Press Release

SRT Motorsports - Dodge/RCH Racing's 2013 AMA Monster Energy Supercross Series Season Preview

Dodge to Field New-Look AMA Monster Energy Supercross Series Team

Riders Broc Tickle and Josh Hill to Lead Factory-Backed Suzuki RCH Racing Line-Up in 2013


AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012) – For the third consecutive year, Dodge will have a presence in the AMA Monster Energy Supercross Series (SX) as a sponsor and official automotive partner for the Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Bel-Ray/Suzuki/RCH Racing entries.

Carey Hart’s Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Hart and Huntington/Bel-Ray Racing team has merged with Ricky Carmichael Racing to create Ricky Carmichael/Carey Hart Racing (RCH) for the 2013 SX season, forming one of the most unique partnerships inside the SX series paddock.

RCH Racing will field a two-rider effort featuring Josh Hill from La Center, WA., and Broc Tickle from Wilmington, N.C. The pair will be aboard factory-supported Suzuki RM-Z450s with Yoshimura research and development serving as the team’s technical partner.

 “I’m really excited for the opportunity this year with RCH and Carey giving such a cool opportunity,” said Carmichael. “A big shout-out goes to Suzuki for giving us the factory support and Yoshimura for all their research and development.

“I’m glad to have Dodge on board and to support all their cool products like the all-new Dodge Dart.  Having two riders like Josh Hill and Broc Tickle makes my excitement level go through the roof.”

The RCH partnership adds the flare and excitement of freestyle pioneer and entrepreneur Hart with the legendary riding resume of Carmichael who has five AMA Supercross championships (59 wins) and seven AMA Motocross championships. Carmichael will serve as the team’s co-owner in charge of rider development as well as motorcycle testing, research, and development.

“My end of the deal is to get our two riders as technically prepared on the Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Bel-Ray/Suzuki/RCH entries as possible,” Carmichael added. “It’s a win-win situation for all our sponsors, our team and riders.”

Dodge will have a significant at-track presence at FIM/AMA Supercross events through the 2013 season. Dodge logos will appear on all team assets including haulers, motorcycles, tents, team uniforms, athlete’s equipment and riding apparel as well as all RCH custom-branded team

The partnership has leveraged key team changes including a new rider lineup, direct factory support and a key technical alliance for research and development. The long-term agreement with RCH and Suzuki, along with Yoshimura, provides the technical platform and factory-backed expertise necessary in developing a championship caliber program.

“Entering our third year with support from Dodge, we have the equipment to do better on the track in 2013,” said Carey Hart. “It is awesome to have a strong brand like Dodge and their following with us and we couldn’t ask for a better sponsor and better people to work with. They are a company who is inspired by the racing lifestyle and culture and it is important to us to work with a company like Dodge that gets it.”

Hill Seeks Revenge After Injury-Plagued 2012 SX Season; Tickle Poised for Big Year

JOSH HILL (No. 75 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Bel-Ray/Suzuki) returns for his second season with RCH healthy and eager for the gate to drop at the season opener. A SX 450-class winner at Minneapolis in 2008, Hill was relegated to only one SX main event start last season after a lower leg injury at the season opener in Anaheim sidelined him for most of the season. In addition to his win, Hill has 15 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes. He has a career-best, fifth-place finish in the 2008 Supercross standings.

“I feel great on the bike; it’s been a long comeback process,” said Hill. “I still don’t have all the feeling in the bottom of my foot. I was paralyzed from the kneecap down in my left leg. I had a broken femur, pelvis and right humorous. And then last year I had a big string of injuries, not being healthy enough. I was concentrating on other areas of my body and you just can’t do that. This sport is too demanding to not be physically fit. I really want to be back on the track; I wanted to use last year as a learning year. It was a tough learning year. I had a lot of time over the summer to train up in Oregon with my family. Having my brother and my dad in my corner really helped.”

Newcomer Tickle Poised for Big Year Aboard RCH Suzuki


BROC TICKLE (No. 20 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Bel-Ray/Suzuki) makes the switch to RCH after an impressive 2012 SX campaign which saw him finish ninth in the overall rider standings. Entering his second full season in SX 450 competition, the 2011 AMA Supercross Lites West champion, was fifth overall in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. He missed the top three by six points.

Tickle is quick to point out Carmichael’s impact on the team. “I think the knowledge that Ricky has brings immediate confidence to Josh (Hill) and me”, said Tickle. “At the end of the day, all the guys that line up at the gate are awesome riders. We’ve been riding bikes since we were kids. I think having that edge over everybody else is really important. Having the greatest rider of all time in your corner, helping you develop is an incredible opportunity. The guys working on our program are all there to win and help us win. It’s the job of Josh and me to put in the work and carry the torch for all the hard work that the team is putting in this year.”

The 17-race AMA Monster Energy Supercross season kicks off on Jan. 5 in Anaheim, Calif.

About the Dodge Brand:
For nearly 100 years, Dodge has defined passionate and innovative vehicles that stand apart in performance and in style. Building upon its rich heritage of muscle cars, racing technology and ingenious engineering, Dodge offers a full-line of cars, crossovers, minivans and SUVs built for top performance – from power off the line and handling in the corners, to high-quality vehicles that delivers unmatched versatility and excellent fuel efficiency. Only Dodge offers such innovative functionality combined with class-leading performance, exceptional value and distinctive design. With the all-new 2013 Dodge Dart, the all-new Dodge Charger paired with the ZF eight-speed transmission that achieves a class-leading 31 miles per gallon on the highway, the new Durango and the significantly revamped Grand Caravan – inventor of the minivan – Journey, Avenger and iconic Challenger, Dodge now has one of the youngest dealer showrooms in the United States.

About SRT Motorsports:
The engineering expertise within SRT extends well beyond our street vehicles. It is a little known fact, but technical support for the Chrysler Group's motorsports programs is provided by the astute engineers at SRT. Lessons learned on the track directly translate to improved vehicles for our customers. SRT Motorsports is expanding its racing presence this year, so follow us throughout the 2012 season for more news from pit lane.

(Caption from L to R): RCH Racing's Josh Hill, No. 75 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Bel-Ray/Suzuki, RCH Racing's Carey Hart, RCH Racing's Ricky Carmichael and RCH Racing's Broc Tickle, No. 20 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Bel-Ray/Suzuki.  Credit: RCH Racing


Caption:  RCH Racing's Josh Hill (left) No. 75 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Bel-Ray/Suzuki and Broc Tickle (right) No. 20 Dodge/Sycuan Casino/Bel-Ray/Suzuki during pre-season testing in California.  Credit:  RCH Racing

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