World Mini Grand Prix
II
(Left) Ricky Carmichael was unbeatable In Las Vegas,
winning all eight motos he competed in.
(Be low) Michael Brandes won both t he 125 and 250cc
Modified Pro classes.
By Tony A lessi
LAS VEGAS, NV, APR. 21-23
earn green min icycle legend Ricky Carm ichael,
as ex pe cte d , post ed an
eigh t-mo to sweep of the
80 cc (14 -16 ) Stock and
M odified cl asses, the
Super Mini, and the Race of Champions in what w as his last World Mini
Grand Prix eve nt ab oard a minicycle .
Th is year the race w as agai n hosted
outside the ci ty of Las Vegas near the
Nellis Air For ce base. Unlike las t year,
though, h igh w in ds were not a facto r
and pl e asant w eather p reva iled
throughout th e entire weekend. Pe r-
Y
haps th e on ly d ownfallof th e weekend
was the ex tra ch all enging jumps that
filled th e track and cause d more th an a
handfu l of brok en re ar w h eels a n d
shattered dre am s for so me of the
nation 's top talent.
Carmi ch a e l w a s as co n fi de n t as
ever but h e see med so m e w h at p r e occup ied t h ro ug h o u t much of th e
weekend . P erh ap s thinkin g of hi s
soon- to -be graduation t o the 12Scc
class. During hi s mini cycl e tenure he
has ama s sed n e a rl y 100 a ma te ur
Na tion a l Champ i onships ove r a 'l O
year period.
Carmichael's monopoly of the mi nicycle class is co ming to a close. "My
las t -M i ni Nation a l will be Lorett a
