|
|
  PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- This Saturday, Feb. 10, at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Ricky Carmichael has the chance to accomplish a feat that no other rider has since Jeremy McGrath began his domination of AMA Supercross in 1993. If Carmichael, 21, of Havana, Fla., manages to win round six of the 16-race AMA EA Sports Supercross Series presented by Speed Stick, it would mark the first time in the McGrath era that a rider other than McGrath has been able to win three Supercross races in a row. In addition to the ongoing Carmichael vs. McGrath battle (Carmichael leads McGrath by a scant three points coming into Indy), this weekend's race will feature a return to action for Suzuki star Travis Pastrana. Pastrana, will race in the 125 East Region Supercross event after suffering a concussion in the San Diego Supercross race on Jan. 14. Carmichael has been talking for the last couple of weeks about how much he is looking forward to racing in the East, saying that the loamy dirt suits his style better than the hard-packed racing surfaces of the West. However, McGrath is no slouch when it comes to racing away from his native Southern California, and Indianapolis is a prime example. McGrath, who owns and rides for Team Mazda Yamaha, has won six of the eight Supercross events he's entered in the RCA Dome – his first victory came in 1993, his rookie season on the circuit. Carmichael, who rides for Team Chevy Trucks Kawasaki, has never won a Supercross at Indy, though he did win the 125 East Region event in 1998. The fact that, other than McGrath, no rider has been able to string together three Supercross wins in a row since 1992, when Damon Bradshaw did it, shows the almost complete domination by the seven-time champ. Of course McGrath has had no problem stringing together wins, in fact, he put together an incredible run of 13 wins in a row (including Indianapolis) in 1996 – an AMA Supercross record that is never likely to be broken. Any talk about Indy Supercross always includes Indiana's favorite son in the sport Mike LaRocco. LaRocco, who turns 30 two days after the race in the RCA Dome, now finds himself the senior member of the circuit. The South Bend native shows no signs of slowing down and is third in the points, his best Supercross season in years. "The Rock" is still searching for his first victory at his home race. He came close last year, finishing second to McGrath, and would love to finally get a win in front of the partisan Indy crowd. Pastrana is the heavy favorite in the 125 East Region Supercross race. The 125 National Motocross champ showed flashes of brilliance in the three 250 races he competed in to open this season. It was thought that he might campaign the national series if the results warranted, but after finishing fifth in the opening round in Anaheim, Calif., Pastrana crashed hard in San Diego suffering a concussion, then pulled out of round three, again in Anaheim, after becoming dizzy. The decision was made to give Pastrana at least one more season on the 125cc bikes. At just 17 the rider from Annapolis, Md., has time on his side. Pastrana will be up against a talented field of 125 riders including the tough Yamaha of Troy team riders Nick Wey and Nathan Ramsey. Wey, the 1998 Rookie of the Year, has been impressive in the 250 class out West and should have tons of confidence racing in the 125cc class. Ramsey, a former AMA 125 West Region Supercross champ, is expected to ride Yamaha's potent new YZ250F four-stroke, on which Ernesto Fonseca has won four of the five West Region races so far. Another rider to watch will be Spitfire/Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Tallon Vohland, who has been a perennial top runner in 125 regional Supercross for over 10 years. For immediate post-race results, rider information, AMA Pro Racing notes and news, log on to www.amaproracing.com. ® AMA Pro Racing NASCAR Winston Cup Series NASCAR Busch Series NASCAR Goody's Dash Series NASCAR All Pro Series NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series NASCAR Weekly Racing Series ASA-ACDELCO Racin' Florida Style
Page maintained by Charles Gove, WebEditor@fastlaneracing.com. Copyright(c) 2001 fastlaneracing.com. All rights reserved. This page may not be reproduced in part or whole without the express permission of the WebEditor.. Created: 2/7/01 Updated: 2/7/01 |
