guess leaded fuel is not an option...
Irving, TX SX 4-23-06 1800 SPEEDTV



Will Carmichael Concede World Supercross GP Title to Stewart?

By Dirck J. Edge

As far as we can tell, Suzuki's Ricky Carmichael has never lost a national championship (or a World Supercross GP championship) once he has taken the points lead. With 13 national championships already, Carmichael will likely gain his 14th at the conclusion of the AMA Supercross series in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 6th, 2006. The World Supercross GP championship, however, is another story.

Kawasaki's James Stewart is red-hot. He has won 3 supercross main events in a row, and is now tied with Carmichael for the points lead in the World Supercross GP championship with three races remaining (including the Texas round this Saturday evening). Carmichael has a difficult choice to make. If he takes second place to Stewart in each of the remaining three rounds, he will still win the AMA Supercross title, but he will lose the World Supercross GP title to Stewart. On the other hand, if Carmichael tries to run the incredible pace Stewart has shown lately in order to protect the World Supercross GP championship, he significantly increases the odds that he will crash and jeopardize his chances to win both titles.

At this point, the AMA Supercross title is clearly the more prestigious title for both riders and their manufacturer/employers. We suspect Carmichael will do his best to win each of the remaining three races, but that he will not 'hang it out' and risk crashing if that is what becomes necessary to run with Stewart at the front. In any event, if Stewart wins either, or both, of the titles on the table, it will be the first time Carmichael will have lost a points lead in a national or world championship series.

I don't think R.C. will hang it out enough to beat Bubba, until the outdoor season starts

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Donny no boots;  don-FILA

I agree...I think he'll work on locking up the AMA title and then look forward to the outdoor season. Isn't this the first year they are doing this World GP points race? I don't think I remember hearing about it before.

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If you can't beat 'em...shoot 'em!

South Bay Photography

the plot thickens - a 6th place showing for Ricky Carmichael after chasing James @ Dallas

gonna come down to the wire

Reed's Chance to Let It All Hang Out
By Alex Edge

As I said in my article last friday, Chad Reed has ridden most of this season at a pace fast enough to keep him in front of the majority of the pack (everyone except Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart), but cautious enough to keep it on two wheels and finish on the podium in nearly every race. His two prime opponents (Carmichael and Stewart), on the other hand, have run a pace consistently faster than Reed's, but have consequently been plagued by numerous crashes throughout the season.

The result is that going into this weekend's final race at Las Vegas, Reed and Carmichael are tied for the AMA Supercross championship points lead, despite the fact that Carmichael has won three times as many races. James Stewart sits just 5 points behind the two of them.

So, if Reed has been riding at least somewhat conservatively all season, how much faster will he be when he goes 'all-out'? Can he run the same pace as Ricky and James, and even battle with them for an entire twenty-lap main event?

None of us know, but we're going to find out this Saturday in Vegas. Reed has a chance to win the 2006 AMA Supercross championship, but to do so he has to beat one of the most dominant riders in the history of the sport - Ricky Carmichael. Reed's caution and intelligence have gotten him this opportunity, but to seize it he'll have to push his riding up to the next level, and risk crashing as James and Ricky have.

Whoever comes away with the title, we are certain that the Supercross main event in Vegas will be an exciting one - the title fight hasn't come down to the final event in a while, and a lot of people are holding their breath for this race!