jade_gurss's avatar
Author:
Jade Gurss
Login For More
Rate this article:
  • 0/5 Stars
  • Related Videos
SPEEDtv.com Store
Grand National:America's Golden Age of Motorcycle Racing, by Joe Scalzo
Joe Scalzo’s book captures the spirit of the Golden Age of motorcycle racing.
Our Price: $39.95
Visit Button
Buy Button
Man-Made Thunder
The book examines the sport of stock car racing through the eyes and ears of the men behind the wheel and the wrenches.
Our Price: $49.00
Visit Button
Buy Button
Unisex Sandwich Cap
Unisex Velcro back hat with SPEED logo on front. PINKS logo embroidered on left and PAO logo on right. One size fits all.
Our Price: $24.95
Visit Button
Buy Button
Speedway T-shirt
Men's 6 oz. 100% Cotton Jersey Short Sleeve Tee. SPEED logo imprinted on the front center chest.
Our Price: $24.99
Visit Button
Buy Button
Ferrari Red Classic Hat
100% cotton twill. Ferrari shield embroidered on front, piping on the peak and Ferrari logo embroidered on back strap adjuster.
Our Price: $30.00 ($27.00 Member)
Visit Button
Buy Button
Footer Bg
  • Zoom More Photos Button
  • Camera Icon
GURSS: Ricky Carmichael, From Two to Four
Written by: Jade Gurss   
09/30/2008
Mooresville, NC
 
Faster. Louder. The weekly column on SPEEDtv.com by Jade Gurss. (Harold Hinson Photo) ยป More Photos

Ricky Carmichael, the most successful motocross racer in AMA history, climbs another rung of the stock car racing ladder this weekend, as he is entered in Friday’s Talladega ARCA race in the #33 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet. (Full disclosure: KHI is a client of my company, fingerprint inc, and I’m coordinating Carmichael’s media and PR efforts this weekend.) It’s his first time in a superspeedway race in a stock car, and after a recent two-day test, he’s anxious to show what he can do in the high-speed, nail-biting draft at Talladega.

The goal of the race is to establish Carmichael’s speedway skills behind the wheel of a hulking stock car and to gain the attention of a sponsor (or sponsors) that would allow him to compete for a full season in 2009 as a Rookie of the Year candidate in a third KHI NASCAR truck series entry. While he’s learning stock cars, he has shown promise and impressive results. Driving for Ken Schrader Racing in his rookie season in the NASCAR Camping World East Series this year, he has a pole position, three top-five and seven top-10 finishes in 11 races.

What he brings with him to Talladega is a second-to-none list of accomplishments on two wheels and a set of intangibles team co-owner Kevin Harvick describes as “a determination and drive to win multiple championships in motorcycles that he’ll
bring to stock car racing. He knows how to win and how to take care of his equipment.”

What he also brings is a large new fan base to stock car racing. In the way Juan Pablo Montoya brought a world of followers from Formula One, Carmichael could do the same with his huge following among motorcycle enthusiasts and youngsters brought up on the X Games who might not have given stock car racing a second look. Consider the difficulty California Speedway has had in selling tickets in a market where Carmichael’s legendary status could likely get him elected mayor of Anaheim in a landslide.

His nickname is “G.O.A.T.” – aka “Greatest of All-Time.” While the name doesn’t sit too well with the surprisingly modest Carmichael (we’ll have to come up with a new nickname for his stock car exploits), it’s hard to argue with his record which spawned the acronym: five Supercross titles, 10 AMA outdoor motocross titles (he was the first rider to complete an undefeated season - 24 motos without a loss - in the 250cc National Outdoor Championships, a feat he accomplished not once but twice in 2002 and 2004), and multiple victories in the world Motocross-of-Nations all-star event. He has 150 national victories and recently added two X Games gold medals in Moto X racing and the step-up competition.


Page 1 of 2
Next Page »
1 2 >
View All Comments