Carmichael Ready for Stock Cars: Unlike Juan Pablo Montoya, who has moved to NASCAR from a successful open-wheel career with a wave of publicity, motorcycle superstar Ricky Carmichael is getting little attention, and that's just fine with him. The 27-year-old Carmichael has captured a record 15 AMA National championships but plans to run a limited schedule in Supercross this season while also beginning his stock car career as part of Ginn Racing's driver development program. Carmichael had stock cars tests with Evernham Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing before signing a three-year contract with Bobby Ginn's team - former MB2 Motorsports. He will begin his four-wheel career this season driving 15 late model stock car races in Florida in a car provided by Mark Martin, who left Roush Racing at the end of 2006 to join the Ginn team for a partial Nextel Cup schedule in 2007. "I'm kind of glad I'm running late model stocks to start with and working my way up to the top," Carmichael said. "I think it's good I'm not going to be the center of attention here. I think you need a lot more concentration in stock cars than on motorcycles, especially when you've been doing it as long as I have." Martin, who oversaw one of Carmichael's tests, is sold on the youngster. "I think he'll be as good a driver in NASCAR as anybody who ever came to stock cars from motorcycles," Martin said. "As soon as you get to know him and see his work ethic, drive and determination, you know it isn't possible that it's not going to work. I thought he'd be good and he's further along than we expected. If things move along well, we might run him in an ARCA race or two later in the season." Carmichael plans to run 25 stock car races in 2008, with some in ARCA and some in NASCAR's Busch Series. In 2009, the last year of his current contract, he expects to run a full season in Busch and possible a few Cup events. "I'm just a racer," Carmichael said Friday in an interview during the first day of the NASCAR Media Tour hosted by Lowe's Motor Speedway. "I like a challenge and I like what NASCAR is about."(Associated Press)(1-23-2007)
Definitely can't wait to see him on the track!
:clap I can't wait to see him out on the race track
I can't wait to see how he does!
I think that he is gonna do well :clap