Carmichael Looks for Sweep

Two years ago, Ricky Carmichael accomplished something considered impossible in motocross. He won all 24 motos in the AMA national championship season on his Honda 250cc bike.

The great Jeremy McGrath had never done that. Neither had Bob “Hurricane” Hannah. Carmichael lost a few motos last year but managed to win his fourth outdoor championship. Then the Floridian had his first major setback. While training for the supercross season, he severely injured his left knee and missed the entire stadium season.

When the current outdoor season began, Carmichael was not concerned with his knee, but he had a new motorcycle. Honda took him off his all-winning two-stroke machine and had him ride a four-stroke bike for the first time in his career.

No problem.

The 2004 season will end Sunday at Glen Helen Raceway in Devore, and Carmichael needs only to win the day’s two motos to sweep the season for a second time.

“This year was more satisfying because there was more competition,” Carmichael said after clinching his fifth consecutive championship last week at Steel City Raceway in Pennsylvania. “The big players are all here this year. Two years ago, the competition was lower-level.”

Sunday will also be Carmichael’s last day on a Honda. He is switching to Suzuki, beginning with the U.S. Open in Las Vegas on Oct. 9-10.

“I’m really looking forward to the supercross season, because I not only want to win for myself but also for Suzuki. If I can do that, there will be nothing left in life for me except to have fun. Even if I don’t win, I’ll know I had a great career.”

The players he referred to, Chad Reed, Kevin Windham and Mike LaRocco, will all be at Glen Helen, as will rookie Mike Alessi, a KTM rider who finished third at Steel City in his second pro race.

Carmichael said that he was leaving Honda reluctantly, and that he had no choice after hearing the restrictions put on him by the factory.

McGrath, after winning four supercross titles with Honda, had the same experience in 1997, switched to Suzuki for a year and then to Yamaha, winning three more championships.

“It wouldn’t have happened, my moving, if Honda had cooperated,” Carmichael said. “I wanted to stay with them, but it couldn’t be worked out. I’ll have a lot more freedom with Suzuki.”

After retiring last year, McGrath came back for a cameo appearance in a reunion with Honda last week at Steel City. He rode an outdoor moto for the first time since Glen Helen in 2000, but mechanical failure sidelined him. McGrath said he had no plans to ride Sunday but left open the possibility he might return for the supercross season.

James “Bubba” Stewart, who broke all of Carmichael’s 125cc records, will be making his final appearance in the support class on Sunday. The much-heralded Kawasaki rider, also a Florida product, passed Carmichael’s 125cc record with his 27th win in three seasons last Sunday.

Stewart, the first African American rider to reach national prominence, will move up to the 250cc and challenge Carmichael next year in supercross and the outdoor motocross season. The supercross season will open Jan. 8 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.

Remembering McQueen

Not many fans of the American movie idol, other than hard-core motorcycle enthusiasts, know that Steve McQueen was a member of the first United States team to compete in the International Six-Day Trials, the Olympics of motorcycling.

The 40th anniversary of his ride behind the Iron Curtain against the best in the world in East Germany will be celebrated Sunday at Johnson Motors in Pasadena. Bud and Dave Ekins and Cliff Coleman, who rode with McQueen on the U.S. team, and Lynn Wineland, who filmed the racing, will be among a large group of cycling legends attending the 2-5 p.m. anniversary event.

The 650cc factory Triumph that McQueen, No. 278, rode in the ISDT, will be on display. The search for the bike, conducted by Bud Ekins, who was McQueen’s stunt rider in many films, and Sean Kelly led to the writing of a book about the historic undertaking by Kelly and Rin Tanaka.

McQueen crashed on the third day, trying to avoid a spectator’s cycle, and ended what had been a year’s sabbatical from filmmaking. During the year he had ridden in many races in the Southern California and Baja deserts to prepare himself for the ISDT.

Many of these rides are pictured in the book, “40 Summers Ago: Hollywood Behind the Iron Curtain.” Hardback copies will be available Sunday for $49.99.

Southland Scene

The USAC/CRA sprint car series returns to Perris Auto Speedway on Saturday night after Mike Kirby, in a visit to Ventura Raceway last week, won his fourth main event this season.

Rip Williams, trying to win his first championship after 26 years racing sprint cars, holds a 55-point margin over Damion Gardner.

Western States dwarf cars will hold a regional championship race Saturday night at Ventura Raceway along with VRA sprint cars.

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This Week

AMA MOTOCROSS

Chevy Trucks Finals

* When: Sunday, 125cc motos, 1 and 3:30 p.m.; 250cc motos, 2 and 4:20 p.m.

* Where: Glen Helen Raceway Park (hillside, natural terrain, dirt course), Devore.

* Race distance: 30 minutes plus two laps for each of four motos.

NASCAR NEXTEL CUP

Chevy Rock and Roll 400

* When: Today, qualifying (Speed Channel, noon); Saturday, race (TNT, 4:30 p.m.).

* Where: Richmond (Va.) International Raceway (tri-oval, 0.75 mile, 14 degrees banking in turns).

* Race distance: 300 miles, 400 laps.

NASCAR BUSCH

Emerson 250

* When: Today (TNT, 5 p.m.).

* Where: Richmond International Raceway.

* Race distance: 187.5 miles, 250 laps.

CHAMP CAR WORLD SERIES

Grand Prix of Monterey

* When: Today, qualifying, 2 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 1:45 p.m.; Sunday, race (Spike, 4 p.m.).

* Where: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (permanent road course, 2.238 miles, 11 turns).

* Race distance: 179.04 miles, 80 laps.

INDY RACING LEAGUE

Delphi Indy 300

* When: Saturday, qualifying, 9 a.m.; Sunday, race (Channel 7, 10:30 a.m.).

* Where: Chicagoland Speedway (oval 1.5 miles, 18 degrees banking in turns); Joliet, Ill.

* Race distance: 300 miles, 200 laps.