Makita Suzuki’s Carmichael on the Daytona SX Podium

March 12, 2007, 5:14am

Round 10 – Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series
Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona International Speedway
March 9, 2007

Team Makita Suzuki Racing’s Ricky Carmichael celebrated his final Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross race at Daytona International Speedway by bringing home a strong second-place finish in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Friday night. Teammate Ivan Tedesco followed that with a sixth-place finish.

“I’ve got to tell you, I’ve had a great time tonight,” said five-time Daytona Supercross winner Carmichael. “I’ve had a great time performing in front of the Florida fans and the Daytona Bike Week fans. Hats off to James (Stewart) and thanks to my Makita Suzuki team for giving me a good bike in the RM-Z450. I’m happy with the way I rode in the main event and I’m proud of my performance on this track.”

Both Carmichael and Tedesco lined up for heat race number one on Friday night. Carmichael went down in turn one, only to remount his Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 in 19th place and make his way up to finish fourth. Teammate Tedesco got a great start and brought home second place in the eight-lap heat. Both riders advanced to the main event.

In the 20-lap main, Carmichael did not get the start he’d hoped for. Back in sixth place on lap one, the defending AMA Supercross Champion put his head down and worked his way up into second place and brought home the podium finish.

“I can’t thank my fans enough,” reiterated 15-time AMA Champion Carmichael. “To win here five times has been amazing. It’s been a pleasure racing with James, especially these last six months it’s been special. Every dog has his day and my days are getting thin. It’s great to be called the ‘Greatest of all Time’ but I just want to be known as a great person, a great family man and a great ambassador for our sport. I’m very proud of what I’ve accomplished.”

Tedesco got off the line a few spots behind Carmichael and also put his head down on his Makita Suzuki RM-Z450. The former AMA Supercross Lites and Motocross Lites Champion rode a consistent and smooth race and reeled in the competition for a sixth-place finish by the end of the night.

“My heat race was good,” said Tedesco. “I got in the lead at the beginning and ended up in second. In the main, I got a good jump out of the gate but I was real far inside and got pinched off. I ended up in 15th or somewhere and had to work my way up. It was a tough track to pass on, so I tried to be smart and pass when I should and stay put when I should.”

In the Supercross Lites class, Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey had a few problems in his qualifying races and did not compete in the main event.

“It was a combination of a little bad luck and a small mistake,” said Makita Suzuki Team Manager Roger DeCoster. “Ryan got the holeshot in his heat race and he was a little hard on the front brakes, tucked the front end and he got hit by another rider. As a result, the wiring harness came loose and the bike wouldn’t start. Then in the LCQ, he made a little mistake and couldn’t make it up in just four laps.”

Team Makita Suzuki Racing will return next week for round 11 of the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Friday, March 17, 2007.

Ivan Tedesco, Team Makita Suzuki Racing RM-Z450, #9
6th Place – Supercross class, Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series
7th Place – Overall Championship Points Standings

Ricky Carmichael, Team Makita Suzuki Racing RM-Z450, #4
2nd Place – Supercross class, Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series

Ryan Dungey, Team Makita Suzuki Racing RM-Z250, #62
DNR Place – Supercross Lites East, Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series
11th Place – Overall Championship Points Standings

Supercross Class Top 10 Finishers:

1. James Stewart, Kawasaki
2. Ricky Carmichael, Team Makita Suzuki Racing
3. Chad Reed, Yamaha
4. Timmy Ferry, Kawasaki
5. Kevin Windham, Honda
6. Ivan Tedesco, Team Makita Suzuki Racing
7. Grant Langston, Yamaha
8. David Vuillemin, Honda
9. Davi Millsaps, Honda
10. Josh Summey, Honda
Kyle Lewis, Honda (holeshot)

Supercross Lites Class Top 10 Finishers:

1. Ben Townley, Kawasaki
2. Thomas Hahn, Honda
3. Mike Alessi, KTM
4. Billy Laninovich, Honda
5. Ryan Morais, Yamaha
6. Darcy Lange, Kawasaki
7. Jeff Alessi, KTM
8. Branden Jesseman, Yamaha
9. Ryan Sipes, Honda
10. Justin Brayton, Yamaha
Andrew McFarlane, Suzuki (holeshot)