DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 27, 2012) - During the 2012 DAYTONA® 200 Week, the DAYTONA® 200 monument was honored with the addition of its first Hillclimb rider. AMA Pro Hillclimb rider and promoter Shawn Farnsworth passed away October 10th 2011 from injuries sustained in a crash at Oregonia, Ohio. At the Bike Week dedication, team owner Tom Reiser, whose 54th season of Hillclimb racing was coming to a close when tragedy struck his beloved rider, was in attendance alongside a large crowd of friends, family, and fellow riders, showing the world how much Farnsworth meant to the sport of Professional Hillclimbing.

Three-time DAYTONA® 200 winner and monument founder Dick Klamforth was on hand to pay his respects and honor Farnsworth's mother, father, wife and brother in the afternoon ceremony. A commemorative plaque showing Farnsworth's accomplishments was placed on the monument which displays the words: "A man of courage, grace, and passion as a competitor, son, husband, and father. His mark will live on forever."

Shawn's father was a successful rider and shared stories of his son's early success, on and off the track. Farnsworth's wife Yarrow talked about the importance her late husband placed on giving back to the sport, helping it grow and influencing young riders. Team owner Tom Reiser credited Farnsworth's success to his family's support.

Money was secondary to winning in Farnsworth's eyes, which made team owner Reiser proud to play a role in the highly-respected rider's career. Farnsworth made a positive impact on professional hillclimbing and will be forever missed by the racing community. The DAYTONA® 200 monument is next to Daytona Beach's bandshell and includes a diverse list of riders who have left their mark on motorcycle racing.