Carmichael Extends Points Lead Heading into San Diego
Seven-Time Supercross Champion McGrath Lines up for Final Race of Season
AURORA, Ill. (February 7, 2006) – Suzuki’s Ricky Carmichael put himself
in an enviable position Saturday night when he collected his third
Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP/Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series win
of the season and extended his points lead from two to 13 over Yamaha’s
Chad Reed. This Saturday night, racing returns to San Diego’s Qualcomm
Stadium for the 23rd year and seven-time supercross champion Jeremy
McGrath McGrath will race his final race of the 2005-’06 season.
MEDIA DAY: TEAM HONDA’S JEREMY McGRATH WILL BE ON HAND TO DO INTERVIEWS THURSDAY FROM NOON-2.
Carmichael, the 13-time AMA National champion, has gone on to win the
championship every year he won the highly touted Anaheim 3(’01; ’02;
’03; ’05). Saturday night’s race was the third time in as many races
that Angel Stadium sold-out all 45,050 seats. Heading into San Diego,
Carmichael has the largest points lead of the season (117-104 over Chad
Reed) and exhibits control over the points race. Interestingly enough
Suzuki has never won a race at Qualcomm Stadium.
“It’s just a test,” said Carmichael said on his 2006 campaign. “It’s a
test between Chad, James and myself. Fortunately, I’ve been the only
guy to be up here. I don’t think every race that I have won
hasn’t been on just raw speed. It’s been a little bit of luck, a
little bit of patience and a little bit of being strong. I think
this is probably the first year that I really haven’t looked too far
ahead of me.”
Kawasaki’s James Stewart trailed Carmichael by two points last week but
a crash in the first turn and two subsequent crashes put the
20-year-old Floridian in third place with 103 points. Reed’s second
place finish moved him into second place but a world away from where he
wants to be.
“I gotta win, that’s about it,” said Reed “Getting seconds, thirds and
fifth isn’t really cutting it. So, I know I just gotta get it done. I
have a great package, fitness wise. I feel good on the bike and my
bike’s good. It’s just up to me to put it together on the weekend
and that’s all I’m lacking. “
In front 53,595 fans at a wet Qualcomm Stadium, Reed, of Dade City,
Fla., won his first Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP/Amp’d Mobile AMA
Supercross Series race of the season last year. KTM’s Nathan Ramsey,
who won the opening race of the 125cc season in Anaheim, Calif., won
the 125cc Western Regional Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series main
event.
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