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armichael, Ricky

would be fair to my sponsors, myself or the kid ... I love kids, but the timing isn’t right and we’re still young too” (AMA Pro Racing 2005, 8). When his contract with Suzuki expires in 2007, he will be twenty-­eight years old and does not plan on being a full-­time racer after reaching thirty years of age. Carmichael says he would love to race NASCAR and after retiring from full-­time racing would still compete in select races. He stated that “I’d like to do some GPs (Grand Prix), Daytona and a few supercross or motocross races. Be-­ ing around the fans is a great feeling. I’ll probably end up ... doing some of the things that I sacrificed to get to where I am today” (AMA Pro Racing 2005, 8).

Ricky Carmichael (b. 1979), nicknamed “R.C.” or “G.O.A.T.” (Greatest of All Times), was born in Clear-­ water, Florida, and began racing motorcycles at the age of five. In twelve years as an amateur motocross racer he won sixty-­seven championships. Carmichael turned pro in 1996 and won every race in the 125-­cubic centimeter Supercross Series and won the Ameri-­ can Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Motocross Rookie of the Year Award. In 2000 he collected $100,000 for win-­ ning first place in game developer THQ’s U.S. Open and won nine of twelve races in the 250-­cubic centimeter AMA Motocross Series, breaking the twenty-­two-­year-­old single-­ season record for most 250-­cubic centimeter motocross wins in a season. Subsequently he took the crown from “King of Supercross” Jeremy McGrath in 2001 for the supercross and outdoor motocross titles. In 2001 Carmichael moved from Team Kawasaki to Team Honda, where he was reputedly paid $2 million. In 2002 he was the first person to ride a perfect season in the 250-­cubic centimeter national championship. Because of a knee injury he did not participate in the 2004 THQ AMA Supercross. In 2005 he moved to Team Makita Suzuki Rac-­ ing and won the World Supercross GP Championship, the AMA Supercross Championship, the AMA Motocross Championship, and the U.S. Open of Supercross and led Team U.S.A. to victory at the Motocross des Nations and was thus named AMA Rider of the Year. By 2006 Carmi-­ chael had won four supercross titles and nine motocross championships. He is both a mentor and a role model to the other 2006 Team Makita Suzuki Racing riders, Broc Hepler and Ivan Tedesco. In an interview Carmichael stated that “I think I’ll al-­ ways have a great reputation for winning a lot of races and championships, but unfortunately the nature of the sport is that you’re only as good as your last race” (AMA Pro Rac-­ ing 2005, 6). When asked how he stays motivated to race, he stated, “I set goals every year and I have little things that keep me motivated. When the year’s up I try to find things that I need to improve on. I try to make myself a better rider and become more physically fit” (AMA Pro Racing 2005, 7). In 2002 Carmichael married Ursula Holly. When asked when he and his wife might start a family, he said they want to wait until he had finished racing. “We want to raise our kids at home and not on the road. I love what I do and have a passion for it and want to be able to give 110 percent. I don’t think it

See also Motocross

Jan Lewis

Further Reading AMA Pro Racing. (2001). Career highlights. Retrieved April 18, 2006, from http://www.amaproracing.com/archive/00sxms/RIDERS/RIDER BIO/RCARMIC.HTM AMA Pro Racing. (2005). Interview: Ricky Carmichael. Retrieved June 28, 2006, from http://www.amamotocross.com/article.php?aid=5487& UID=Mb8H4scK6NG4KJIdM5fRIeUSGSNqOd. AMA Pro Racing. (2006). Career highlights 2001. Retrieved June 28, 2006, from http://www.amaproracing.com/archive/00sxmx/RIDERS/ RIDERBIO/RCARMIC.HTM EXPN.com. (2006). Chat wrap: Ricky Carmichael 2003. Retrieved June 28, 2006, from http://expn.go.com/mtx/s/wrap_carmichael.html Faught, K., & Bonnello, J. (2006). Ricky Carmichael: Winning ways of a motocross champion. Osceola, WI: Motorbooks Intl. Makita. (2006). Ricky Carmichael no. 4. Retrieved June 28, 2006, from http://www.makita.com/racing_callthefinish/bio_photo.htm Martin, M. (2004). Ricky Carmichael: Motocross champion. Mankato, MN: Edge Books. Motocross.com. (2006). Monster Energy signs the GOAT!! Ricky Carmichael is thirsty! Retrieved June 28, 2006, from http://www.motocross. com/s/admin/pageserver/storyserver.asp?a=showpage&id=3372 Team Makita Suzuki. (2006). Word from the team. Retrieved June 28, 2006, from http://www.makita.com/racing/makitaSuzuki.htm THQ Inc. (2006). MX2002 featuring Ricky Carmichael. Retrieved June 28, 2006, from http://www.thq.com/MX2002/CarCorner.html

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