Seth Devereux left earlier this week for Florida, where he is managing the efforts of Wellington rider Shane Richardson, who finished runner-up in the New Zealand Supersport Championship last weekend.
"It has all come together quite quickly," Devereux, who describes himself as "a keen adrenaline junkie", said from Daytona yesterday.
"We’ve had little more than a month to get everything arranged: that’s putting the budget in place to engineering much of the special equipment the race demands."
The Daytona race, a traditional opener on the international motorcycle racing calendar, runs over 200 miles and teams are required to make refuelling stops and wheel changes.
The only New Zealander to win it was Graeme Crosby in 1982.
Before heading off to the US, Devereux spent time in Dunedin building specialised pit equipment, including quick-change wheel stands.
"It’s been a mammoth effort to get to the US, but New Zealand has responded.
"We’ve been overwhelmed by the level of support, both financial and product, that has come our way."
While reluctant to put a figure on the cost of the one-off challenge, he admits "it’s way north of $20,000".
Devereux has arranged to lease a Kawasaki 600 race bike in Florida, but team personnel tested the limits of their luggage allowance.
"We took Shane’s forks and rear suspension and exhaust system, plus enough parts to rebuild the standard engine. As well, there was all the pit equipment."
There has been little time to acclimatise to Florida’s springtime weather.
"We have to have the bike built in time for the first practice day this Tuesday."
"Then it’s flat out dialling in the rider and bike, and getting the pit crew up to speed with wheel and brake pad changes and refuelling.
"We all know race day next Saturday is going to come around pretty quickly.
"But Devereux is upbeat.
"Croz was the last Kiwi to win Daytona. That was more than 30 years ago.
"Now it’s our chance to show what another generation of Kiwis can do."
- Peter Donaldson
