Kayla Yaakov Makes History with Daytona 200 Podium

18-year-old becomes first female rider to stand on the prestigious race's podium

Mar. 14, 2026 at 8:38pm

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Kayla Yaakov, an 18-year-old motorcycle racer, made history on March 7, 2026 by becoming the first female rider to stand on the podium of the prestigious Daytona 200 race. Yaakov, who has over 400 regional race wins and 47 championships, overcame mechanical issues to finish third in the race, beating Darryn Binder in a thrilling last-corner pass.

Why it matters

Yaakov's achievement is groundbreaking for women in motorsports, as the Daytona 200 has been held 84 times since 1937 with no previous female podium finishers. Her success during Women's History Month also underscores the challenges female racers face in the male-dominated sport of motorcycle racing.

The details

Yaakov's Rahal Ducati Moto team experienced various technical issues throughout the weekend, including electronic, mechanical, and motor problems that left her 10 mph slower than the leaders in qualifying. Despite the setbacks, Yaakov remained confident and fought her way through the field, swapping positions multiple times with Binder in the closing laps. Yaakov ultimately made a last-corner pass to secure the final podium position, winning by 0.166 seconds.

  • The Daytona 200 was held on March 7, 2026.
  • Yaakov became the first female rider to win in the MotoAmerica series in 2022.

The players

Kayla Yaakov

An 18-year-old motorcycle racer who has over 400 regional race wins and 47 championships, and is now the first female rider to stand on the podium of the prestigious Daytona 200 race.

Darryn Binder

A 28-year-old motorcycle racer who battled Yaakov for the final podium position in the Daytona 200.

Rahal Ducati Moto

Yaakov's racing team that experienced various technical issues throughout the Daytona 200 weekend.

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What they’re saying

“The Daytona 200 is probably our craziest race all year. It's very unpredictable. Really, anything can happen, and a lot of people will say, which I completely agree with, it's not really a rider track, so you kind of go there not really knowing where you're going to stack up.”

— Kayla Yaakov

“I remember before the race, thinking to myself, even before this weekend, how cool it would be if I did well this weekend because of Women's History Month. Thinking to myself how amazing that would be if I could do well, how incredible the story really [would be] for everybody. And to see that to come to fruition, I couldn't really believe it.”

— Kayla Yaakov

What’s next

Round 2 of the MotoAmerica Supersport division will take place April 17-19 at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, and there will be increased attention on Yaakov's performance.

The takeaway

Kayla Yaakov's historic podium finish at the Daytona 200 during Women's History Month is a groundbreaking achievement for women in motorsports, breaking down stereotypes and barriers in a male-dominated sport. Her success has set her sights even higher, with the goal of winning the Supersport championship this year.