Fans coming to Broome-Tioga Sports Center this Sunday, August 21, for the AMA Motocross Championship presented by FMF have the opportunity to witness Ricky Carmichael build on the longest winning streak in the history of AMA Motocross.
Carmichael, the 25-year-old five-time AMA 250 Motocross Champion, extended his unbeaten streak to 24 consecutive national wins last week with his victory in Millville. This weekend in rural Binghamton, most expect Carmichael to make it 25.
Incredibly, it’s been over two years since Carmichael lost an AMA Motocross race. It’s a winning streak that many thought would be impossible this season with Carmichael riding the untested new Suzuki RM-Z450, not to mention the arrival of James Stewart to the 250 class after breaking many of Carmichael’s records in the 125 class.
But after nine nationals the Suzuki has proven to be a fast and reliable machine, Stewart has suffered a shaky start in the premier motocross class, but most of all Ricky has been Ricky - a rider who trains relentlessly and continues to find the motivation week after week to set the bar even higher.
The inability to stop Carmichael’s streak shows in the resigned statements of his competitors.
"Every time I find a second (of time on the track), Ricky clicks it up another notch," said Kevin Windham, currently second in the championship and the last rider to beat Carmichael. "Racing for second place every week gets kind of boring. I just find myself racing against the clock. I’m doing the best I can and that’s all I can do." Windham was the 250 class winner at Binghamton in 1999.
But Carmichael comes to Binghamton undefeated in the 250 class at that track - he’s won every Binghamton 250 National since coming to the class in 2000 and will have the opportunity to make it six straight this weekend.
