Carmichael Rises to Top of Amp'd Mobile World Supercross GP Standings

AURORA, Ill. (December 27, 2006) – After two races in the 2006-‘07 Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP championship, Suzuki’s Ricky Carmichael sits on top of the points standings as the tour heads to Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., to open the domestic portion of the series, Saturday, Jan. 6.  

The championship race is in the midst of its annual three-week break for the holidays, and although Yamaha’s Chad Reed and Suzuki’s Ricky Carmichael walked away with victories in Toronto and Vancouver, respectively, the slim margins of victory, and the close, exciting racing, are an early indication of what’s in store for the remaining 15 races.

A quick glance of the point standings also shows the increasing depth of the field, with only 13 points separating the top five riders. Only five points separate the top three of Carmichael, Reed and Kawasaki’s James Stewart. Add Honda’s David Vuillemin and Kawasaki’s Tim Ferry, who are tied for fourth, and each of the sport’s four bike manufacturers are well represented. This year’s AMA Supercross class boasts the deepest field of competition in the sport’s history.

With Carmichael riding an abbreviated schedule and not a threat for a championship this season, the title chase takes on an entirely different look. Reed holds down the second spot in the standings but seemed to fall off the pace a little in Vancouver.

“Last weekend was a good feeling for everyone (in winning at Toronto),” said Reed, the 2003 World Supercross GP champion. “I just didn’t ride up to my potential (in Vancouver), but I’m happy with a podium. I came here these two weekends to be on the podium, to be in the hunt for the championship and we’ve done more than that.”

Stewart is in third place, and, after a gutsy performance in Vancouver where he finished second while riding with an injured foot, trails Reed by just three points.

“We got a lot of things we can do (to get ready) besides riding a motorcycle,” explained Stewart when asked what he was going to do to heal his ankle during the break. “I’m going to take a few days off and not ride until I’m 100%. To put myself into this position, I think I’m five points down, and considering all the circumstances, I think we’re sitting beautiful.”

In addition to Vuillemin and Ferry, other contenders could emerge from the field, like Honda’s Kevin Windham and Yamaha’s Grant Langston, who chose not to race in Canada but will make their debut at Anaheim on Jan. 6. Honda’s Davi Millsaps and Suzuki’s Ivan Tedesco are hoping to return from injuries in time as well.

Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP Season Standings

1. Ricky Carmichael, Suzuki, 47
2. Chad Reed, Yamaha, 45
3. James Stewart, Kawasaki, 42
4. David Vuillemin, Honda, 34
5. Tim Ferry, Kawasaki, 34
6. Nick Wey, Honda, 27
7. Jeff Gibson, Kawasaki, 24
8. Heath Voss, Honda, 22
9. Paul Carpenter, Kawasaki, 22
10. Ryan Clark, Honda, 21

For more information about the Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP/Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, please log on to www.supercrossonline.com. 

About Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP™/Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series
Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP, produced and promoted by Live Nation is a 17-round global off-road motorcycle stadium racing circuit. Riders must compete in the international rounds to be eligible to win the world championship. In 2006-2007, the 17-event Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP will be comprised of two international events and 15 of the 16 events that are conducted in major cities throughout the United States as a part of the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series.  Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series is a 16-event series solely conducted in the United States.  The other Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series event held in Daytona Beach, Fla., is independently produced by the International Speedway Corporation and is not a part of the Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP. An Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series rider will be crowned as the national champion for the series of events conducted in the United States only. 

The FIM, Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme, is the body that globally governs motorcycle sport at the world level. Among other matters, the FIM groups together 94 affiliated National Federations relating to the sport of motorcycle racing. AMA Pro Racing is the National Federation representative that sanctions motorcycle-racing events in the United States. Dorna Off Road S.L. is an internationally recognized sports management group established in 1988 with an emphasis on major international motor sports events.  Dorna is headquartered in Madrid, Spain with branch offices in Barcelona, London and Tokyo. In addition to its involvement with Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP, Dorna manages the rights to MotoGP. For more information on Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP/ Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, log on to www.supercrossonline.com.

About Live Nation
Live Nation is the world’s leading live entertainment company, annually connecting more than 67 million fans with their favorite performers at over 33,000 events.  We are the largest producer of live concerts in the world, the second-largest venue management company and have a rapidly growing online presence.  Live Nation creates superior experiences for artists and fans, regularly producing tours for the biggest superstars in the business, including The Rolling Stones, Madonna, U2 and Coldplay.  Globally, we own, operate and/or have booking rights for more than 170 venues, including House of Blues-branded music venues and prestigious locations such as San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium, Nikon at Jones Beach in New York and London’s Apollo Theatre and Wembley Arena.  Live Nation’s websites collectively are the second most popular entertainment event websites in the United States, according to Nielsen//NetRatings.  Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Live Nation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol “LYV.”  For more information regarding concerts near you, Live Nation and its businesses, please visit our website at www.livenation.com.

About AMA Pro Racing
AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship presented by Parts Unlimited. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.