Team Suzuki's Ricky Carmichael increased his AMA Motocross Championship lead to 37 points with two start-to-finish victories on the new four-stroke RM-Z450 at Sunday's fourth round, at Budds Creek in Maryland, despite riding with a damaged finger.
The reigning AMA Outdoor, THQ World Supercross and AMA Supercross Champion led both 30 minute plus-two-lap motos from start to finish, keeping his 100% overall win record intact. Second overall went to Yamaha’s Chad Reed with Kawasaki’s James Stewart third.
Carmichael, who clashed with Stewart in morning practice and needed stitches in his finger, said: "The hand didn't bother me too much. I just focussed on racing and forgot about it."
Carmichael won the first race from Stewart and Reed, with Reed and Stewart reversing their positions in race two - but neither was able to run at anything like Ricky’s pace.
In the 125cc class, Honda privateer Mike Brown extended his championship lead with overall victory ahead of Kawasaki’s Ivan Tedesco and Honda’s Josh Grant. KTM’s Mike Alessi, who injured his shoulder last time out at Southwick, took fourth overall.
