Ricky Carmichael heads for Steel City this weekend having already wrapped up the 2006 AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF - but with another landmark in sight.
With the championship clinched Carmichael says he will turn his attention to preparing for the end of season Motocross of Nations - but if that preparation results in RC winning at Steel City it will mark his 70th-career AMA Motocross victory.
While Carmichael is likely to receive a hero’s welcome at Steel City, another one of the crowd favourites will try to spoil RC’s party. Kawasaki’s James Stewart is the only rider to beat Carmichael in the series this year and a healthy Stewart has the speed on any given weekend to give Carmichael a major challenge.
Carmichael, the seven time AMA Motocross Champion, will try to ride his Makita Suzuki to a sixth victory at Steel City Raceway while Stewart, who won three times in the 125 class (now called Motocross Lites), is seeking his first premier class win at the famous track.
"Me and James have been having some sweet battles," Carmichael said of his rivalry with fellow Floridian Stewart. "It has been fun, and that’s what racing is all about. We’ve been racing clean and fun. He gets the best of me, and then I get the best of him."
Yamaha’s Chad Reed currently holds down second in the championship, but will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.
Kevin Windham will be the only other past Steel City National winner in the Motocross class. Windham is battling fellow Honda rider Davi Millsaps for second in the championship. Stewart has an outside chance of earning that spot as well.
With the championship decided in the premier class, attention will turn to AMA Motocross Lites. There new Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki sensation Ryan Villopoto leads
Red Bull KTM’s Mike Alessi by 20 points. Honda’s Andrew Short is closing in as well making for an exciting three-rider battle for the title in the final two outdoor events.
