Chaz wins Daytona 200!

Former - and perhaps future - grand prix rider Chaz Davies looks to have become the first ever British rider to win the prestigious Daytona 200 AMA race after Josh Hayes, who crossed the line first, was disqualified for illegal crankshaft modifications.

However, Hayes' Erion Honda team has appealed the decision.

"We've appealed their decision and basically that's our side of it," Rick Hobbs, Hayes' crew chief said. "We've appealed the technical inspection and also the penalty, disqualification." He added, "At this point we're not going to make any statement on what our version is until we file the appropriate paperwork with them."

The crankshaft on the race-winning Honda was found to be "polished, surface treated and metal was removed from it," AMA Pro Racing said in a press release announcing the infraction. "This is in violation of the 2008 AMA rulebook section 5.4."

Davies would doubtless prefer to win the race on track, but the new Attack Kawasaki rider - who rode in several MotoGP races last season - has been overdue some good fortune after battling, unpaid, on uncompetitive 125 and 250GP machinery from 2002-2006.

The 21-year-old, a friend and former rival of MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner, then ignited his career by moving to the American-based AMA championships for 2007 - and suddenly jumped back into world championship action when he was called up to replace Alex Hofmann at d'Antin Ducati.

Chaz was subsequently offered the role of Ducati MotoGP test rider for 2008, but reluctantly turned it down in order to continue racing - a decision that has been quickly vindicated.

Should Hayes' disqualification be upheld, Davies - who crossed the finish line 32secs behind Hayes - will have won the 67th Daytona 200 by almost 20secs over his team-mate Steve Rapp. Third placed Larry Pegram (Ducati) was a lap down.

Chaz's fellow Brit Neil Hodgson - another former MotoGP rider - retired late in the race after an engine failure... while holding a safe second position.

Davies' triumph, the first by a European rider at the '200 since Patrick Pons in 1980, comes on a dream weekend for British motorcycle racing, with James Toseland qualifying second for his first ever MotoGP race and three Brits inside the top five during 125GP qualifying at Qatar - led by a debut pole position for Bradley Smith.