Scot Russell to Make Daytona Return on a H-D XR1200

The man that many refer to as Mr Daytona, Scott Russell, is to return to the Daytona International Speedway (March 10-11) competing in the AMA Pro Racing Vance & Hines XR1200 series. The race will mark the start of the 2011 season and Russell’s first AMA Pro motorcycle race at the Speedway since retiring from the series in 2002.

A record five-time winner of the Daytona 200 race, former Harley-Davidson factory VR1000 Superbike rider, and 1993 World Superbike Champion, Russell will ride a Harley Owners Group sponsored XR1200 motorcycle wearing his favorite No. 4.

“I’m excited to get on one of those Harley XRs,” said Russell. “I ran some endurance races last year and I think I still have some gas left in the tank. It will be fun to race with the rest of the guys at Daytona and hopefully run up front.”

In addition to Russell, the Vance & Hines XR1200 class will feature a large grid of experienced riders from 2007 Daytona 200 winner Steve Rapp (Parts Unlimited) and former AMA Flat Track Grand National Champion Joe Kopp (Latus Racing) to young guns like Michael Beck (J&P Cycles) and brothers Kyle Wyman (RMR/Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing) and Travis Wyman (Harv’s Harley-Davidson).

“Based on largely stock Harley-Davidson XR1200 motorcycles equipped with a race-preparation kit provided by series sponsor Vance & Hines, the series brings the exciting rumble of Harley-Davidson V-Twin engines back to AMA Pro Road Racing at Daytona for the first time since the end of the VR1000 Superbike program in 2001,” a statement from Vance & Hines reads.