With the 84th running of the Daytona 200 coinciding with Ducati’s 100th Anniversary, the brand from Borgo Panigale is stacking the deck in its favor. No less than 12 Ducati Panigale V2 entrants are in the 2026 field as the manufacturer attempts to take a fourth straight win in America’s greatest road race. Heading the list of Ducati all-stars is four-time and defending Daytona 200 Champ Josh Herrin. Riding for the Rahal Ducati Moto team, Herrin will attempt to equal Scott Russell and Miguel Duhamel as the most successful rider in the history of the event with five victories.
However it was Herrin’s Rahal Ducati “temporary” teammate PJ Jacobsen who qualified P1 during Thursday’s first Q session in his one-off MotoAmerica Supersport appearance before he joins the Superbike field at round one in April at Road America. The 32-year-old Jacobsen laid down the fastest lap with a 1:49.359 on just his seventh lap of the session.
Kayla Yaakov has been the fastest Ducati rider in preseason testing as she attempts to be the first female winner in history. And finally, MotoAmerica Twins Cup and Talent Cup Champion Alessandro Di Mario will make his full-time step up to the Supersport category with Rahal Ducati Moto.
The 2026 Daytona 200 will also witness the AMA racing debut of former MotoGP rider Darryn Binder. Riding for Celtic/Economy Lube + Tire/Warhorse HSBK Ducati, the South African has spent a decade in the Grand Prix paddock and will be one to watch as he pairs with Supersport sophomore Wristin Grigg. Rounding out the Ducati grid are six additional riders from both privateer and dealer teams alike.
“To have 12 Ducati Panigale V2 riders on the grid for the Daytona 200 speaks volumes about the strength of our platform and commitment to racing in North America,” said Jason Chinnock, Chief Executive Officer of Ducati North America. “Daytona is one of the most iconic races in the world, and going for a fourth straight victory with this depth of talent shows how much we’ve grown as a brand and racing company. This, coupled with our 100th Anniversary year, makes this an extra special moment for Ducati.”
2026 Daytona 200 Ducati Riders
2 Josh Herrin, Rahal Ducati Moto
15 PJ Jacobsen, Rahal Ducati Moto
19 Kayla Yaakov, Rahal Ducati Moto
27 Alessandro Di Mario, Rahal Ducati Moto
53 Darryn Binder, Celtic/Economy Lube + Tire/Warhorse HSBK Ducati
88 Alex Arango, TopPro Motorsports/Edge Racing
92 Jason Waters, TopPro Motorsports/Edge Racing
96 Gus Rodio, Rodio Racing
101 Ross Irwin, Magic Bullet Racing
272 Wristin Grigg, Celtic/Economy Lube + Tire/Warhorse Ducati
301 Jeff Bean, JBJR Racing
555 Ryder Davis, Mosites Motorsports
The 85th running of the Daytona 200, a 57-lap race, will start on Saturday, March 7, at 1:10 pm EST.
