Five Minutes with Ricky Carmichael
So far this year it has been the Ricky show, winning five of the first six races. Coming into San Diego RC had last year's champion on the ropes. Reed had yet to find an answer for Ricky. All that changed tonight as Chad posted his first win of the year. After the race, after all the big press interviews, the team meetings, and after signing dozens of autographs for the loyal fans that waited the extra hour after the race, Ricky sat down with Kendra for a few minutes. Here's what he had to say.
MTM: Ricky, thanks for giving me a minute. After finishing second for the first time this year you seem pretty positive.
RC: No problem. Yeah it's not what we wanted, second place. But it is just one race. I've got a great team of people around me and next week we'll be there.
MTM: I was watching you out in practice and you looked good. How was the bike set up?
RC: Actually the bike was working great. I think the lappers messed me up tonight and that’s the way it goes sometimes. It’s hard to win every race. That’s why there is another race next weekend.
MTM: What happened in the heat race? You were in the lead and suddenly we saw you on the ground?
RC: Oh man, I was coming out of the big sweeper and had a really fast line through the rhythm before the triple. I was just a little low and the back end caught on the top of one of the jumps and that was it. The front end was tweaked. The bars were going this way and the front tire was going that way. I tried to ride it out but it was too messed up and we had to get it fixed in time for the semi.
MTM: Well, at least you got a little bit more track time.
RC: Yeah, but that’s not really the way I wanted to get it.
MTM: What was the hardest part of the track tonight?
RC: Just the lappers, the obstacles were easy. But that’s just the way it goes.
MTM: What kept you going, what kept you strong after the get off in your heat race?
RC: Definitely the start. Then I just tried to put some good laps in.
MTM: Hopefully you can get that winning streak going again next week.
RC: That’s the plan, to get back up on top.
MTM: Good luck in Atlanta!
RC: Thanks.
MTM: Ricky, thanks for giving me a minute. After finishing second for the first time this year you seem pretty positive.
RC: No problem. Yeah it's not what we wanted, second place. But it is just one race. I've got a great team of people around me and next week we'll be there.
MTM: I was watching you out in practice and you looked good. How was the bike set up?
RC: Actually the bike was working great. I think the lappers messed me up tonight and that’s the way it goes sometimes. It’s hard to win every race. That’s why there is another race next weekend.
MTM: What happened in the heat race? You were in the lead and suddenly we saw you on the ground?
RC: Oh man, I was coming out of the big sweeper and had a really fast line through the rhythm before the triple. I was just a little low and the back end caught on the top of one of the jumps and that was it. The front end was tweaked. The bars were going this way and the front tire was going that way. I tried to ride it out but it was too messed up and we had to get it fixed in time for the semi.
MTM: Well, at least you got a little bit more track time.
RC: Yeah, but that’s not really the way I wanted to get it.
MTM: What was the hardest part of the track tonight?
RC: Just the lappers, the obstacles were easy. But that’s just the way it goes.
MTM: What kept you going, what kept you strong after the get off in your heat race?
RC: Definitely the start. Then I just tried to put some good laps in.
MTM: Hopefully you can get that winning streak going again next week.
RC: That’s the plan, to get back up on top.
MTM: Good luck in Atlanta!
RC: Thanks.
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