Ricky Carmichael Daytona Amateur Supercross Race Report
Kicks off Daytona Bike Week
Morgantown, W.Va - It isn't every day an amateur rider has the opportunity to race at the world famous Daytona International Speedway. The 2nd Annual Ricky Carmichael Daytona Amateur Supercross (RCSX) joined in as part of the "Supercross kick-off" to Daytona Bike Week on Sunday. With nearly 900 entries in 25 different classes, there was a little bit of history to be made for riders of all ages and skill level.
The weather turned out to be nothing short of perfect as the predicted rain held off all day long. The moderate temperature and light mist left the Daytona Supercross track in mint condition throughout the day.
Sunday's track was a tamed down version of the Pro SX trackBeing the day after the Daytona Supercross by Honda, Sunday's track was a tamed down version of the exact same dirt the Pros rode the day before. As a part of the Amateur Supercross entry, riders and their families were invited to come a day early and enjoy the show on Saturday night, and a show is what they got. With the eventful crash and comeback of James Stewart in the 450 class and the second-ever Supercross Lites win for Blake Baggett, things heated up inside the Speedway and RCSX riders were present and taking notes.
Sunday's amateur festivities began with a very inspiring and unique rider's meeting led by MX Sports Director Tim Cotter. Riders and their families gathered around the ever-so-popular Gatorade Victory Lane for a brief overview of the day, a small church service and to learn a little history about the event. Rounding out the gathering was something that riders don't normally receive when they congregate for race information - a 15-Time Champion giving you the pep talk of a lifetime.
Practice got underway around 7:30 a.m. with qualifying heats immediately following. Each class had a few qualifying groups, as there were large numbers of riders in each class. The 250/450 A Pro Sport classes looked right at home on the Daytona Supercross track with a crazy amount of speed, and California's Jessy Nelson and Florida's Kory Keylon assumed head of the group all day long.
Cooper Webb was the guy to beat in the mini classes, taking the win in both Super Mini and Schoolboy classes. But the real story of the day was the insane amount of riders in the Senior/Vet classes. Barry Carsten and Earl May went back and fourth to dominate those two groups, showing that "age ain't nothin' but a number."
The RCU faculty was on site for a track walk before the main events started, mingling with fans and giving each other teaching pointers for Monday's school. RC, Mrs. Carmichael, Jeff Emig, Kevin Foley, Jeff Stanton and Damon Bradshaw were all in attendance, chatting with riders and families about their amateur racing days.
And now, may we present the 2011 Ricky Carmichael Amateur Supercross Champions:
450 A/Pro Sport
Jessy Nelson
250 A/Pro Sport
Kory Keylon
450 B
Pup Whatley
250 B
Claudio Leoc
450 C
Cole Mclean
250 C
Hunter Harbin
50cc (4-6)
Reed Cooper
50cc (7-8)
Ethan Mann
65cc (10-11)
Enzo Lopez
65cc (7-9)
Ethan Mann
65cc Unltd (7-11)
Enzo Lopes
85cc (12-15)
Keith Tucker
85cc (7-11)
Jordan Bailey
85cc (9-13)
Alexander Frye
College (17-24)
Kyle Goerke
Junior 25 Plus
Zackary Lundy
Masters 45 Plus
Earl May
Mini Dvlpmt (12-15)
Brandon Rogers
Schoolboy 1 (12-16)
Cooper Webb
Schoolboy 2 (13-16)
Anthony Rodriguez
Senior 40 Plus
Barry Carsten
Super Mini (12-16)
Cooper Webb
Vet 30 Plus
Mike Treadwell
Vet 35 Plus
Earl May
Women (14+)
Serratia Gonzalez
The 3rd Annual Ricky Carmichael Daytona Amateur Supercross is slated once again to be held in conjunction with the Daytona Supercross in 2012. Date and other details will be announced in the upcoming months.
About Daytona Amateur Supercross Championship
The Ricky Carmichael Daytona Amateur Supercross Championship, produced by MX Sports, offers an opportunity for amateurs to compete on some of the most prestigious motorsports grounds in the world - Daytona International Speedway. Run in conjunction with the Daytona Pro Supercross during the first weekend in March, the Ricky Carmichael endorsed event marks the only chance during the year to take riding lessons from the Greatest of All-Time. The 2010 inaugural event sold out, filling every position on the gate, making this amateur supercoss event a once in a lifetime experience for participants all ages. For more information, please visit www.mxsports.com.
About Ricky Carmichael
Ricky Carmichael is the Principal of Ricky Carmichael University. Carmichael won 102 AMA Motocross Nationals and 48 AMA Supercross main events for a record 150 major wins between 1997 and 2007. The Tallahassee, Florida resident won 10 AMA Motocross Championships and five AMA Supercross crowns, giving him a record 15 major titles in his career. After retiring from professional racing, he began pursuing a career in auto racing and was named the Most Popular Driver in the 2009 Camping World NASCAR Truck Series. Currently Carmichael is competing in NASCAR's Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series for Turner Motorsports. As for motocross, he will forever be known as "the Goat," which stands for greatest of all-time.