2026 Daytona 200: A Motorcycle Race Akin To A Rollercoaster

A first row seat from the MP13 Racing team

Photos by Brian J Nelson and Racerxphoto.

Photos by Brian J Nelson and Racerxphoto.

What does Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, OH and the Daytona 200 have in common? Hurry up then wait, ups and downs, and all the adrenaline a person could ask for. As a true Ohioan, this reference is the best way to describe my time as a crew member with MP13 Racing for the 2026 Daytona 200. Follow along as I take you through the chaos that is Daytona and how a handful of inspiring women, Melissa Paris and Ella Dreher, are proving to the motorcycle community that they belong in the big leagues in a male-dominated sport.

Read More:

• Bore and Stoke Ep 22: Kayla Yaakov On Making History At Daytona

The Weight of Daytona

When Melissa Paris asked me to be a part of her team this year for the Daytona 200, I was honored and excited. She was one of the first big names I heard about when I started riding. With a résumé that includes racing at Daytona and in World Supersport, she is a legend in my eyes. But what stands out isn't just her past, it is how she runs a team in the present.

If you don't know, the Daytona 200 is one of the most iconic and unforgiving motorcycle races in the world. For Melissa, this year's event was yet another chapter in a career built on breaking barriers. For Ella, it was a leap into the deep end. For me, it was a front-row seat to both.

The Dreher siblings showing off Daytona's 31-degree banking.

The Dreher siblings showing off Daytona's 31-degree banking.

Florida is traditionally known as a retirement and vacation spot, but in my world it's known for Daytona. The Daytona 200 is one of the most respected endurance races in motorcycle racing, with legends tied to its history like Kenny Roberts, Scott Russell, and Josh Hayes. The 31-degree banking, the speed, the chaos, it's a place that demands respect. Or, as Melissa put it, "Daytona is mean. It's a mean place. There is a lot of luck involved."

A Young Rider, A Big Jump

MP13 Racing rolled in as the only team campaigning the MV Agusta F3, with Ella and her older brother Avery. Ella is only 16 years old, which made her the youngest rider in history to race the Daytona 200. After chatting with Ella, she played off this fact but was more interested in becoming the youngest ever to win the modern Daytona 200 - an accomplishment currently held by Johnny Cecotto who won at 19 years old in 1976. That's a mindset worth envying. Just a year ago, she was on a Kramer APX-350 in the MotoAmerica Talent Cup. A feeder class to the big leagues, the Talent Cup is where tomorrow's champions are groomed. Now she was lining up for the Daytona 200 in the Supersport class, working her way up the professional ladder. That kind of jump doesn't come easy, and Melissa knew it. Throughout the week, she made a clear effort to keep Ella comfortable, help her manage the pressure, keep things light when needed, and focused when it mattered. It's a balance that doesn't show up on a timing sheet but makes a difference everywhere else.

2026 daytona 200 a motorcycle race akin to a rollercoaster

Getting to Daytona wasn't guaranteed. Despite being on the team the previous year, Melissa wanted Ella on the team again, but needed to secure funding. Avery was also in the picture, though Melissa believed he was talented enough to land elsewhere, if need be. Ella and Avery are more than siblings though. If you follow their social media, you will find that they are also competitors. They push each other to go faster and ride better, which I truly believe is going to lead them to success deeper into their careers. It wasn't until around Christmas that everything came together, thanks in large part to a major sponsor. Without him, the team likely wouldn't have happened. Behind the scenes, Evan Wilcox also delivered, building the custom gas tanks that would play a critical role in the race - more on that shortly.

Rule changes

This year, a few rules changed for the 200. For the first time since MotoAmerica took over, the race was now a points-paying round for the racers. The race also now required three pit stops instead of two, due to reduced fuel tank capacity - dropping from 19 liters to 15.5 in 2026. All of these adjustments came with their own challenges. Now, more racers would be competing to secure more points. For several years - after the DMG regime was transitioned to MotoAmerica - Daytona was basically a standalone race, kept alive through club organizations and history refusing to let it die. But now there was more pressure to compete and do well for the top racers. Fuel capacity was adjusted for the three stops, however that meant the fuel tanks needed to be altered to hold that exact amount. This was Melissa's job to get right.

The Real Work Begins

Inside the garage, there were multiple veteran Daytona crew members and two new ones. Luckily, I have worked at the 200 in the past and was eager to show the team I was an asset. From my position on the crew, everything revolved around giving Ella a bike she could trust for 200 miles at full speed. And with the MV Agusta, that wasn't straightforward. Aftermarket support is limited, which meant a lot of what we needed didn't exist, so we had to make it work ourselves. Parts didn't just bolt on; they had to be modified, adjusted, and sometimes completely reworked just to function the way we needed. This was a huge time suck. Every detail mattered. Safety wire had to be perfect. Torque specs had to be exact. Wiring couldn't rub, components couldn't shift around, and nothing could be left to chance. Daytona exposes everything.

Here, Melissa Paris keeps Ella cool, calm, and collected while waiting 45 minutes on grid. Holding the umbrella is the team's main sponsor, proof that small teams require everyone to pitch in.

Here, Melissa Paris keeps Ella cool, calm, and collected while waiting 45 minutes on grid. Holding the umbrella is the team's main sponsor, proof that small teams require everyone to pitch in.

Then there were the pit stops. What looks simple on TV turned into one of the biggest challenges of the week - for the entire paddock. The single-sided swingarm on the MV Agusta sounded like an advantage, but in reality it fought us. The spindle nut design made quick changes difficult because the tolerances were tight, and even getting tools on and off quickly became a challenge. We ended up modifying parts, tools, reshaping edges, and constantly practicing just to get consistent.

Fueling added another layer. Melissa's main job was making sure we had enough fuel, and the right amount, for every stop. Too much fuel is obviously not allowed. Too little, you don't finish. It meant constant measuring, refilling, and double-checking under pressure, usually running on almost no sleep.

"There are problems you can solve with money and others you can solve with time," Melissa said early in the week. "Daytona tends to limit both."

By the time practice started, we were already exhausted, but that's when Ella's part really began. Speeds climbed past 180 mph on the banking, and while she approached it methodically at first, the progression was clear. Lap by lap, she got more comfortable, more confident. You could see Melissa managing that growth, keeping her steady, not letting the moment get too big. Melissa's message to Ella: "Your job is to finish the race."

2026 daytona 200 a motorcycle race akin to a rollercoaster

The first qualifying session reflected that progress. Ella settled into competitive times and earned a mid-pack starting position, exactly where she needed to be to stay in the fight.

Overcoming Mechanical Challenges

Remember that bit about making sure there was exactly enough fuel in the tank at each stop? Melissa made that my job, and it was time consuming, odorous, and difficult. Changing out the fuel pumps to test the new gas tanks eight times over was a pain, but a critical part of the process. Furthermore, we had to make some adjustments to the tanks to make them bulletproof, and had to find a way to limit fuel capacity from the 20-liter tank we had to turn it into a 15.5-liter tank, per the rules. We used empty Gatorade bottles and homemade PVC closed pipes to offset the allotment. Yeah, I know, it sounds ludicrous but we shoved those things in there to get the fuel to the top.

Another major challenge was installing the quick-change kit for the wheels, a crucial component to endurance racing. These are custom made to each bike and have to work perfectly. These systems, including specialized rear kits, utilize captive wheel spacers, captive brake calipers, and guides, allowing the axle to be removed without removing the brake components. Additionally, in racing, you try to eliminate as much weight from the bike as possible but MotoAmerica also has a minimum weight limit with bike and rider combined. Ella is so light that we actually had to add weight to the bike to meet the minimum requirement.

Race Day

This was the day we put our custom-built fuel tanks on (we had used the stock tanks during practice), which also meant that it was our first chance to test its mettle. After working through some teething issues with the new tanks, we were good to go by the second qualifying. Now we knew that the bikes were ready for this demanding race.

Of course, race day proved how quickly things could change.

2026 daytona 200 a motorcycle race akin to a rollercoaster

As we were sitting on the grid, waiting for the race to begin, Ella and Melissa were locked in. Waiting on the grid for 45 minutes, I could see Ella's nervousness, just wanting to get the start over with. Melissa always does a phenomenal job in managing Ella's thoughts and emotions. It is very cool to see a legend helping an upcoming racer, working towards proving to the world they belong. And now, it was finally time to go racing. The grid cleared and the racers took off to do their sighting and warm up laps.

One of the eeriest and most anxious feelings I have ever experienced personally is the moment right before the race starts. Sighting and warm up laps were done and the pits became almost dead silent (apart from the running engines). Nobody said anything. Everyone was just waiting, and hoping that when the revs go up, their riders would come out of turn one unscathed.

It's finally time. We sat by and watched the lights come on at the grid. Revs ramped and held steady - I'm pretty sure I wasn't breathing at this point. I could only imagine how Ella was feeling. The transition from dead silence to ear ringing limiters is an experience that you can't truly grasp through the TV. The lights go out. The race is on. And everyone is barreling into turn one as if it was the only thing that mattered in that moment.

2026 daytona 200 a motorcycle race akin to a rollercoaster

On the first start of the season, Ella delivered one of the strongest openings on the grid, immediately moving forward and passing multiple riders within the first lap. It was the kind of start that could define a race. Then the red flag came out. The restart reset everything. You'd think doing a restart would settle the nerves compared to the first start. I asked Ella about this later. She told me it doesn't matter how many restarts there are, the nerves are always the same because the goal is still the same: get to the front as soon as possible. Ella still launched well the second time, gaining positions again, but not to the same extent. From her perspective, that interruption mattered. Without it, she felt she would have been in a stronger position, with faster riders ahead to chase, which is something that can make all the difference at Daytona.

Chaos and Recovery

What followed was exactly the kind of drama that happens in racing: chaos. A crash shuffled the field on the second lap, causing both Dreher siblings to drop to the back of the pack, forcing them to regroup. That's where the race really began.

2026 daytona 200 a motorcycle race akin to a rollercoaster

Ella stayed composed. No panic, no desperation, just steady riding and smart decisions. From the pit, our job was to match that. Every stop had to be clean. No mistakes, no delays. After everything we fought through during the week, this was where it had to come together.

As a team, there was only one small mistake on our end. During one of Avery's pit stops, while fueling the bike, a crew member touched the retaining clip on the rear wheel. One of the rules states that nobody, other than the fueling team member, can touch the motorcycle while fueling. Despite incurring a small penalty, it did not affect Avery's finishing position. Now we will be more prepared and aware next year.

A Hard-Earned Finish

Photo by Racerxphoto.

Photo by Racerxphoto.

As the laps wound down, Ella kept moving forward. Then, with just a few laps remaining, she made a clean, decisive pass for 16th place, locking in her position after a full race of fighting through the field. It wasn't handed to her. She took it.

Avery made his own charge from nearly last to 12th place, but the bigger picture for MP13 was clear: both riders finished strong at a race that doesn't guarantee anything.

After the checkered flag, the team finally exhaled, while I cheered so loud that my voice cracked. The pressure was gone, replaced with a satisfactory relief. There was still work to do, but it felt lighter.

Melissa summed it up best in her own way: "Don't look in the kitchen of your favorite restaurant." A reminder that what people see on race day is only a fraction of what it takes to get there.

Daytona delivered what it always promises: highs, lows, setbacks, and small wins that turn into something bigger. For Melissa, it was another step forward building something different. For Ella, it was proof she belongs at this level. From where I stood, it was clear, none of that happens without the struggle that came first. Would you line up for this rollercoaster of adrenaline? I know my answer.

Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here**.