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PROFILE: MIGUEL DUHAMEL
At Daytona in 1999, Miguel Duhamel made you believe in miracles. Despite not being able to walk without the aid of crutches eight months after a horrifying crash that almost cost him his leg, Duhamel scored a stunning pair of victories.
First, he took the 600 SuperSport race in classic nail-biter fashion, drafting from fourth position to win by mere inches. He followed that by winning the grueling 200-mile Superbike race, his third Daytona 200 victory, at a record-setting pace that again came down to inches at the finish line. Duhamel’s Daytona dominance was, without question, one of the most heroic performances in the history of AMA Superbike racing.
With such an amazing start to the 1999 season, Duhamel looked to have overcome the devastating effects of his 1998 Loudon crash, physically and mentally. By all accounts, he appeared set for a repeat of 1995, when he won both the 600 Supersport and Superbike titles. But it was not to be. He suffered another crash at Road Atlanta that rebroke the same leg, cutting his season short for the second year in a row.
Such misfortune would crush the spirit of an average person. But Miguel Duhamel has proven time and again he’s far from average. As the undisputed master of AMA Superbike racing, he holds the all-time record for the most race wins (22) and the longest winning streak (six). In 600 SuperSport he’s reigned supreme, with records for the most titles (five, including three in a row), the most race wins (36) and the longest winning streak (10).
Duhamel’s combination of talent, grit and determination comes in part from growing up in a motorcycling family, and the influence of his father Yvon, a road racing legend from the ’70s. "My dad obviously was a big part of me," Duhamel says. "He put me on the bike, and showed me how to ride starting from 3 years old." Duhamel, reknown in the paddock for his wit and humorous anecdotes, tells this one about his father: "I think I was about 4 years old and I was doing wheelies on my bike," he says. "My dad kept telling me to do a bigger wheelie. Finally I flipped it , and when I got up I went to my mom and said, ‘Mom, this guy’s trying to kill me.’ My mom just laughed. That’s kind of the way I grew up in racing.
"There was one thing my dad could not tolerate, and that was giving less than 100 percent on the track. He’d say, ‘Go out there and give 100 percent and you’ll be fine.’ Things like that you don’t forget."
Miguel hasn’t. And he’s quick to credit his team for his success, and helping him to remember his father’s advice. "The greatest thing about the Honda team is their total conviction and desire to win," he says. "They just put their heads down and they work so hard. And that really reflects on me. I go out there and I give it 100 percent, 110 if I can squeeze it out, every weekend, and try to win races."
Competing at racing’s top level requires more than just mental toughness, though. A racer has to be in superb physical condition, because the racing and the motorcycles themselves can melt an average person’s physical reserves like wax. "You’ve got to be physically strong," Duhamel says. "At a winning pace, you sometimes have to push a little beyond what the bike and tires are capable of. At that pace the bike can be a handful. So when the beast decides to be unruly, you’ve got to be able to dig in and put it back where it needs to be. That’s when you need the physical strength and mental toughness to put it up front. You need to be ready for that."
Just as important, though, is experience, and Duhamel has plenty. "I not only have to ride as fast as I can," he says, "I have to outsmart the other guys, like picking a spot where I think the other guy is a bit weaker, and keeping that in my back pocket. I’ve been pretty lucky, I’ve been able to see things coming before the competition and use that to my advantage."
To complete the puzzle that is a championship season, you need motorcycles capable of keeping you up front. For 2000, Honda brings to battle the stunning V-twin-powered RC51, an all-new Superbike that replaces the RC45ª. "The RC51 seems to give the rider a more relaxed sensation on the bike," Duhamel says. "It’s very stable, with predictable power delivery. When the power comes on it’s not as violent as the RC45, so I have more control exiting corners and I can carry more corner speed." Likewise, the CBR600F4, a championship-winner in its first year in 1999, will take its place right back at the top of the class. "The F4 is awesome," he says. "Last year it was good, but this year it’s even better. The team’s really refined the bike, they’ve done so much dyno work with the jetting, and that’s brought more power. It’s so much better with its power delivery and throttle control."
For 2000, Miguel Duhamel is ready to resume his winning ways. As the winningest road racer in America, he has the talent and the team to put him out front. With two tough seasons behind him, Duhamel’s is out to prove he’s the man to beat-again.
STATISTICS: MIGUEL DUHAMEL
1999
• 16th AMA Superbike
• 16th AMA 600 SuperSport
• 1st Daytona 200
1998
• 10th AMA Superbike
• 12th AMA 600 SuperSport
1997
• AMA 600 SuperSport Champion
• 2nd AMA Superbike
1996
• AMA 600 SuperSport Champion
• 2nd AMA Superbike
• 1st Daytona 200
1995
• AMA Superbike Champion
• AMA 600 SuperSport Champion
1993
• AMA 600 SuperSport Champion
• 3rd AMA Superbike
1992
• 12th 500cc Grand Prix World Championship
• FIM World Endurance Championship team member
1991
• AMA 600 SuperSport Champion
• 3rd AMA Superbike
• 1st Daytona 200
Born: May 26, 1968 LaSalle, Quebec, Canada
Residenc:e Sarasota, Florida
National #s: 17 (AMA Superbike and 600 SuperSport)
Began riding: 1971, age 3
First race: 1976, age 8
Training: Weight lifting, bicycling
Hobbies: Golf, skiing, hockey
Height: 5′ 6"
Weight: 145 lb.
Marital status: Single
Current race bikes: Honda RC51, Honda CBR600F4
Mechanics: Mitch Leonard, John Ethall
Crew Chief: Ray Plumb
Posted by cycle.news on 2015-12-04 16:24:11
Tagged: , Team Honda , Team Honda 2000 , Honda Racing , factory Honda , 2000 , Honda , Honda Racing – 2000 , Miguel Duhamel , Honda road racing , Honda Superbike , Honda Supersport , Press Kit Photo , motorcycle racing
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