Miguel Duhamel

Miguel Duhamel (born May 26, 1968 in Lasalle, Quebec) is a Canadian motorcycle racer, the son of Canadian Motorsport Hall of Famer Yvon Duhamel. He is the winningest rider in the AMA Superbike and AMA SuperSport series. He habitually races #17.

Racing career

He began his professional racing career in 1988.

He raced for Honda in the FIM Endurance Cup and for Team Suzuki in the Canadian Superbike races. He also rode a limited AMA 250 Grand Prix schedule.

He won his first AMA Superbike race in 1990 at Heartland Park Topeka, and was the AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year.

He won the 1991 Daytona 200 Superbike race, when he was replacing the injured Randy Renfrow. He also won seven races enroute to winning the AMA 600cc SuperSport series championship.

He won the 1992 FIM World Endurance Team Championship with Team Kawasaki France. He finished twelfth in the 500cc Grand Prix World Championship that year for Team Yamaha France, the only time he has raced at this level.

He was the 1993 AMA 600cc SuperSport champion on his Kawasaki after winning seven races. He won the AMA Superbike final at Sears Point by beating Doug Polen by inches.

Right and left sides of the Harley-Davidson VR1000

In 1994 Harley Davidson selected Duhamel to race its new entry VR1000 Superbike. He led parts of the Mid-Ohio and Brainerd Superbike finals on the VR1000, which were the first and only time the Harley led an AMA Superbike race.

Duhamel became the first Canadian to win the AMA Superbike title in 1995. He was named the 1995 AMA Pro Athlete of the Year. He had six consecutive AMA Superbike wins, which broke Wayne Rainey's record five victories. Duhamel also dominated the 600 SuperSport series by winning nine of the 11 events. His eight straight victories broke Doug Polen's record. Duhamel finished third and fourth at the U.S. round of World Superbike, mirroring the results of team-mate Mike Hale.

In 1996 he became the winningest rider in SuperSport with his 28th career victory. Duhamel won his fourth 600cc SuperSport title, after scoring podium in all but three events. Duhamel won four Superbike races (Daytona, Pomona, Homestead and Loudon) and had six podium finishes in ten events.

He won another 600cc Supersport title in 1997, He had five wins and two additional podium finished on the way to his fifth series championship. He had four wins in the Superbikes, and finished second in the points. As in 1996, it was Doug Chandler who beat him for the AMA Superbike title.

Duhamel won four Superbike events in 1998 before he had a season ending accident while qualifying at the New Hampshire International Speedway. He had also scored two second place finishes. He had won the 600 SuperSport event at Sears Point.

He still had lingering injuries as the 1999 season started. He stunned the crowd by winning both the AMA Superbike and 600 SuperSport events at season-opening Daytona 200 races. He had a second place finish at the Sears Point 600 SuperSport race before his season was cut short by crashing at Road Atlanta.

Duhamel won the 2000 Brainerd event in the Superbike Championship. He also won the Road America event for Honda.

He had four 2001 AMA U.S. Superbike podium finishes for Honda. He won AMA U.S. SuperSport races at Daytona, Mid-Ohio and Brainerd.

Duhamel swept both 2002 events at Road America, and became the all-time AMA U.S. Superbike winner. He also had five Superbike podium finishes enroute to finishing third in the Superbike points.

In 2003 Duhamel was with American Honda. He earned his fourth Daytona Intl Speedway AMA Superbike victory and made seven additional podium appearances in the series. He also raced in AMA Supersport, taking a win at Brainerd Intl Raceway and two additional series podium finishes.

Duhamel won his fourth Daytona 200 Superbike event in 2004. He had seven additional podium finishes. He had a Supersport victory at Brainerd and two additional podium finishes. He won the 2004 AMA Formula Xtreme championship.

Duhamel won the 2005 AMA Formula Xtreme championship title with four wins (including Daytona) and five second place finishes in nine events. He battled Jake Zemke in a close race for the championship. In Superbike he had podium finishes at Road Atlanta and Mid-Ohio on his Honda.

He had a wildcard ride for Gresini Honda at the United States Grand Prix held July 22, 2007 at Laguna Seca, replacing the injured Toni Elías.

He pulled out of the MotoGP race early because he was unable to get a feel for the unfamiliar Honda RC212V he was riding. He also raced the AMA Superbike round at the same meeting

Duhamel had a crash while practicing at Road Atlanta on August 8, 2007. He suffered a lacerated liver, a perforated lung and a bruised lung.

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