Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128163
AMAIChevy Trucks U.S. Motocross Championship Series Round 6: Red Bud Track 'N' Trail CARMICHAEL MAKES IT A PERFECT 12 FOR 12 ON THE SEASON. CAN HE GO 24 FOR 24? By CHRIS JONNUM PHOTOS BY STEVE BRUHN BUCHANAN, MI, JULY 14 icky Carmichael may try to resist it, but he'll have a tougher time doing so than his rivals are having keeping him in sight. Midway through the outdoor season, with a perfect 12-for-12 moto-tally in hand, it's officially time to start speculating as to whether the champ can pull off an incredible, flawless season. Prior to the Red Bud round, such talk was indisputably premature, since Carmichael sometimes struggles at the southwest Michigan facility. And even now, with the Team Honda rider still on pace and in peak form, the challenge would seem to be insurD 8 JULY 17. 2002. ~ _ 1ft. • - mountable, given the unpredictable nature of outdoor motocross. Six months ago, most people would have told you that even a perfect half-season was impossible these days, and yet here we are. The point is, even if a flawless season is still somewhat of a pipe-dream, now we can officially start talking about it (even if Carmichael would rather not). "During these two weeks off, I worked pretty hard," Carmichael said. "This has been a track that has given me some problems in the past. I felt that I was at an advantage this year, with the power of my bike. I was impressed with the track - you can tell the promoters are putting money into the track. It's not one-lined, and there are different options you can take if you're behind. I really enjoyed it... I'm looking forward to going to Troy. I'm going to have trouble, probably, at Unadilla, because it's not my favorite track, but my bike is good, and I'm feeling healthy." Yes, Ricky, but can you win every moto? "There's a lot of things that can happen. If I stay healthy, then as far as that goes, I think I can. I take each moto, moto by moto. It definitely would be good to win every overall, but every mota could be difficult especially if we have a mudder. I just want to win the title." Not only did he maintain his win streak through a round where he has Unfortunately for the other 39 riders on the track, Ricky Cannlchael just seems to be getting stronger and stronger, as he pulled of his 12thstraight moto victory at Red Bud. struggled in the past (he lost here two years ago, and only won last year after Sebastien Tortelli ran out of fuel and Kevin Windham lost a chain), but he did it in a fashion that was even more dominant than usual, leading every single lap and winning by huge margins (about half a minute both times out), and leaving the competition feeling even more deflated than the countless road-kill raccoons and opossums that dot the roadways of the Buchanan area. Not only that, but he eclipsed Bob Hannah's 1978