RC interview (stock car)

The Hartford Courant misspelled his name and refers to "motocross drivers" but at least they are noticing him:


Motocross Legend Ricky Carmichael Likely To Crash Local Stock Car Scene In 2008

Beyond the eye-catching Monster Energy drink fire suit, he looked much the same as so many other anonymous faces looking for the fast lane around New Smyrna Speedway Sunday night.

Carmichael_2In the paddock at New Smyrna the smallish driver walked around unfettered among all shapes and sizes of 4-wheeled racing vehicles.

There’s little doubt that wouldn’t be the case had it been 2-wheeled racing going on. But then again, Ricky Carmichael, one of the most legendary motocross drivers in history, kind of likes being the guy that isn’t the superstar that everybody wants a piece of.

Carmicheal, who retired from full-time motocross racing after 2006 is trying to make his way up the rungs of the stock racing ladder and racing a Super Late Model at the 9-night World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing this week at New Smyrna is part of the plan of climbing higher in his new racing endeavor.

“I love being just another face in the crowd here,” Carmichael said Sunday night after finishing 7th in the Super Late Model feature. “Nobody is chasing me around here, I can just focus on what I’m trying to do here which is learn everything I can about racing these cars.”

Carmichael, 28, had been under contract as a driver last year with former Sprint Cup Series team owner Bobby Ginn and raced about 15 Late Model events around Florida last summer.

Carmichael, who won 10 consecutive AMA national motocross championships from 1997 – 2006, is mulling over driving contracts for this season. He has one in hand from Dale Earnhardt Inc. and is talking to other teams looking for a deal that he says will most likely land him in the Camping World East Series this season and have him racing at Stafford Motor Speedway, Thompson International Speedway and Lime Rock Park.

For more on Carmichael’s plans for trying to make in stock car racing check out this story from Tuesday’s Hartford Courant.