Ricky Carmichael - The G.O.A.T
How did Ricky Carmichael manage to completely dominate motocross and supercross to the point where he was given the nickname G.O.A.T? I can tell you it's not because he resembles one, or even sounds like one, and it has nothing to do with his Ginger hair. It stands for Greatest Of All Time. And when it comes to racing dirt bikes, R.C is exactly that. No one has ever been as consistent or won as many professional American championships as Ricky has in his career. And he not only won just about every race he entered but he did it with style and sportsmanship. These characteristics amongst others, acquired him a huge following of loyal fans and helped him to become probably the most highly respected person in the sport. So what drives Ricky Carmichael? Well he was born in Clearwater, Florida, U.S.A and was introduced to his first dirt bike at age 5 by his parents 'Big Rick' and Jeannie. Ricky took to riding like a rabid dog does to a postie boy. He was already racing at 5, and crossing the finish line first was his number one goal and driving force. Over the following 10 years he completely dominated the American amateur ranks winning an incredible 67 titles. At the end of the 1996 MX season he turned pro, riding on a Kawasaki and earned himself AMA Rookie of the Year honors. 1997 brought Ricky Carmichael his first AMA outdoor championship win, followed by another 1st place in both the MX and SX Champs in 1998. And so his domination had begun... From 2001 to 2004 R.C switched his ride to Honda where he knocked Jeremy McGrath from his throne and somehow achieved two perfect seasons (24-0) in the AMA Motocross Championships. From 2005 to the end of his professional career in 2007, he raced for Team Makita Suzuki and awed millions of spectators with some of the most epic battles ever witnessed involving James Stewart and Chad Reed. Winning has come at a price for Ricky Carmichael and it has certainly not been a walk in the park for this athlete. In his younger days he was a short, stocky lad and his enthusiasm and determination was enough to make him #1. However he struggled with his transition to the 250 class (as many pros do) and quickly realized that he needed 'that something else' to win against the big boys. Part of his problem was that he couldn't throw around or control his heavier 250 like he could on his 125. Ricky was often seen hanging on desperately to his bike or even getting thrown off wildly onto the track. He knew that he needed to change something, so he began an intensive fitness training program that focused on building his strength. This proved to be a winning formula and it was exactly what he needed to keep him on the podium. When you take a quick look at champions like Ricky Carmichael, it's all too easy to think that it's just talent and luck that makes them who they are. But when you delve deeper into their lives you often find that there has been a lot of blood, sweat and hard work along the road to success. And in the world of motocross I don't think you could find anyone for who this is more true than it is for Ricky. He was so disciplined in his training that he trained from sun-up to sun-down and even referred to it as "Groundhog Day". What ever it takes huh? So what are some of the rewards of winning I hear you ask? Well, apart from the satisfaction he has of accomplishing all of his goals and knowing he was the worlds best during his reign... he of course was, and still is heavily sponsored which pulls him in a significant income. Enough money to pay for a decadent home for his wife and their children. His home in Florida boasts an outdoor swimming pool with a hot tub, a bar and games room with all of his trophy’s and mementos, a large garage to house their 4x4's and of course his own MX/SX track. The dream lifestyle really... Resting amongst his impressive collection of trophy’s is his X Games medals. You've probably seen him showing off his freakish skills in the Best Well as they say, all good things must come to an end, and unfortunately for us spectators Ricky Carmichael's professional career in MX and SX has also come to an end. He retired at the age of 27 at the top of his game to pursue NASCAR racing. And although retired, when he does attend events like the X Games or hit the track for a fun ride or the odd race, he still draws a huge amount of fans that are there to cheer him on and witness the G.O.A.T in action. SOME CAREER HIGHLIGHTS2009 – Gold Medal (Tied), X Games Step-Up 2008 – Gold Medal, X Games Step-Up 2007 – Gold Medal, X Games Racing 2007 - 1st, Motocross of Nations Champion, Team USA 2006 - 1st, AMA Supercross Champion 2006 - 1st, AMA Outdoor Nationals 2005 - 1st, FIM SX1 World Supercross Champion 2005 - 1st, AMA Supercross Champion 2005 - 1st, AMA Outdoor Nationals 2005 – 1st, Motocross des Nations, Team USA 2005 – 1st, U.S. Open of Supercross 2004 - 1st, AMA Outdoor Nationals 2003 – 1st, AMA Supercross Champion 2003 - 1st, AMA Outdoor Nationals 2002 - 1st, AMA Supercross Champion 2002 - 1st, AMA Outdoor Nationals 2001 - 1st, AMA Supercross Champion 2001 - 1st, AMA Outdoor Nationals 2001 - 1st, U.S. Open of Supercross 2000 - 1st, AMA Outdoor Nationals 2000 - 1st, U.S. Open of Supercross 2000 – 1st, Motocross des Nations Champion, Team USA 1999 - 1st, AMA Outdoor Nationals, Lites 1998 – 1st, AMA Supercross East Region Series, Lites 1998 – 1st, AMA Outdoor Nationals, Lites 1997 – 1st, AMA Outdoor Nationals, Lites PERSONAL STATSFull Name: Ricky Carmichael D.O.B: 27th November 1979 Place of Birth: Clearwater, Florida, U.S.A Height: 5'4" National MX & SX Number: #4 Other Interests: Wakeboarding, snowboarding, boating & family * All care was taken to get this information correct at the time of writing. If anything is wrong please contact me so I can correct it. Check out some of the G.O.A.T's merchandise on Ebay Live Auctions. Click on the links below for more details. Return From Ricky Carmichael Bio And Head Back To Famous Dirt Bike Riders
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Whip and Step Up competitions. Only he and a handful of other riders in the world are doing what they are doing in the Step Up comp. Ricky and Ronnie Renner both cleared 34 feet to tie with a gold in the 2009 X Games and Ricky is practicing on a specially made jump that he reckons will allow him to clear 40 feet. Talk about raising the bar!
