Sparkplug 19

Well, the American motocross and supercross championships are now finally over, and it's time for me to pay my respects to the greatest motocross racer this country has ever seen. If you are in any way allergic to heaping amounts of praise for Rick Carmichael, then this is one Sparkplug you would be well advised to avoid.

RC. Two letters that stand for motocross, much the same way as “MC” used to stand for supercross. What Rick Carmichael has accomplished in his short professional career is nothing short of completely remarkable, and mere words cannot accurately convey his utter dominance of this sport. I will let other writers and publications list all of his wins, championships, titles and records (In fact, check out what Davey Coombs wrote about him in last week's Racerhead column on Racer X Online)... I am just going to focus on the man. I will also let other writers and publications dig up his supposed shortcomings; I have no interest in that. Regardless of what they say, it is abundantly clear to even the casual motocross fan that Rick Carmichael is the greatest American racer of all time.

And what's really, really cool about this fact is that you don't have to rely on a record book or an old video tape to prove this point. All you have to do is go to a race and watch him put it down, lap after lap. He is sheer perfection on a motorcycle, and he has the proven capacity to handle any track, any condition, any component and any unforeseen eventuality. It is unreal, but it is actually real. The kid is mind-boggling.

I saw him at Glen Helen last weekend. There was a wicked downhill double that preceded the infamous “Flounder” straightaway. It was the type of double that shoots you straight up in the air, and the second jump had a steep, unforgiving face. Finally, the backside of the double led immediately into a tight lefthand turn. Basically, there was no room for error on this jump and it spooked a good number of the very fast pros on hand for this race. Of course, Carmichael had the jump wired and hit it in the same spot on every lap. On the first moto's white flag lap, he casually whipped his bike so flat that it would have placed him third in the X Games Big Air event. NO ONE ELSE had the balls to try it, nor had they earned the right to do so.

That was just one of many, many times that I have been flabbergasted by what the man can do on a motocross track. What I am trying to say is that he, more than any other American rider, embodies the sport itself. For not only is he the winningest rider ever, he has grown up to become the greatest ambassador of the sport to date, even eclipsing the great Jeremy McGrath. He has an untarnished reputation for having a good work ethic, for practicing good sportsmanship and for being open, honest and forthright. He is truly a good role model for your kids, a position that many of today's professional athletes have sadly relinquished. And it's easy to tell where RC got these wonderful traits: I have had the good fortune to meet his parents, and they are genuinely nice people whose love for the sport of motocross is only eclipsed by the love they have for their son.

I went back into my collection of old Racer X magazines and pulled out the May 2001 issue. Savvy motocross fans will remember that 2001 was the year that RC finally pulled the plug on Jeremy McGrath's string of supercross titles. In the magazine, Davey Coombs pulls double duty, penning an interview with Carmichael and also writing a short story about “that moment” at Anaheim 2 when the guard formally changed. It was during the opening ceremonies, during the “hot lap”, when Rick pulled up alongside the King and whipped his KX hard over the triple, blowing everyone's minds.... including McGrath. A poster of this later became a semi-famous advertisement. According to the story, David Bailey, announcing for ESPN at the time, said “I think Ricky just won this race.”

That seems so long ago, but it was only 4 short years ago. Back then, while RC's outdoor dominance was well established, it wasn't quite clear whether he was going to be the supercross superstar as well. By the end of that season, clarity was no longer a problem. RC owned supercross as well.

And then, during those 4 years, Carmichael somehow managed to redefine “dominance” with regards to outdoor motocross, by doing the unthinkable TWICE. The fact that he's still undefeated outdoors after that win by Windham back in '02? What more proof do you need?

Soon, RC will lead Team America in the Motocross des Nations, and all of us can rest assured that no matter what happens that day in France, Mr. Carmichael will proudly represent American motocross in a way that will make other nationalities feel good about Americans, even as he pummels their favorite riders mercilessly lap after lap.

Rick Carmichael, congratulations on your new 450F Championship and a heck of a year.