Makita Suzuki's Hangtown results

May 22, 2006, 5:54am

Makita Suzuki’s Carmichael Podiums at Hangtown Classic

--Next up, round 2 of AMA Toyota Motocross at High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, PA, May 28, 2006--

Round 1 - AMA Toyota Motocross Championship
Sacramento, CA
Hangtown Classic
May 21, 2006

Team Makita Suzuki Racing’s Ricky Carmichael brought home a strong second-place finish at the season-opening round of AMA Toyota Motocross at the Hangtown Classic in Sacramento, Calif., on a very rainy Sunday afternoon.

In the first 30-minute moto of the day, defending AMA Motocross Champion Carmichael got the holeshot but then went down in turn one. Even so, he charged hard on his Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 and rode from 40th to third place in approximately seven laps.

“I crashed in the first turn and it was a rookie mistake,” said Carmichael afterward. “It was a long moto but we’ll go back and regroup and try to put on another good race.”

Carmichael made good on his promise to the crowd in the second moto. In true Carmichael fashion, Number Four got the holeshot (again) and then led the moto wire to wire for a victory over second place by more than 20 seconds.

“The first moto didn’t go the way I wanted and this is the first time in a long time that I haven’t won an overall,” said Carmichael from the podium. “But no hard feelings, I had a great race in the second moto. My Makita Suzuki’s getting great starts and I got both of the holeshots today. I apologize to my team for making such a bonehead move in the first moto. It cost me the win, but there’s a lot of racing left and I’m looking forward to next weekend at High Point. Regardless of the overall, I’m super-pumped about the way I rode in the second moto and that gives me momentum to take into next weekend.”

With a third-place finish in moto one and the win in moto two, Carmichael walked away with a second-place overall.

Ricky Carmichael, Team Makita Suzuki Racing RM-Z450, #4
3rd Place - Moto 1, 1st Place - Moto 2
2nd Place - Hangtown Overall
2nd Place -- Overall

Motocross Class Top 10 Finishers:

1.      James Stewart, Kawasaki
2.      Ricky Carmichael, Team Makita Suzuki Racing
3.      Chad Reed, Yamaha
4.      David Vuillemin, Yamaha
5.      Travis Preston, Honda
6.      Nick Wey, Honda
7.      Kevin Windham, Honda
8.      Jeff Dement, Suzuki
9.      Davi Millsaps, Honda
10.     Josh Summey, Honda

Motocross Lites Class Top 10 Finishers:

1.      Mike Alessi, KTM
2.      Brett Metcalfe, Yamaha
3.      Andrew McFarlane, Yamaha
4.      Josh Grant, Honda
5.      Ryan Villopoto, Kawasaki
6.      Andrew Short, Honda
7.      Chris Gosselaar, Kawasaki
8.      Mike Brown, Suzuki
9.      Billy Laninovich, Honda
10.     Thomas Hahn, Honda