Change Is the Biggest Supercross Question

Supercross, second only to NASCAR among the country’s more successful motor sports series, will open its 2002 season Saturday night at Anaheim’s Edison Field with four questions to be answered during its 16-event schedule--three of which are in Anaheim:

* Can record-setting Ricky Carmichael sustain his remarkable winning streak after switching from Kawasaki to Honda during the off-season?

Carmichael, 22, dominated last year’s competition, tying supercross records for most victories in a season, 14, and most in succession, 13, then swept the outdoor 250cc motocross nationals for his seventh national championship, all on Kawasakis.

In his first race on the red Honda CR last fall, Carmichael won his second straight U.S. Open of Supercross in Las Vegas, winning two heats and both main events.

“My final decision to ride a CR was based on the technology Honda has,” Carmichael said. “The very first day they brought the Honda out, I turned my fastest time ever on my supercross track at home in Florida. Now my biggest challenge will be to try to repeat my 2001 season. It’s going to be hard, but that challenge is going to keep me motivated.”

* Can seven-time supercross champion Jeremy McGrath, at 30, return to the pinnacle of his sport, riding against the youngster Carmichael?

“I’ll admit, Ricky surprised me last year when he out-conditioned me, but now I know what I’m facing and I want that title back,” McGrath said. “No doubt in my mind that I can get it again. People keep saying I’m too old, but I beat everybody but Ricky last year, and I expect to get [title] No. 8 this year.”

Although McGrath races Yamahas, he owns his own team, McGrath Racing Inc.

He won the first two races at Anaheim last year, but then Carmichael took over and won the next 13.

“I know exactly what happened last year and why I didn’t win,” McGrath said. “It wasn’t because Carmichael was so much better than me. I was involved in putting my team together and building a new house and missed some training. This year I’ve been working hard and expect to win.

“Last year, I had the speed, but didn’t have the stamina. That’s where he got me. This year I’ll be more prepared. He’s still the one to beat, even on a different bike. I don’t see that making him any less of a rider.”

* Will James “Bubba” Stewart, barely 16, show the same domination in the 125cc class that he displayed in breaking all of Carmichael’s amateur records and become supercross’ first black champion?

Stewart, from Haines City, Fla., began racing when he was barely big enough to reach the pegs. And also like fellow Floridian Carmichael, Stewart was an immediate success. He first signed with Kawasaki when he was 7, and last year won his 11th AMA amateur national championship for Team Green, surpassing Carmichael’s record of nine.

In the Loretta Lynn Nationals, the country’s biggest amateur event, the 15-year-old Stewart swept six motos in winning both his 12-15 age class and the open finals.

At Anaheim, he will make his professional debut in the 125cc class.

Often asked how he feels about being the first prominent black rider, Stewart--who turned 16 on Dec. 21--says, “It would be cool to be called a pioneer, but that’s really not what concerns me. It’s a challenge, but it’s not a special one. I figure I face a challenge every time I race, a challenge to win.”

Stewart becomes the first 125cc rider on Kawasaki’s A-team roster, joining 250cc veterans Ezra Lusk and Stephane Roncada under team manager Bruce Stjernstrom. Lusk came from Honda in what appears to be a trade for Carmichael.

Also in Saturday night’s 125 race will be defending Western Regional champion Mike Brown as part of Mitch Payton’s Pro Circuit team, Kawasaki’s junior varsity.

* Perhaps most significant is what will happen this year as the American Motorcyclist Assn. prepares to move promotion of its supercross series from the highly successful Clear Channel organization to JamSports in 2003 .

Under the promotion of Clear Channel (formerly Pace Motor Sports), supercross has attracted record crowds at most of its venues. At the Georgia Dome, there were 65,461 spectators. At San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium, there were 61,368.

Edison Field’s capacity has been reduced to 45,050, but most of the seats are expected to be full Saturday night. Two of last year’s three events sold out.

Even so, the AMA is preparing to turn the series over to JamSports, a Chicago producer of live music events, under a seven-year contract.

The way it is sorting out, the AMA and Clear Channel will have competing 16-race schedules next year, creating a split similar to the one between CART and the Indy Racing League in open-wheel racing. Clear Channel has already announced its 2003 schedule, complete with three Edison Field races and one in San Diego. JamSports has not released its schedule yet, but has announced that it will have two races in the Los Angeles area. Sites under consideration include the Coliseum, where the sport began in 1972, the Rose Bowl and Dodger Stadium.

“The next era of growth of AMA supercross is dependent on live television and nationwide markets,” Scott Hollingsworth, head of AMA pro racing, said. “We are excited to have a live TV package with Speed Channel that is a home run. And now we have markets in place that will assure AMA supercross is seen by fans coast to coast. One is in the New York area, where we haven’t been since 1991.”

The impending split is nothing new to supercross. In 1984 there were competing series, John O’Mara winning one championship and Jeff Ward the other. Again in 1992, there was a dispute among promoters until Pace Motorsports was given a seven-year contract that expires this season.

Both sides agree that the manufacturers--Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, KTM and Suzuki--will determine the future of the sport, but so far they have not chosen sides.

That decision will certainly affect Southern California fans, since both groups have scheduled Jan. 4 for their opening night a year from now.

ALL-AMERICAN TEAM

Thirteen members of the 2001 Auto Racing All-American team will be honored Jan. 12 at the 32nd annual American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Assn. awards banquet. Also being honored will be the Agajanian family, racing pioneers in Southern California.

The team normally consists of 12 members--two each from six categories--but a 13th was added when Winston Cup runner-up Tony Stewart and Busch Grand National champion Kevin Harvick tied in the stock car class behind four-time champion Jeff Gordon.

Other members, all series champions, include Gil de Ferran of CART and Sam Hornish Jr. of the IRL in open-wheel racing; top-fuel driver Kenny Bernstein and funny car favorite John Force in drag racing; Trans-Am’s Paul Gentilozzi and Grand-Am prototypes’ James Weaver in road racing; USAC midgets’ Dave Darland and World of Outlaws’ Danny Lasoski in short track; and Indy Lights’ Townsend Bell and off-road racer Rob MacCachren as at-large representatives.

The dinner will be at the Sheraton Fairplex Suites after a reception at the National Hot Rod Assn. museum in Pomona. Tickets: (818) 842-7005.

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At a Glance

TV: (tape) Sunday, 2 p.m., Channel 7.

At a Glance

What: EA Supercross Series, first of 16 events for 250cc and 125cc motorcycles.

Where: Edison Field, Anaheim.

When: Saturday, 7 p.m., practice at 12:30 p.m.

Defending series champion: Ricky Carmichael, Havana, Fla.

Defending race champion: Jeremy McGrath, Encinitas

Admission: $25-$40, children $10-$40, tickets available through Ticketmaster and at Edison Field.