Eddie Lawson (No. 7) readies for the start of the 1993 Daytona 200. Lawson had already announced his retirement from GP racing, but came back to race Daytona in 1993 for the Vance & Hines Yamaha team. His week wasn’t going well, suffering numerous blistered tires, including in the 50-mile qualifying race. The issue continued in the Daytona 200. After blistering four tires Lawson said he thought his chances to win were over. Fortunately for him Scott Russell was having the same problem on his Muzzy Kawasaki. In the end the race came down to a last-lap duel between the two elite riders. Russell led, but got jammed up behind Chuck Graves going through the chicane and actually ran off the track. That was all the break Lawson needed. He got around Russell, during Scott’s excursion, and pegged the throttle of the Yamaha to the stops. Lawson went high, all the way to the wall later saying he figured Russell would have to travel up the banking to get in his draft. It worked. Lawson won by a bike length earning his final AMA Superbike victory.

Eddie Lawson (No. 7) readies for the start of the 1993 Daytona 200 on his Vance & Hines Yamaha. Lawson went on to nip Scott Russell to take the victory, his final AMA Superbike victory. Starting alongside Lawson are Brian Morrison, the 1989 British Superbike Champion, on the No. 109 Kawasaki and Kiwi Aaron Slight on his No. 62 factory Kawasaki. (Larry Lawrence photo)