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Pic - The 2005 RM250K5
Suzuki NZ Ltd: Press Release:
While Sean Clarke is busy proving the cross country potential of the new RM250 Suzuki: in New Zealand, in North America, Ricky Carmichael has shown it is also a devastatingly effective supercross weapon.
The 25-year-old Florida native has won the first two rounds of the THQ World Supercross Championship, staged in Canada the past two weekends.
Carmichael, the most successful American motocross rider of all time, missed the 2004 American supercross season through injury but as events of the past two weekends prove, he is right back at his dominating best.
At Toronto’s SkyDome on December 4, Carmichael took his Makita-backed Suzuki into the lead on the first lap after nipping past fast starting Honda man Kyle Lewis, and led the rest of the 20-lap final.
“I have a good head start on the competition,” said Carmichael immediately after taking the chequered flag. “This race was important to me and the THQ World Supercross GP title is very important. I am going to continue to train and ride as hard as I can. It’s great to be back after missing the entire season last year.”
A week later, Carmichael underlined the fact he is back to his best form with another win on his Team Makita RM250, this time at Vancouver’s B.C. Place Stadium.
Carmichael had little trouble getting the Suzuki out in front and running away with his second win in as many weeks, though he had a couple of close calls on the tricky Vancouver track.
He didn’t get the holeshot on the 20-lap main event; that went to Kyle Lewis, but by the second lap, Carmichael was out in front and pulling away, eventually taking the chequered flag a stunning 25 seconds ahead of Honda’s Nick Wey.
Wey gated in sixth but made some quick passes to get into fourth then fought his way into second, where he finished just ahead of Damon Huffman.
Fourth-place went to Mike LaRocco, runner-up the weekend before. He got off to a bad start and spent the entire race making up for it.
Out front though there was no doubt about it, Carmichael was the man to beat. Having stunned the motocross world with his announcement in April that he was joining Suzuki on a multi-year contract, the Florida rider has proved the wisdom of that choice with his return to Supercross winning form.
“This (joining Suzuki) is a very exciting time for me,” Carmichael said when he announced the switch. “The agreement is multi-faceted and Suzuki will be extremely supportive of me from a racing, marketing and business standpoint,” he said.
He said he was confident not only in his own ability to win more championships, but also in working with a team as committed as Suzuki. He was also looking forward to working with motocross legend Roger DeCoster.
Suzuki Team Manager DeCoster was also excited about the prospects of working with the much-celebrated champion.
“I am elated,” he said. “Ricky is such a talented rider with tremendous work ethic which will be a great example for Team Suzuki’s young riders. I realize it won’t be easy for him to come back and win after being off due to injury, but I have confidence in Ricky and in how much effort I know that he’s going to put into winning.”
From the past two weekend’s results, De Coster’s confidence certainly looks well placed.
THQ World Supercross Championship
Round One, Toronto SkyDome, December 4:
1. Ricky Carmichael, (Suzuki RM250)
2. Mike LaRocco, (Honda CR250)
3. Tim Ferry, (Yamaha)
4. Heath Voss, (Yamaha)
5. Nick Wey, (Honda CR250)
6. Tyler Evans, (Suzuki RM250)
7. Keith Johnson, (Yamaha)
8. Jason Thomas, (Honda)
9. Damon Huffman, (Honda)
10. Doug Dehaan, (Honda)
Round Two, B.C. Place Stadium, Vancouver, December 12
1. Ricky Carmichael (Suzuki RM250)
2. Nick Wey (Honda CR250)
3. Damon Huffman (Honda)
4. Mike LaRocco (Honda)
5. Heath Voss (Yamaha)
6. Jason Thomas (Honda)
7. Tyler Evans (Suzuki)
8. Kyle Lewis (Honda)
9. Josh Hansen (KTM)
10. Erick Vallejo (Yamaha)
