No Christmas for Ricky, Chad, or Bubba. Not yet, anyway!
For the rest of us, Christmas is just a few days away. But for Carmichael, Reed, and Stewart, Christmas will have to wait till January 8. That’s when the THQ Supercross season begins. And, until the first race is over none of the three will rest easy, sleep well, or be able to relax. Never before in Supercross history has there been a more competitive group of proven champions on the starting line. When the starting gate drops, the entire motorcycle world will be watching for the dust to settle to see who emerges as winner.
For Carmichael, this is a must win season. Having sat out the entire 2004 season due to a knee injury, Carmichael needs to come out on top to prove he still can compete. Carmichael not only has a repaired knee, he also has a new ride. During the layoff Carmichael switched to Suzuki, a move that surprised almost everyone.
Questions concerning the move are still to be answered. Many remember when Jeremy McGrath switched from Honda to Suzuki and failed to win the championship. Some think the same may befall Carmichael. At the US Open back in October, Carmichael was in the lead when his bike failed. Though the bike worked well in Canada during the first two rounds of the World Supercross series, the level of racing in the United States will be considerable higher and more demanding.
Coming off a great, literally perfect outdoor season, Carmichael proved he has the speed outdoors to run away from anyone. But Supercross isn’t a wide full open style of race. Supercross demands the highest technical ability along with speed in order to win. The question is, "Can Ricky run at the same pace as Reed and Stewart?"
The new kid in the premier class is James "Bubba" Stewart. Arguably the most sought after young talent in the business, Stewart arrives for his debut with more questions than answers. Critics wonder if the young phenom will be able to stay on two wheels for an entire season. No one questions his speed, but they do question his maturity. If he gets a bad start will he be able to settle into a pace and move toward the front or will he run out of control to get to the front and end up going down? Can he stay calm and learn that it takes twenty good laps to win a race? Will the veterans of the class give Stewart a bit of an education in paying one’s dues?
Stewart has never been called slow. In fact, he is mostly known for leaving his competition 30 or more seconds back. By the time second place crosses the finish line Stewart usually has his helmet off and is beginning his parade lap. Stewart’s blazing speed has some believing neither Reed nor Carmichael will be able to stop him from running away with the series. However, others believe his speed will be his undoing. Either way, just by showing up, Stewart pushes everyone to the next level of competition.
Last year’s series winner, Chad Reed, would clearly be the odds on favorite to win this year’s title if it weren’t for Carmichael and Stewart. Last year Reed was challenged all season long by Kevin Windham. Reed still won 10 main events to Kevin’s 5. In those ten wins Reed easily pulled away from his competition, winning by wide margins.
Many say the outcome would not have been different if Carmichael was there to defend his title. Still, many people feel that without Carmichael in the field, Reed was riding against a lesser crowd. To further this thought, Reed ran a distant second all year long in the outdoor season. In 24 tries, Reed never could match the speed of Carmichael. Did that frustrate Reed? Will that drive him harder in the indoor season?
Reed moved to the United States from Australia to race against the best in the world. Growing up he had watched guys like Jeremy McGrath, Rick Johnson, Jeff Ward, do amazing things on a motorcycle. On his arrival, Reed dominated the Supercross 125 class, winning seven of eight races and the series title. In 2003 Reed won the World SXGP title. Only problem with that was Ricky Carmichael; Ricky won the THQ Supercross series a few points ahead of Reed.
Who will win and get their wished for Christmas present on January 8? Right now it’s anyone’s guess. All three have the ability. All three have the drive. All three have the factory backing needed to mount the effort. But who will prevail? Only time will tell.
Special thanks to
Chad Reed Racing for the cool picture of all three champions.
For Carmichael, this is a must win season. Having sat out the entire 2004 season due to a knee injury, Carmichael needs to come out on top to prove he still can compete. Carmichael not only has a repaired knee, he also has a new ride. During the layoff Carmichael switched to Suzuki, a move that surprised almost everyone.
Questions concerning the move are still to be answered. Many remember when Jeremy McGrath switched from Honda to Suzuki and failed to win the championship. Some think the same may befall Carmichael. At the US Open back in October, Carmichael was in the lead when his bike failed. Though the bike worked well in Canada during the first two rounds of the World Supercross series, the level of racing in the United States will be considerable higher and more demanding.
Coming off a great, literally perfect outdoor season, Carmichael proved he has the speed outdoors to run away from anyone. But Supercross isn’t a wide full open style of race. Supercross demands the highest technical ability along with speed in order to win. The question is, "Can Ricky run at the same pace as Reed and Stewart?"
The new kid in the premier class is James "Bubba" Stewart. Arguably the most sought after young talent in the business, Stewart arrives for his debut with more questions than answers. Critics wonder if the young phenom will be able to stay on two wheels for an entire season. No one questions his speed, but they do question his maturity. If he gets a bad start will he be able to settle into a pace and move toward the front or will he run out of control to get to the front and end up going down? Can he stay calm and learn that it takes twenty good laps to win a race? Will the veterans of the class give Stewart a bit of an education in paying one’s dues?
Stewart has never been called slow. In fact, he is mostly known for leaving his competition 30 or more seconds back. By the time second place crosses the finish line Stewart usually has his helmet off and is beginning his parade lap. Stewart’s blazing speed has some believing neither Reed nor Carmichael will be able to stop him from running away with the series. However, others believe his speed will be his undoing. Either way, just by showing up, Stewart pushes everyone to the next level of competition.
Last year’s series winner, Chad Reed, would clearly be the odds on favorite to win this year’s title if it weren’t for Carmichael and Stewart. Last year Reed was challenged all season long by Kevin Windham. Reed still won 10 main events to Kevin’s 5. In those ten wins Reed easily pulled away from his competition, winning by wide margins.
Many say the outcome would not have been different if Carmichael was there to defend his title. Still, many people feel that without Carmichael in the field, Reed was riding against a lesser crowd. To further this thought, Reed ran a distant second all year long in the outdoor season. In 24 tries, Reed never could match the speed of Carmichael. Did that frustrate Reed? Will that drive him harder in the indoor season?
Reed moved to the United States from Australia to race against the best in the world. Growing up he had watched guys like Jeremy McGrath, Rick Johnson, Jeff Ward, do amazing things on a motorcycle. On his arrival, Reed dominated the Supercross 125 class, winning seven of eight races and the series title. In 2003 Reed won the World SXGP title. Only problem with that was Ricky Carmichael; Ricky won the THQ Supercross series a few points ahead of Reed.
Who will win and get their wished for Christmas present on January 8? Right now it’s anyone’s guess. All three have the ability. All three have the drive. All three have the factory backing needed to mount the effort. But who will prevail? Only time will tell.
Special thanks to
Chad Reed Racing for the cool picture of all three champions.
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