence in 2020. New Jersey native, Brandon Paasch took the victory after a riveting battle with Sean Dylan Kelly.
The highly anticipated race did not disappoint. 57 laps at the famed Daytona International Speedway that claimed an early exit from 2019 winner, Kyle Wyman and several others. It was Wyman’s off moment that triggered a red flag in the 19th lap, from which he was unable to continue when the race restarted.
During the final laps of the race, it was Brandon Paasch and Sean Dylan Kelly swapping paint through the course. In the last lap of the race, Paasch closed a six-second gap between him and Kelly. In the final moments of the race, Paasch and his TSE Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 took advantage of the draft to pass Kelly, and capture the victory by 0.031 of a second.
“It feels so good to get the job done here in Daytona,” said Paasch. “This has been a goal of mine for a long time, and to finally check this off the list, just feels amazing!”
Brandon Paasch committed to donating a portion of his race winnings to the family of his mentor and friend, the late Lloyd Bayley who passed away in December of 2020.
Images: Brian J. Nelson
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Glad to see coverage of the 79th Daytona 200 and what turned out to be an incredible finish between two of the brightest new stars in American Road racing. I would have liked to see a longer article on the race that would have provided more details on the race including an even closer battle for third where 2016 Daytona 200 champion, 52 year old Michael Barnes was passed on the final lap for 3rd by Tayler O’Hara finishing 4th just 0.010 second back. Also on the donation of half his winnings (half of $25,000), Chronic Motorsports agreed to match what Brandon donated to the Bayley family making it $25,000. “In the final lap Paasch did not make up a six second gap. With 5 laps to go Branden Paasch had closed to within less than a second of Kelly and the gap essentially stay that way until lap 57, Branden made his move on that final lap in a classic chicane to checkered flag draft and pass move. Paasch did all of this with a very sore left ankle that he had injured a couple weeks before Daytona riding motocross. He is now headed to the British Supersport Championship where he is likely as he did in Moto 3, win the Championship on the factory Triumph.
Respectfully
Pat Gonsalves
Glad to see coverage of the 79th Daytona 200 and what turned out to be an incredible finish between two of the brightest new stars in American Road racing. I would have liked to see a longer article on the race that would have provided more details on the race including an even closer battle for third where 2016 Daytona 200 champion, 52 year old Michael Barnes was passed on the final lap for 3rd by Tayler O’Hara finishing 4th just 0.010 second back. Also on the donation of half his winnings (half of $25,000), Chronic Motorsports agreed to match what Brandon donated to the Bayley family making it $25,000. “In the final lap Paasch did not make up a six second gap. With 5 laps to go Branden Paasch had closed to within less than a second of Kelly and the gap essentially stay that way until lap 57, Branden made his move on that final lap in a classic chicane to checkered flag draft and pass move. Paasch did all of this with a very sore left ankle that he had injured a couple weeks before Daytona riding motocross. He is now headed to the British Supersport Championship where he is likely as he did in Moto 3, win the Championship on the factory Triumph.
Respectfully
Pat Gonsalves