Carmichael To Race Final SX In Orlando
AURORA, Ill. (March 13, 2007) – On Saturday, March 17, Tallahassee’s Ricky Carmichael will race in the final Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP/Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series race of his illustrious career that includes a record 15 AMA National Championships. Carmichael will challenge current points leaders, including reigning Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP champion and local hero James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., and Chad Reed, of Dade City, Fla.
During the media day Thursday, March 15 from Noon-2:00 at the Citrus Bowl Carmichael and Stewart will be available for interviews and photographs along with their teammates Ivan Tedesco (Suzuki), Ryan Dungey (Suzuki) and Tim Ferry (Kawasaki) before riding the track for the media.
Last weekend Stewart won his seventh Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series race of the season at Daytona’s International Speedway in dominant fashion leading all 20 laps of the main event. The win marked Stewart’s first in Daytona as he carries a substantial points lead into Orlando for both the Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP and Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series championships.
Kawasaki rookie Ben Townley, of Tallahassee, Fla., won his second Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites race of the season and of his career in Daytona. After not finishing the opening round of Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites competition due to a mechanical failure in Atlanta, Townley has been playing catch up in the overall points chase. He’s currently in third place behind his Kawasaki teammate Darcy Lange, of Hemet, Calif., and points leader Ryan Morais, Temecula, Calif.
Stewart was simply amazing at last year’s Orlando race as he dominated the field and ran away with an easy victory before an enthusiastic crowd of 43,081 fans. Stewart was in control all weekend posting the fastest lap time that was over a second quicker than his rival Carmichael. The win was an important one for Stewart, ending a four-race winless drought.
“I felt very comfortable on the track today and wanted to win for the Orlando fans and Polk County where I live,” said Stewart after last year’s win. “I am the local boy at Orlando so I wanted to win for the fans.”
In last year’s AMA Supercross Lites class, Honda’s Josh Grant won the second race of his career, finishing ahead of points leader Davi Millsaps. Grant’s win stopped the three-race win streak of Millsaps; however, Millsaps went on to win the Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites championship and moved to the premier AMA Supercross class this year.
The first AMA Supercross race held at the Citrus Bowl on June 11, 1983, with Yamaha’s Ron Lechien picking up the victory. Seven-time supercross champion Jeremy McGrath has a record three wins in Orlando. Carmichael, who has five AMA Supercross championships, has yet to win at Orlando.
Tickets are available at www.supercrossonline.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, participating Yamaha dealers and the Citrus Bowl box office (day of race only). Advance ticket prices for Gold Circle seats are $35; Mid-Level seats are $22; and Supervalue seats are $12. Day of race ticket prices are an additional $3. Practice and qualifying begins at 12:30 and racing begins at 7:00 p.m.
This weekend’s AMA Supercross race from Orlando will air on SPEED, Sunday, March 18, at 6:00 p.m. EST. The AMA Supercross Lites class race will air on SPEED Saturday, March 24, at 6:00 p.m. EST.
Past Winners in Orlando
AMA Supercross
March 18, 2006: James Stewart
March 19, 2005: Chad Reed
March 29, 1997: Ezra Lusk
January 13, 1996: Jeremy McGrath
January 14, 1995: Jeremy McGrath
January 15, 1994: Jeremy McGrath
January 9, 1993: Mike LaRocco
January 11, 1992: Mike LaRocco
January 12, 1991: Jeff Stanton
April 27, 1985: Ron Lechien
May 19, 1984: Rick Johnson
June 11, 1983: Ron Lechien
AMA Supercross Lites
March 18, 2006: Davi Millsaps
March 19, 2005: Davi Millsaps
March 29, 1997: Ricky Carmichael
January 13, 1996: Mickael Pichon
January 14, 1995: Timmy Ferry
January 15, 1994: Ezra Lusk
January 9, 1993: Ezra Lusk
January 11, 1992: Brian Swink
January 12, 1991: Brian Swink
April 27, 1985: Larry Brooks
Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP Season Standings
James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki, 232
Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Yamaha, 216
Timmy Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 180
Ricky Carmichael, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki, 138
David Vuillemin, Menifee, Calif., Honda, 127
Heath Voss, Mico, Texas, Honda, 121
Travis Preston, Hesperia, Calif., Honda, 120
Michael Byrne, Newnan, Ga., Suzuki, 120
Nicholas Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 108
Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 108
Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series Event Results, Daytona
James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki
Ricky Carmichael, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki
Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Yamaha
Timmy Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki
Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda
Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
Grant Langston, Clemont, Fla., Yamaha
David Vuillemin, Menifee, Calif., Honda
Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., Honda
Josh Summey, Stanley, N.C., Honda
Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series Season Standings
James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki, 235
Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Yamaha, 211
Timmy Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 167
Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda, 153
Ricky Carmichael, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki, 138
Michael Byrne, Newnan, Ga., Suzuki, 123
Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 118
Heath Voss, Mico, Texas, Honda, 117
David Vuillemin, Menifee, Calif., Honda, 114
Travis Preston, Hesperia, Calif., Honda, 98
Amp’d Mobile Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Event Results, Daytona
Ben Townley, Tallahassee, Fla., Kawasaki
Thomas Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda
Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM
Billy Laninovich, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda
Ryan Morais, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha
Darcy Lange, Hemet, Calif., Kawasaki
Jeff Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM
Branden Jesseman, New Brighton, Pa., Yamaha
Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ken., Honda
Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha
Amp’d Mobile Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Season Standings
Ryan Morais, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha, 56
Darcy Lange, Hemet, Calif., Kawasaki, 52
Ben Townley, Tallahassee, Fla., Kawasaki, 50
Matt Goerke, Lake Helen, Fla., Yamaha, 49
Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 38
Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ken., Honda, 37
Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha, 15
Jeff Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 36
Billy Laninovich, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda, 34
Branden Jesseman, New Brighton, Pa., Yamaha, 29
Amp’d Mobile Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Season Standings
Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 172
Jason Lawrence, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha, 135
Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Honda, 103
Christopher Gosselaar, Victorville, Calif., Kawasaki, 97
Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda, 92
Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha, 88
Josh Hansen, Lake Elsinore, Calif., KTM, 87
Matthew Lemoine, Pilot Point, Texas, Yamaha, 86
Troy Adams, Homosassa, Fla., Suzuki, 71
Kyle Cunningham, Springtown, Texas, Yamaha, 66
For more information about the Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP/Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, please log on to www.supercrossonline.com. For media requests, please contact Denny Hartwig at 630-566-6305 or e-mail at dennyhartwig@livenation.com.