Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

INTERVIEW Ricky Carmichael By Donn Maeda or the past several years, a diminutive Floridian has been absolutely tearing up the competition in the minibike classes across the nation. No matter the place or the race, when the number 167 Kawasaki KX80 has rolled to the starting line, you could almost bet that a collective groan would rise from the rest of the field. No more. Fifteen-year-old Ricky Carmichael has been the Jeremy McGrath of the mini classes, but much to the delight of mini racers across America, the friendly redhead's reign of terror has finally come to an end. This November, Carmichael will turn 16 and make the jump to the 125 and 250cc Intermediate classes, leaving his mini-class throne up for grabs. In a sport where success is usually followed by a severely enlarged head, Carmichael has managed to maintain a pleasant disposition, and could even be considered to be on the shy side. When asked a question, Carmichael's answers are short and sweet, honest, yet delibera teo Many a professional rider could take grace lessons from this lOth grader who plans to make a career of professional MX racing. Let's start with how you got into riding. It probably wasn't that long ago, was it? Well, my cousin used to race and my dad just took me down to a motorcycle shop one day and I just started from there. 1 was five years old and I started on a Yamaha PW60 three-wheeler that we got from Ronnie Tichenor's dad's shop. A three-wheeler? That's seems like a lowly beginning. How long did you stay on those for? For about two years, and then I moved up to the 60s. The three-wheelers kind of went out of style, but back then everybody raced them. When I got my Kawasaki KX60, we headed for Ponca City and just went on from there. I was seven. How did you do when you first started racing? I think 1 got two thirds and a seventh at Ponca the first year. Then I kept going to riding schools and stuff, and I started to get a little better. The first time I sa~ you was in 1991 when you were still on '80s in the youngest age group, and you were killing everybody in that class. Were you as dominant in the 60cc class? Maybe not, because I didn't really ride a 60cc too long, only a couple of years. I won the Loretta Lynn's on a 60cc and that was probably my biggest win. But I've had more time on the 80cc so I'm probably more dominant on the 80 than the 60. Do you still keep track of how many titles you have? I don't really keep track. I think I've got somewhere around 60, but I'm not sure. Why do you think you've been able to pick up motorcycles so well? Is it something that runs in your family or... Well, I practice a lot and I like to do it. I just love to do it, I guess. PF 10 What does you typical week consist of? I wake up in the morning, I go work out, I do the stairmaster and lift weights and all that stuff, and then go riding from there. How many days a week do you ride or train? Just about every day, six days a week. Do you have a special deal in school where you get out early? No, I get out at 2:30 in the afternoon. That's what time my school gets out and that's just fine. You seem to run away with every race you enter. Doesn't it ever get boring.? No, I practice a lot so that it won't be hard for me at the races. Sometimes it is hard, but I mean, that's why I practice so that I can go to the races and make sure that someone's not right on me the whole race. What's your favorite thing about racing? Do you play any other sports? I like the air time, and I like traveling, and the friends. I used to play baseball when I was little and I've got a Jet Ski and I go to the lake with my friends, but that's about the only other sport I do. Do you have any other hobbies? What other things do you like to do? Really, the only things I do are jet ski and ride. What's it like to be at .the point where you're so good that you win almost every race? Is it hard to stay motivated and psyched up? No, I mean, I like going to the races and winning a lot, but it's going to change if I turn pro. Hopefully i will still win a lot. I know that when I turn pro I'm not going to be winning every single race, but I like winning a lot when I go to the races and I guess I'll just take it while I can. How much of the work on the bikes do you actually do? When we go practicing I sort of tighten the chain, gas the bike up, check the water and clean the air filter. Sometimes I help my dad with the motor work. Do you know how to do a top end by yourself? No, but my dad does them all the time so maybe one day I'll learn how to do them. A lot of people say that having your dad as a mechanic doesn't work when you tum pro. Yeah, he says he doesn't want to be my mechanic when I tum pro. Right now, he works real hard on my practice bikes to keep them running and he's probably getting more help now than he will then. I ?on't know, I guess he probably won't be my mechanic when I tum pro. You did a nac-nac after winning at Mammoth Mountain. Do you like doing stuff like that? Yeah, I like doing it, but I don't really do it at the races much because I don't like to look like a hotshot. I do it when I practice quite a bit, but I don't do nacnacs at the races too much. What's the wildest jump you've done? Probably a candy-bar. That's when you put your legs over your arms like Mike Metzger does. You're supposed to touch your heels but I can't do that, my legs are too short. Have you ever been doing something like that and crashed? . I started to do a can-can for a little bit - I could do it pretty decent - but I totally crashed doing it one time and just said forget it, I'm not doing that no more. That's about the only crash I've had stylin'. Racing all these years, have you ever had any injuries? Yeah, I've got a torn ACL in my knee, but that's basically about it, I've never broken a bone. I've never had surgery to fix it because it doesn't really bother me, I wear CTIs, and I'm not going to get surgery on it unless it gets to where I can't even stand the pain. Your jump up to the big bikes isn't too far away, what are your feelings about that? Well; I'm gonna miss the minibikes a little bit because I think the suspension will take a little while to get set up on the 125s, but I can adjust to that. I'll like the 125s.a lot. I'll be so happy to be on them because I've been riding 80s for a long time. Hopefully I'll do good on the 125s like I do on the 80s. How many times have you ridden a big bike? Earl May lives by me, he's a vet rider sponsored by Team Green, and I ride his I

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