nikki
Moto Junkie
- Apr 21, 2000
- 5,802
- 1
… A credible source told us yesterday that Ricky Carmichael will be going to Honda next year and he will take his mechanic Chad Watts with him. Apparently, not only was the money appealing, but Honda officials took a visit to Carmichael's home in Fla. and brought him a Honda to ride and Ricky found that the bike handled better than anything he's ever ridden. Remember, Shaun Palmer has been training with Ricky and living at his house. Palmer is riding for Team Honda at the Glen Helen National and maybe more. An Influence? Maybe…
… It might get a little crowded in the Honda truck next year so who's going where? Look for Ezra Lusk to fill the void at Kawasaki or move in to the Team Yamaha truck.
… Ricky Carmichael's mechanic Chad Watts went on the record last weekend to set a rumor in stone: Ricky will run number four this summer and next year in Supercross. Watts said, "He likes the way the number looks so that's what we will run." What do we think? >From a marketing standpoint it would be a good move for the sport. It would also help us break away from the "I'm number one" mentality. Motocross fans seem to have a problem with loyalty. We only love the rider with the #1 plate. Granted there are true fans out there, but Jeremy McGrath said it best in Atlanta this year, "You're only as good as you last race." Sure, it was tough to see Jeremy McGrath take second in the Supercross series, but people are too quick to write him off as washed up. Didn't we go through this four years ago? Most people would kill to place second in the Supercross series and here we have a guy that has a career Supercross record of 1-1-1-1-2-1-1-1-2 and we have the nerve to ask him what his problem is? McGrath has the cleanest record in Supercross history and that is one record that will not be broken anytime soon. Not running #1 is a wise decision by Carmichael. He becomes more marketable. Put it this way: What is the first thing you think about when you see that big red and white number '3'? Dale Earnhardt. It's his trademark and that is the way Ricky wants to be known. That is why he's been wearing Fox hats with a stitched '4'. Images sell and it's hard to sell an image if your number changes every year.
…There may not even be a #1 plate out there this weekend at Glen Helen. Look for Pastrana to run number 199 this weekend.
… Completely useless information: Ricky Carmichael has raced four full 12-race AMA Motocross seasons. Every year, he has finished the series with over 500 points out of a possible 600. Last season he ended with nine wins and 535 points. (The series was 13 races in 1997 but he would have made the cut even if he hadn't raced the last round.)
Carmichael's MX National win percentage: From '97-'00, Carmichael's win/race ratio sits at 34/49 or just over 69%.
The only one: Carmichael is currently the only rider making a serious dent in the all-time winners' column. RC has 50 wins and sits tied for fifth with Broc Glover. McGrath leads with 89. Oh, and that's counting RC's US Open win.
Most MX National wins in a row: Eight: Bob Hannah 1978, 250cc, David Bailey 1984, 500cc.
Most MX National wins in a season: 14: Pierre Karsmakers 1973, 500cc. (The series was 24 races long).
Most moto wins in a row at the same track: Eight: Ricky Carmichael has never lost a moto at Glen Helen. Can he make it a perfect ten this weekend?
… OK, enough useless facts. Here's some news: Last weekend at the Las Vegas SX, McGrath ran an FMF pipe. McGrath has been a loyal rider of Pro Circuit for over 10 years. His career was jump-started on the original Team Peak/Splitfire squad. Apparently he just felt like trying a new pipe.
… Heath Voss! Hats off to Heath for nabbing the opportunity to ride the new Honda four-stroke at the Las Vegas SX. Voss took the holeshot in his heat race and in the main event. Coming out of the first corner in the main event, the lead Voss had on the rest of the field was unbelievable. Yeah, Ferry crossed the white line first and got the money, but Voss still came out in front. Be sure to catch it on ESPN2 this weekend. Unfortunately Voss jammed his wrist when landed hard off a triple on lap 10 and pulled off the track.
… Pastrana also had a hard landing during his main event. Pastrana kept missing the second triple lap after lap, while Nathan Ramsey and Ernesto Fonseca were easily clearing the gap on their YZ 250Fs. Not one to be outdone, especially jumping, Pastrana went for it with a few laps left to go and landed on the upside of the third jump and jarred his back. After the main, while being interviewed, Pastrana looked like he was going to yak on Davey Coombs' microphone. He will probably be a little sore this weekend but he said it wouldn't slow him down. Of course, there isn't much that would slow him down.
… More kudos to Tim Ferry on his second podium finish in a row. Here's to more this summer.
… It might get a little crowded in the Honda truck next year so who's going where? Look for Ezra Lusk to fill the void at Kawasaki or move in to the Team Yamaha truck.
… Ricky Carmichael's mechanic Chad Watts went on the record last weekend to set a rumor in stone: Ricky will run number four this summer and next year in Supercross. Watts said, "He likes the way the number looks so that's what we will run." What do we think? >From a marketing standpoint it would be a good move for the sport. It would also help us break away from the "I'm number one" mentality. Motocross fans seem to have a problem with loyalty. We only love the rider with the #1 plate. Granted there are true fans out there, but Jeremy McGrath said it best in Atlanta this year, "You're only as good as you last race." Sure, it was tough to see Jeremy McGrath take second in the Supercross series, but people are too quick to write him off as washed up. Didn't we go through this four years ago? Most people would kill to place second in the Supercross series and here we have a guy that has a career Supercross record of 1-1-1-1-2-1-1-1-2 and we have the nerve to ask him what his problem is? McGrath has the cleanest record in Supercross history and that is one record that will not be broken anytime soon. Not running #1 is a wise decision by Carmichael. He becomes more marketable. Put it this way: What is the first thing you think about when you see that big red and white number '3'? Dale Earnhardt. It's his trademark and that is the way Ricky wants to be known. That is why he's been wearing Fox hats with a stitched '4'. Images sell and it's hard to sell an image if your number changes every year.
…There may not even be a #1 plate out there this weekend at Glen Helen. Look for Pastrana to run number 199 this weekend.
… Completely useless information: Ricky Carmichael has raced four full 12-race AMA Motocross seasons. Every year, he has finished the series with over 500 points out of a possible 600. Last season he ended with nine wins and 535 points. (The series was 13 races in 1997 but he would have made the cut even if he hadn't raced the last round.)
Carmichael's MX National win percentage: From '97-'00, Carmichael's win/race ratio sits at 34/49 or just over 69%.
The only one: Carmichael is currently the only rider making a serious dent in the all-time winners' column. RC has 50 wins and sits tied for fifth with Broc Glover. McGrath leads with 89. Oh, and that's counting RC's US Open win.
Most MX National wins in a row: Eight: Bob Hannah 1978, 250cc, David Bailey 1984, 500cc.
Most MX National wins in a season: 14: Pierre Karsmakers 1973, 500cc. (The series was 24 races long).
Most moto wins in a row at the same track: Eight: Ricky Carmichael has never lost a moto at Glen Helen. Can he make it a perfect ten this weekend?
… OK, enough useless facts. Here's some news: Last weekend at the Las Vegas SX, McGrath ran an FMF pipe. McGrath has been a loyal rider of Pro Circuit for over 10 years. His career was jump-started on the original Team Peak/Splitfire squad. Apparently he just felt like trying a new pipe.
… Heath Voss! Hats off to Heath for nabbing the opportunity to ride the new Honda four-stroke at the Las Vegas SX. Voss took the holeshot in his heat race and in the main event. Coming out of the first corner in the main event, the lead Voss had on the rest of the field was unbelievable. Yeah, Ferry crossed the white line first and got the money, but Voss still came out in front. Be sure to catch it on ESPN2 this weekend. Unfortunately Voss jammed his wrist when landed hard off a triple on lap 10 and pulled off the track.
… Pastrana also had a hard landing during his main event. Pastrana kept missing the second triple lap after lap, while Nathan Ramsey and Ernesto Fonseca were easily clearing the gap on their YZ 250Fs. Not one to be outdone, especially jumping, Pastrana went for it with a few laps left to go and landed on the upside of the third jump and jarred his back. After the main, while being interviewed, Pastrana looked like he was going to yak on Davey Coombs' microphone. He will probably be a little sore this weekend but he said it wouldn't slow him down. Of course, there isn't much that would slow him down.
… More kudos to Tim Ferry on his second podium finish in a row. Here's to more this summer.
