By Dean Adams
1989 Daytona 200 winner, long-time Superbike and Daytona 200 and former 600 Supersport rider John Ashmead passed away last night after a battle with cancer.
Ashmead won the Daytona 200 in 1989 on a privateer VFR750 Honda Superbike, a victory infamous for the confusion at the end of the race when officials had to go find Ashmead in order to tell him that he’d won the 200. Additionally, Ashmead won the 1985 Laguna Seca Superbike race.
Gary Medley worked as Ashmead’s mechanic and crewchief for nearly the Floridian’s entire career. Medley said this morning, “Sad news about a close friend and a good guy. We had a lot of times together and remained close after racing. I’m going to miss him a lot. Godspeed, John.”
Follow the sirens: Ashmead’s start in motorcycle racing originated from the afternoon when Florida racing fan Peter Brady found Ashmead cowering behind his garage with a motorcycle. Ashmead was hiding from the police, who had chased him for miles for racing on the street. Brady brought Ashmead to racing and because of that influence John Ashmead won the Daytona 200 on a Peter Brady-sponsored VFR750.
