Kyle Wyman had the opportunity to race in both the Harley -Davidson and Daytona Superbike classes during the 2013 season
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Kyle Wyman embarked upon the first race of the 2013 season with anticipation and vigor. Having walked away victorious at the Daytona International Speedway, in the AMA Pro XR1200 series the two previous years, the rider had aspirations of a "three-peat.
However, this event brought with it much different circumstances from what he had grown accustomed to during previous seasons. As the race wound down, a plethora of riders were in a heated race for the finish line, compared to a four-rider pack in the front the years before.
"This time 10 other riders were able to stay in the draft," recalled Wyman. "So it really changed the outlook of the race, and I'd say the competitive threat had shown up greater than ever in the class.
"I did my best to work the drafting strategy during the race, and put myself in the best position on the last lap. There are a couple of things I learned about the draft that day that hopefully, I will have an opportunity to apply later on," continued the rider.
Nearing the race's end, it appeared that Wyman might be able to pull off the "three-peat" he was looking for. However, it's not over until the waving of the checkered flag, and Wyman was passed by a fellow rider with only 100-feet to go. In turn, Wyman accepted a second-place spot on the podium.
"Going into the race, my confidence level was at an all-time high, knowing that in 2011 and 2012 I was able to win the XR-1200 events there. " Wyman recalled. "It was such a crazy race this year, with 11 riders battling in one huge pack; it really could have gone to any one of us. After the race, I was just extremely happy to be on the podium due to the nature of the race. And I was feeling good about whatever the rest of the season had in store for me."
In spite of injury, Kyle Wyman had an exciting season in the AMA Pro1200 and Daytona Sportbike series this season
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With the first race of 2013 behind him, the rider was excited about what would transpire in the months to come. And as it worked out, his Daytona performance soon opened new doors, as he was presented with an opportunity with Triumph to compete from the seat of a 2013 Daytona 675R in in the AMA Pro Daytona Sportbike series.
"I was definitely excited to have another shot in the Daytona Sportbike class," recalled Wyman. "Having experience on the 675R in the past, I was really looking forward to riding the triple again.
"I actually built the bikes on my own," he explained. It was difficult to put together a program under KWR once the season had already started, and my resources were limited. Luckily, a friend let me use his barn as a race shop.
The biggest part of the learning curve was learning how to build a race bike from stock," continued Kyle Wyman. "I think being in a position where I'm working on my own stuff has a great benefit to my outlook on racing in general. It uncovered a level of respect for the sport that I hadn't fully understood in the past. I think it has made me a stronger person as a result."
Although testing time was limited, the rider rolled into Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin eager to compete in round two of the series. Although somewhat struggling in the event, finishing in 18th and 15th places, morale was high. He had taken the first step in growing acquainted with these bikes and actually increased his times by an excess of two seconds during the days following. With many laps to come during the remainder of the season, he was stoked and eager to go.
But bad luck reared its ugly head just days before a scheduled race at Barber Motorsports Park, when he sustained a shattered radius in his right arm during a mountain bike accident.
But Kyle Wyman is not one to let a little bad luck detour his drive. In turn, he used to time away from racing to re-energize the KWR XR1200 rental program for 2013. The level of participation was unsurpassed as seven riders represented Kye Wyman Racing at the Indianapolis speedway.
After three months of healing and anticipation, Wyman returned to fierce competition, racing in both the Triumph Superbike and Harley-Davidson classes.
With an interesting string of events during the 2013 season behind him the rider is looking forward to a future filled with exciting and fierce battles. "Next season, I will come back to the XR 1200 series, and my goal is to win the championship," ensured the rider. "In 2012, I was the championship leader and had to sit out due to injury, while my teammate Michael Barnes, took over to eventually be the champion. KWR is capable of winning championships, and I'm solely focused on giving myself another opportunity as a rider to be successful.
"Preparation is always the key to success in anything you do. And our plan is to be more than prepared for Daytona and the rest of the rounds in the 2014 championship."
The rider is acutely aware that having one's bike in tip-top running condition will play a very important role in future success and depends upon only the best to keep the internal components of his engines contaminant free.
"Properly maintained motorcycles are what win championships," he ensured, "and K&N products give us that edge. Not only do we use K&N oil and air filters on our race motorcycles, but we also utilize their products in our trucks and race haulers. K&N is synonymous with performance, and that's why so many race teams, in multiple racing disciplines rely on their products."
In closing Kyle Wyman said, " Fans can expect Kyle Wyman to continue using K&N products and working tirelessly to be the first one across the finish line of race day."
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