Racer X - Motocross & Supercross NewsRacer X

  • Subscribe Now
  • Latest
  • Features
  • Breaking News

Racer X - Motocross & Supercross NewsRacer X

  • One Click Sign-In

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    OR

    Sign in with your username and password

    • Sign In
  • Features
    • 10 Things
    • 30 Greatest AMA Motocrossers
    • 3 on 3
    • 250 Words
    • 450 Words
    • Arenacross Report
    • Between the Motos
    • Breakdown
    • Deals of the Week
    • GNCC Report
    • Great Battles
    • How to Watch
    • Injury Report
    • Insight
    • In the Mag, On the Web
    • Lockdown Diaries
    • Longform
    • MXGP Race Reports
    • My Favorite Loretta Lynn's Moto
    • Next
    • Next Level
    • Observations
    • On This Day in Moto
    • Open Mic
    • Privateer Profile
    • Race Day Feed
    • Racerhead
    • Racer X Awards
    • Racer X Redux
    • Rapid Reaxtion
    • RX Exhaust
    • Saturday Night Live
    • Staging Area
    • The Conversation
    • The List
    • The Moment
    • Things We Learned at the Ranch
    • Unphiltered
    • Wake-Up Call
    • Where Are They Now
    • 50 Years of Pro Motocross
  • Multimedia
    • Podcasts
    • Photo Galleries
    • The Weege Show
    • Racer X Films
    • Video
    • SX Preview Shows
    • Factory Tech Tip
    • MX Preview Shows
    • Behind The Bars
    • Racer X Rapid News
  • Races
    • Series Schedules
    • TV Schedules
    • Results
    • Champions
    • 2023 Numbers
    • Teams
  • Results
    • Points Standings
    • Race Results
    • Riders
    • The Vault
    • Loretta Lynn's Vault
  • Shop
  • About Us
  • The Mag
    • Digital Magazine Bookstand
    • Customer Care
    • Current Issue
    • Newsletter
    • Store Locator
    • Subscribe
    • Free Stickers
    • Sell Racer X
  • Table of Contents
  • Subscribe Now
  • Latest
  • Features
  • Breaking News
Results Archive
GNCC
The General
Articles
Overall Results
  1. Craig Delong
  2. Josh Strang
  3. Ben Kelley
Full Results
XC2 Pro Results
  1. Angus Riordan
  2. Evan Smith
  3. Cody J Barnes
Full Results
Arenacross
Tulsa
Articles
Supercross
Indianapolis
Articles
450SX Results
  1. Ken Roczen
  2. Justin Barcia
  3. Cooper Webb
Full Results
250SX East Results
  1. Hunter Lawrence
  2. Nate Thrasher
  3. Jordon Smith
Full Results
MXGP of
Patagonia Argentina
Articles
MXGP Results
  1. Ruben Fernandez
  2. Jeffrey Herlings
  3. Jorge Prado
Full Results
MX2 Results
  1. Jago Geerts
  2. Andrea Adamo
  3. Thibault Benistant
Full Results
Arenacross
Salem
Articles
Supercross
Detroit
Articles
450SX Results
  1. Chase Sexton
  2. Cooper Webb
  3. Eli Tomac
Full Results
250SX East Results
  1. Hunter Lawrence
  2. Nate Thrasher
  3. Haiden Deegan
Full Results
Upcoming
Arenacross
Little Rock
Fri Mar 24
Articles
Upcoming
Supercross
Seattle
Sat Mar 25
Articles
Upcoming
MXGP of
Sardegna
Sun Mar 26
Articles
Upcoming
Arenacross
Lexington
Fri Mar 31
Articles
Upcoming
GNCC
Tiger Run
Sat Apr 1
Articles
Full Schedule

Carmichael and Monster Claw Come out on Ghoulish Talladega Night

November 2, 2009 7:31am
  • Home
  • Industry News
  • Carmichael and Monster Claw Come out on Ghoulish Talladega Night

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Ricky Carmichael looked forward to returning to the superspeedway where he made his first start for Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI)  in an Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) car back in 2008. Anxious to spend time racing competitors versus learning a new track, Carmichael took to the track with aggression. Showing promise for a top-10 finish, the No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet couldn’t avoid a late-race crash finishing the event in the 20th position.

Teams were unsure whether this race would occur due to scattered thunderstorms in the area most of the day of the event. However with a dry track and storm clouds evading Carmichael and the No. 4 Monster team started the race from a 15th place qualifying effort. Carmichael felt the truck was strong as he ran in line behind KHI teammate Ron Hornaday, the No. 4 team held a top-10 position in the lead pack. “Anyone who wants to pass me, they can go ahead,” stated Carmichael. “I’m staying right where I’m at.” Upon the first early-race caution, crew chief John Monsam brought the No. 4 truck down pit road for fuel and the team pulled a tear-off from the windshield.

Looking forward to more lead-pack action, Carmichael restarted the race in the sixth position, but learned quickly the consequences of being pushed to the high line. Dropping back as low as 17th Carmichael calmly started working his way back toward the front, remembering to stay with the lead pack in the inside line. Another caution brought the opportunity for the No. 4 team to make two pit stops, first for new tires and a second for fuel. Carmichael felt good about the truck, stating “the truck is perfect in the middle.” Having taken the opportunity for both tires and fuel, the No. 4 truck worked its way to the front from the rear of the field.

Running with another competitor who had fallen back, Carmichael and the No. 4 team discovered two trucks can be faster than the lead pack of trucks. Drafting together, the two worked their way back to the lead pack and Carmichael started advancing through the field. With lap times one second faster than the leaders, the previous stop for fresh tires on the No. 4 truck began to pay off.

Through the middle of the race event, Carmichael worked with spotter Andy Houston to hone his drafting skills. Even though Carmichael had competed at Talladega Superspeedway in an ARCA car it was the first time he had tackled the 2.66-mile monster in a truck, air shifts were challenging to the rookie driver. A mid-race caution on lap 38 brought the team down pit road again, this time for right side tires only and a trackbar adjustment. Carmichael had started to experience tightness with the truck, so the team was hopeful these adjustments would help. The team’s pit strategy of taking only two tires, while most of the field took four tires, allowed Carmichael to gain some valuable track position.

Carmichael and the 4 team bounced around in the middle of the pack for the later part of the race event. Lap 65 brought another caution where the team came into the pits from the 18th position for more fuel and another window tear-off change. The team was confident Carmichael could continue to work through the field until an accident with three laps remaining in the event collected both Carmichael and KHI teammate Ron Hornaday. The No. 4 Monster truck sustained a good amount of damage. The team would have to change tires, bond sheet metal and straighten the truck through adjustments, but it became clear to the team that their race effort was over. With only a green-white-checkered flag scenario at hand to complete the race event, the No. 4 team brought the damaged truck to the garage, ultimately ending the day in the 20th position.

Carmichael will return again with the No. 4 Monster Energy team next week at Texas Motor Speedway.

STATS RECAP

October 31, 2009
Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
Mountain Dew 250
Race: 22 of 25
Driver: Ricky Carmichael
Started: 15th
Finished: 20th
Race length: 94 Laps/ 250.04 Miles
Banking/Turns: 12-degrees turns; 0-degree straight-a-ways
Track layout: 2.66 mile paved
Shape: Tri-Oval
Number of Race Cautions: 7 for 28 Laps

Next on the Truck Series Schedule:

Date: November 6, 2009
Track: Texas Motor Speedway
Event Name: Winstar World Casino 350K
Driver: Ricky Carmichael
Broadcast Time: SPEED 8:30pm EST

  • Paris-Bercy Supercross Night Three Paris-Bercy Supercross Night Three 2:54pm
  • Follow Track-Builder Jason Baker's Blog on the Australian Supercross Series Follow Track-Builder Jason Baker's Blog on the Australian Supercross Series 9:25am
Read Now
May 2023 Issue Now Available
Get Racer X on your iPhone
Check out all the exclusive content this month on any device!
Read Now
The May 2023 Digital Issue Availalbe Now

Motocross & Supercross News - Racer X

122 Vista Del Rio Drive, Morgantown, WV 26508 | 304-284-0084 | Contact Us
©1999 - 2023 Filter Publications LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
designed at: Website DesignImpulse Studios