FORT WORTH, Texas (May 19, 2009) – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookie Ricky Carmichael took on the law and … he won. Carmichael, a two-wheel legend more known for his 15 motocross championships, dusted off his former skills and hopped aboard a motocross bike to challenge the Fort Worth Police Department Motorcycle Unit on a skills competition course at Texas Motor Speedway.
Carmichael, at TMS to promote the June 5 WinStar World Casino 400 truck series race, competed against Officer Mike Richey in a motorcycle skills course on pit road that involved the same drills given to those training to become a motorcycle officer. The course consisted of three drills – intersection, offset cone weave, and in and out box – built into one course and Carmichael showed no signs of rust. Carmichael, using a Suzuki RM-Z450 provided by Action Suzuki/Kawasaki of Mesquite, ran the course in 49.733 seconds compared to 52.971 seconds of Officer Richey, who was riding a 2009 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide.
“This is a pretty neat deal,” Carmichael, 29, said of his experience. “I got a lot of respect for them after watching them go on these things on street bikes as big and heavy as those things are. There is no way I could have done it on one of those bikes. They about outran me and I’m a professional, but they’re professionals too.”
Carmichael also took a rare spin around the 1.5-mile speedway on a motocross bike as he led the pack of 25 officers around the track for a few laps. He also threw in a few wheelies on the frontstretch and doughnuts on pit lane for good measure.
He opened the visit by addressing the officers in Victory Lane about motorcycle safety and techniques, and answered a variety of questions from his motocross success to his newfound racing career in the truck series with Kevin Harvick, Inc.
His motorcycle skills impressed the FWPD, who awarded him with a plaque with the title of “Honorary Fort Worth Police Motor Officer.” In return, Carmichael presented the group with an autographed WinStar World Casino racing helmet.
“He had great control of the motorcycle; it did what he wanted it to do,” Richey said. “He lived up to his namesake of GOAT (Greatest Of All Time). You can practice all you want to and devote as many hours as you can or desire to and he still comes out on top. Hopefully, it will transition on the track for him.”
Carmichael, a trailblazer in the sport of motocross setting records by winning 15 AMA championships and 150 races, met Officer Ann Gates, who is one in her own right.
Gates, a member of the FWPD Motorcycle Unit for 18 years, was the first female motorcycle officer in the state of Texas and has earned awards nationally for her work on a motorcycle. Now she is one of the motorcycle training officers for the FWPD and much like Carmichael she understands the effort required to be the best.
“Entering a unit of all males when I became a motorcycle officer, I knew to be successful I’d not only have to be good enough, I’d have to be better,” Gates said. “I know what it takes to be the best. To be at that level, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication.”
Carmichael hopes to continue his success in the Lone Star State when he returns to Texas Motor Speedway for the WinStar World Casino 400. He earned AMA Supercross victories at Texas Stadium in 2001 and ‘02. Carmichael, who will compete in 15 races this season in the No. 4 Monster Chevrolet Silverado for KHI, has five starts with one top-10 finish. He also has qualified well, starting among the top six in three of his starts.
“I’m going to try to do the best I can when I come here to Texas. I’ve had some success here in the past so we’ll see what happens,” Carmichael said. “It’s going to be so neat to be here and race in the truck series on June 5, so hopefully a lot of my fans from supercross and motocross will come out here and check it out.”
Fans can watch Carmichael and the rest of the truck series drivers compete under the lights during the WinStar World Casino 400 by calling (817) 215-8500 or by visiting www.texasmotorspeedway.com for tickets.