By GODWIN KELLY
MOTORSPORTS EDITOR

Last update: October 22, 2005

DAYTONA BEACH -- A racing team based in Flagler County ruled the day at Daytona International Speedway.

Two bikes racing under the Team Vallely Racing, owned by Flagler Beach residents Tom and Gail Vallely, swept the top two positions in Friday's featured Team Challenge event at Fall Cycle Scene.

"This is the first win at Daytona for us," Tom Vallely said in Victory Lane. "It doesn't get any better than that."

The No. 6 Suzuki, jockeyed by Mark Crozier, from Palm Coast, Joe Riebero and Shawn Conrad, captured the overall win over Daytona's new 2.95-mile motorcycle course.

The race, scheduled for 56 laps, was shortened to 44 because of two red-flag periods. The accidents were not intense but required extra course clean up.

Ryan Patterson, aboard the second-place No. 298 Suzuki, said he nearly ran over an exhaust system in the tri-oval before the first red flag was unfurled.

"That was interesting," said Patterson, who teamed with Adam Donnelly for Friday's runner-up effort on the Team Vallely entry.

The red flags played into the No. 6 Suzuki's strategy. "The no-stress changing tires and that sort of thing was good," Tom Vallely said. "The only problem was, we couldn't change riders, and Mark had to keep riding and riding."

"In Formula USA, you can work on the bikes during a red flag," Crozier said. "We were able to fill up with fuel and put new tires on. Since I was riding, I had to take the restarts. I tried to get us out to a big lead on that last restart."

After dicing with the other Vallely bike for several laps, the 37-year-old Crozier pulled away to a big lead.

"Mark is flier," said Riebero.

After years of motorcycle competition at Daytona, Friday's victory was not only Crozier's first win but his first appearance on the podium.

Tom Vallely, who also races bikes, said the Team Challenge was also his first win of any kind at the historic track.

"You put two good things together and it works out," Crozier said. "The equipment Tom gives us is good. And I've stepped up my training this season.

"It's been really good for us this season. I think we've finally found the combination to get us here to Victory Lane."

The Vallely's good fortune at Daytona didn't end there. The couple entered a GT Lights bike featuring an all-female team which finished second in class.

The No. 299 Suzuki GTL entry was ridden by Nicole Hoffman and Rhiannon Lucente.

"We put three bikes on the podium today, including our girls team, so it was quite an effort for a local team at this level," Gail Vallely said.