Defending Daytona 200 champ suspended after battery on an officer
Danny Eslick will not be able to defend his crown at Saturday’s Daytona 200.
Eslick, who won the event in 2014 and 2015, has been suspended by the AMA sanctioning body, the American Sportbike Racing Association and Daytona International Speedway after being charged of battery on a law enforcement officer, a third-degree felony.
“Participating in professional motorcycle competition is a privilege, not a right,” said the AMA in a statement. “There is zero tolerance for behavior that is detrimental to the promotion of motorcycling in all its forms. The AMA has extended Eslick’s suspension to all AMA-sanctioned activity. The suspension will be in effect until this case is resolved, at which time the AMA may lift the suspension or take further action.”
Eslick was arrested by police in Daytona Beach Monday night and posted a $1,500 bail Tuesday morning. The AMA handed their decision down on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Eslick took to Facebook to send out a public apology:
I am deeply remorseful for the events that occurred on March 8th. It was not and would never be my intention to hurt...
Posted by Danny Eslick on Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Eslick, a 29-year-old Oklahoma native, would have been gunning to become the first rider to win the Daytona 200 motorcycle race at Daytona International Speedway three years in a row. He won the 2014 event on a Triumph 675R and the 2015 race on a Suzuki GSX-R600. He was set to race a TOBC Racing Yamaah YZF-R6 in this weekend’s event.
FansChoice.tv will stream Saturday’s running of the Daytona 200 LIVE, with the green flag set to drop at 1 p.m. ET.
