Since becoming a pro in 1996, Ricky Carmichael has gone on to become the all-time most winning rider in AMA Pro Racing history and on Sunday, May 22, at the Prairie City SVRA near Sacramento, California, Carmichael will kick off the 2005 AMA Motocross Championship Presented by FMF where he hopes to earn a record sixth AMA 250 Motocross title.
But Carmichael, who switched from Honda to Suzuki for 2005, will face perhaps the biggest challenge of his career in the form of Kawasaki’s James 'Bubba' Stewart - the rider who broke nearly all of Carmichael’s records in the 125 class.
RC is coming off an amazing 2004 motocross season in the series where he won every single 250 moto for the second time in his career. But this year Stewart is expected to be a major challenger to Carmichael’s long-standing dominance.
"We have a long summer ahead of us," said Ricky, who is looking for his fourth-straight victory at Hangtown, which would be a record for the event. "The important thing is to be focused on the season as a whole. Outdoor (motocross) is just easier for me. I’m going to work hard to stay on top and Suzuki has a lot to prove."
The #4 has done nothing but win championship after championship in AMA Motocross and thinks he knows the key to keeping his streak alive.
"I’ve been fortunate that I’ve won a title every year I’ve raced," Carmichael said. "I know someday it’s going to end, but I think I’ve proven to be a rider who makes the least mistakes and that could be very important this season."
After riding the RM250 two-stroke to the AMA Supercross crown, Carmichael is slated to ride Suzuki’s new RM-Z450 four-stroke at Hangtown.
Meanwhile, Stewart injured his thumb in the final AMA Supercross Series race in Las Vegas on May 7, but is expected to be near 100 percent as he makes the move from stadiums to outdoor racing.
