RC's getting a new Wrench!

[MRKRacing125]

this is off of RacerXill:

February 6, 2003

Ricky Carmichael is changing wrenches

Racer X has learned that defending THQ/AMA Supercross Champion and current points leader Ricky Carmichael will be working with a new mechanic, effective immediately. After working with Chad Watts through the first six years of his professional career, and winning eight major titles and a 125cc East Region Championship, RC will begin working with Mike "Goose" Gosselaar immediately. Watts, who has been with Carmichael through his days at Splitfire/Pro Circuit Kawasaki, Team Kawasaki, and now Team Honda, is having serious problems with numbness in his arm and hand and is going to take an indefinite leave of absence in order to have the problem checked out. He has sat out some races previously with a knee injury.

Watts goes on hiatus as one the most successful mechanics in U.S. motocross history. Besides the record eight major titles he's helped Carmichael to, he has also won three 125cc East Region SX titles - two with Mickael Pichon and the one with Carmichael. And of course, Chad guided RC through his perfect summer of 2002, where Carmichael won all 24 motos in the AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Nationals.

As for Gosselaar, he has been with American Honda for several years and is the father of Amsoil/Chaparral Honda rider Christopher Gosselaar and his privateer brother Todd, with two other younger Gosselaar races coming up through the minicycle ranks.

Stay tuned for more information on this breaking story here at Racer X Online.

 

[nephron]

I'm bringing this back up, because I haven't seen anyone comment yet on what I heard after the ?Minneapolis? race? (not sure which one)--Did anyone hear the Carmichael interview after the race, where he said something like "yeah, it's nice to have a mechanic that doesn't whine when you don't agree with the changes, or is supersensitive"...or something like that. It caught me off guard, and I remember thinking this will be all over the DRN MX/SX/AX board tomorrow--but nothing came of it.

DMXS's site says: "Some say it wasn't quite his decsion to sit out for a bit so we'll see how this story plays out..."

Could RC have canned Watts? Remember that his poor performance on the "'03 settings" bike and switch to the '02 occured right before Watts' went on 'vacation'.

If anyone can recall what he really said, that'd be helpful. BUT, it was very similar to the above. I couldn't believe it when I heard it, and it sounded very derogatory toward Chad. Notice also, that there has been very little Watts-to-camera action since his departure. He's just flat gone.

What's going on here? :think:

 

[XRpredator]

wow, I wish I'd heard that.

Goose has been around a while (wrenched Lammy to his 125 championships), and knows his way around a Honda. Maybe he's just got 'er down better than Watts . . . :think:

 

[nephron]

Pred, if you want to hear it, it's on one of the post race interviews of recent. I'm guessing Minneapolis.

 

[dirt bike dave]

The Minneapolis SX coverage in the Feb. 26 issue of Cycle News has a paragraph about this, including Ricky's quote. There is an allegation (denied by Honda) that Watts had a problem with alcohol.

Here is RC's quote in CN:

"I love Chad to death," Carmichael said. "He is a great mechanic. We won a lot of races. He has a problem and he's trying to get better. He's doing his thing right now, and when he feels that he is ready to come back, he will. I like Mike (Gosselaar). He's doing a great job. I'm sure Ezra could vouch for that. The guy (Gosselaar) is eager. It's been a while since he's raced, since he worked with Ezra. He's really eager to get out there. There's no complaining or whining when you want to change something. It's nice to have a mechanic like that as well as to do whatever the rider likes to do."

You could read the last part as praise of Goose; it is not necessarily a slap at Watts.