This is the 125cc Main from the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, IN.
In 1998, Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ricky Carmichael #6 had full expectations of his first 125cc Supercross Championship. Carmichael won 3 races in 1997 -- the most of any rider in the 125cc East -- unfortunately, Ricky's rookie season of 1997 was plagued by crashes and inconsistent results. Carmichael ended up 3rd overall in the final points tally. At season's end, the champion turned out to be Tim Ferry with 0 wins and 5 2nd place finishes; unfortunately, an unexpected (and dumb) rule change didn't allow Ferry to defend his 125cc East title and sent him to the 250cc class under Noleen Yamaha.
After 5 races on the West, Indianapolis marked the opening round for the 125cc East, and the first we'd see Ricky Carmichael in 1998. Ricky had came off a masterful 1997 125cc Motocross Championship. He took 8 wins in the 13 races en route to the title. Carmichael won his heat race easily, and he looked to take a win in the Indy opener.
In the main, #163 Greg Rand aboard a privateer Suzuki RM125 pulled the holeshot. Rand battled with Kawasaki rookie #583 Derrick Shae Bentley early until Bentley crashed in the whoops and finished 21st. Carmichael started out 4th and showed he'd learned a lot from a crash-filled rookie 125cc Supercross season in 1997. Carmichael got around Rand on lap 3 and so did #21 Robbie Reynard on his Primal Suzuki RM125. Rand eventually faded to 20th. Reynard, who rode a 250cc machine at the last race in San Diego (finishing 19th), got around Ricky and led for several laps. Carmichael hung with Reynard and got around him at the halfway point. Ricky surrendered the lead momentarily on lap 12, but got back around Reynard and cruised to the win. Reynard would take 2nd, and FMF Honda's Casey Lytle #33 would finish a distant 3rd.
Ricky Carmichael dominated the next round in Atlanta. Robbie Reynard challenged Carmichael at times during the 125cc East season, but mediocre starts and riding tight eventually did Reynard in. As a result, Carmichael never lost a Supercross race in 1998. He would clinch the title at Pontiac with his 7th straight win in a battle with Casey Lytle. Carmichael put the cherry on top of his season in the mud at Charlotte with his 8th straight win of the season, and a perfect 200 pts. to his credit. Carmichael then made it 9 in a row at the Las Vegas 125cc East/West Shootout in a head-to-head battle with 125cc West champ #9 John Dowd of Team Yamaha. Carmichael's 9 wins was the most of any rider in 1998 (including Chaparral Yamaha's Jeremy McGrath's record of 7 wins in the 250cc class). Both Dowd and Carmichael would choose not to defend their 125cc Supercross titles for 1999. Carmichael left the 125cc class with 12 career wins; Dowd left with 7.
Enjoy.
26 авг 2024