"I liked winning, but I hated racing!" - Ricky Carmichael and Chad Reed explain racing James Stewart 

We need Ricky chad and James all 3 on the show together, that would be a great show guaranteed!

You should get James on the podcast

So much fun seeing these two legends talking about the gnarly side of racing... the fears that nobody think they had...nice to know that SUPERHEROS also have fears!

I met Ricky Carmichael after a few races and he was so mean, he was my favorite racers and I was so bummed out how dismissive he was... this makes a lot of sense. He didn’t even like what he was doing. What a shame.

James really was something else. I never knew any rider that made the commentators scream that much

When your hobby becomes a job... It changed your outlook. Its a job. That's why they pay you. I'm a former ski instructor, mogul competitor.

I even feel like this about amateur racing. I hate it. Then afterwards I loved it. Then I go back and hate it.

I remember going to the Chiro and seeing chad in absolute pain. This was during his heyday where he was going at it with James. Tough way to make a living but I imagine also fun.

Sure was great watching these two guys race.

two great people

Maybe I’m late to the party, were they serious about not using the clutch?

I'm the new generation, 20 years ago, lol. Only used the clutch for 1st gear.

“… and he made it look Easy!”

Hearing that from Reed and Carmichael really shows just how dang fast Stewart was

"I liked winning, but I hated racing" Dude's clearly never had a job

I remember hearing stew in an interview a few years ago. "I was litterally willing to die to win." that's nuts to me.

Interesting to hear how those guys felt and where they were at when racing James. Never heard them be that open. Was refreshing.

There is something very comforting about them looking at a jump and saying " I don't want to do that". I say that a lot at the track.

Everyone’s got a plan until #7 starts uncorking sections 🤷🏻‍♂️

I can relate! I am willing to send it on the straights but in the turns, whoops and jumps I decided I was just take my last place...

Ive never seen a faster more dominant rider in my life, James was incredible. Crazy to hear the goats speak about him lol.

That was awesome....the brutal honesty is refreshing.

NOBODY danced on a motorcycle the way JS7 did. Ever. Period. Barcia, villiipota, RC, Mgrath, NOBODY!!!!! He STILL is the most exciting to watch ride. His style is unmatched.

James, Ricky & Chad on a podcast would be LEGENDARY🙏🏽

I like mashed potatoes, but I hate making them.

I was literally flagging the landing/corner of that quad in Phoenix. James hit it in a heat race and the crowd went wild. The way I recall it, Ricky followed him over it the next lap successfully. But, I don't remember if either of them did it in the main event. The ground liter would shake from them landing that. I was impressed for sure, but more so that he could manage to slow enough for the turn after. Pretty sure it was things like this that made the track designers start limiting the track designs in the near future to now in order to make things safer. Unfortunately, for me at least, that made the SX series boring. Every track became predictable and "safe."

Unfortunately, there is a difference between a hobby and a job. Doing something for a living can take away the fun. I think Carmichael and Villopoto are having more fun riding now that their professional racing careers are done.

Where is this whole interview, Im addicted

praying for a js7 podcast someday

Everyone likes to get paid but nobody loves the work. I feel you Ricky.

As someone who had a pretty decent amateur career and made some money locally as a pro riding, I can’t imagine what these guys went through week in and week out. The stress had to be unbelievable.

Stew was just sending it everywhere

Ricky was my idol growing up. Thanks for all those fun years of racing you gave us.

In these interviews it’s the most relaxed iv seen Ricky

This willingness vs. doubt was echoed by pros back in the 80s when "bigger is better" started driving good riders out of the sport.

*****KX250***** Stewart 24-0 baby!!!!! Yeah!!!!!!

I literally jus told my buddy this how racing isn’t fun anymore because of how much we have to push ourselves instead of jus going to the track and having fun

Would like to hear more details/conversations about the new generation of 'not using' the clutch. Do they replace clutch usage with better throttle control? Isn't Eli a heavy clutch user/abuser? I use lots of clutch, but that is only in Supercross 3, the video game.

James is the best ever JS7

Let me tell ya. Though you might not have enjoyed it, I sure enjoyed watching it and I still enjoy it regularly. I’ll be 55 this year and I’m thinking about riding a 2 stroke again!

Yes James was sensational.. but the average person will never understand the level of talent it takes just to be in the top 15. Sure, 99% of the 450 riders will never quad, but some of these triple setups are just as crazy. Triples that have short rutted runways and short landings that transition straight into a corner are scary af. And it's even scarier after your 10th lap when arm pump and fatigue start settling in. Everyone in the field hits the triples.. but that doesn't make it any less impressive to me. What these pro riders do is simply amazing and a lot of people will never understand what it really takes to get to that level.

Lot's of rider's are pushing an doing stupid stuff for free just because pros are but don't realize they only test limits because a house payment is on the way

If Ricky did not want to do a particular jump it must have been really insane!

God I remember back in the day when that trio was always 1st 2nd and 3rd. Always the most intense racing when these guys were on the track together.

he basically hated racing cause it was intense and serious but was rewarding if you win

It fast becomes a job. At the championship level, there is absolutely no joy in it if you're not winning.

Man I still miss BUBBA. He would attempt things that even guys as talented and committed as RC and CR didn't want none of !! That says a lot about the way he saw the track, and how he could realize things that were possible, where everyone else saw FEAR !! He did crash, but who wouldn't trying to be the fastest MAN on two wheels !! He had the most athleticism of anyone racing, that allowed him to have the bike control, and he was daring enough to pull it off most times. . He wanted it !! I don't see anyone bringing that today. Maybe never !! That is why I don't get amped about SX anymore. No one now can ride at his level....

I think this also shows how a champion has to push their boundaries, and do things that make them uncomfortable. This is how sports evolve. Champions pushing past their current level.

One of the best & most revealing insider intel podcasts ever 🙌 makes us mortals feel like we can also achieve great things while we are racing full of fear.

Ricky says he wouldn't do the gnarly stuff and finish 2nd, but it seemed like he was always winning though. Some of the outdoor footage of Ricky and James is incredible. Both guys going so wicked fast barely holding on and Rocky was just alittle quicker out of the corners.

Got alot of respect for them both after basically saying Stewart would Jump stuff that others wasn't going to do

No clutch, no brakes, just all balls

Stewart was comfortable riding on the edge they weren't, why Ricky retired, he knew he couldn't outrun stewart in sx unless stewart crashed! Carmichael blew away McGrath and stewart blew away carmichael!

My 2 favorite riders 👍🏻

It's hard to believe that when they're out there banging bars, passing and being passed back by the likes of Chad, Ricky or Bubba that it wasn't fun. But I can see their point, and I'm glad that both got out of it healthy.

That is the internal battle I've been dealing with for a long time. It feels good to not be the only one but it sucks that that's something you're just going to have to buck up and live with it.

I’ve been on both sides of this. (Fast local pro speed) Many times I’ve been the only guy to jump something and there’s times I’ve been the one who just wasn’t willing to take the risk. The risk of doing something different for an advantage has worked and sometimes it did till it didn’t.

I never knew Rob dyrdek raced dirt bikes LoL

All I heard was respect. The GOAT and another great admitting they didn't see the track the same way Stewart did is a massive statement.

I’ve heard the same about Dannie magoo Chandler, he would do stuff nobody else would consider and win or crash out. He crashed a lot.

cool to listen to the top riders of the past....RC the GOAT, clearly. I think one year I watched him beat JSTEW every single race. Hard fought each one, but JS get in front and then bobble and get out of control and leave the door open.....always his weakness, being a bit out of control. If RC wasnt there, JS would have won a lot more.....two of the best at the same time was great to watch.

As great as he was though, the reason they didn’t do the same stuff JS did is because you could usually depend on him coming up short on it at some point. It’s hard to do the lines that Stewart would try and make them consistently for 20 laps. So a lot of the time, RC or Chad would just hang back, then Bubba would crash out, and they’d take the win.

Loved the honesty...

RC & TP are the all time goats of motocross for me RCs 150 wins 79 in the 450 class with dungey in 2nd at 39 wins!?!?! I mean that record will never be touched for however long motocross exists and pastrana nothing needs to be said as to why he's a goat

I think a lot of us can relate. When i was young I hated sports but I was good at them simply because I hated loosing more.

*I WAS THERE* when Ricky upped his cardio training to the max & he was right on Jeremy McGrath’s tail all the way through the race & Jeremy was panicked because the strategy he’s won 8 Supercross championships with was “stay low, pull away for five-to-seven laps, then you’ll have a quarter-to-half lap lead & you can ride at your own pace” & all of a sudden, this chubby redhead kid from Florida wasn’t getting tired…he was sending it & challenging _King Jeremy_ on the white flag lap

Well it shows what style/ technique works better. No clutch bonzi style second Gear pinned hitting the quad( JS) Fastest guy on the planet. ....then while leading the race by 20 seconds the wall or quad jump bites him hard and now he is inbedded in the planet ( terra firma pile driver) or RC , fast and fit, Smart and calculating, determined and focused, .....over 100+ career wins, 2 perfect seasons( 3 if you count overals) 10 plus AMA championships and without question....the Greatest of All Time!!!. Reed was right behind RC too in talent... not as fast as Stewie but beat him often by riding.....Smart. JS never figured it out that if u back it down just a tad..... you wont crash as much or as hard and win......way more races. You dont get bonus points for winning by mile. So whats the point? Save it for another day....

#7 is the real goat

Muhammad Ali mentality. A legend in his sport.

I was at ponca mx in 94 practicing for 250 intermediate. Kid on a kx80 blew by me and lapped me. It was Ricky Carmichael. Wasn't the bike lol

Reed had a chance of being the goat but RC was always in the way Remember Ricky tripleing a down hill at Broome Tioga that noone else even try'd.. or that sky jump at Dilla in practice was just incredible to see!

Doood i miss these legends Ricky bubba and reed always 1,2and3rd place and Kevin windham coming in their sometimes and on those 250 2 strokes ahhh that smell of klotz oil yummmm! Lolthe best supercross years and the 4 stroke years weren’t bad either but that’s what I was raised watching

Nice video interview with chad Reed and Carl Michael, amazing

Awesome set of interviews Gypsy so fucking interesting. Keep em coming 😁😁😁😁

he is right they changed racing to an unnessesary dangerous level,,,and for the viewer we dont care about that stuff we just like te racing

This interview is getting a lot of mileage. 👍 Did the full interview still available somewhere? I think I saw it when first posted but it's been a while and ice slept since then lol

I know what they're saying. But I'd much rather be busting my ass racing than busting my ass as a plumber dealing with literal shit.

....like Nick Kyrios.....he's very good at tennis but it's not something he like to do....

And I see this in Deegan TODAY!! Interesting times ahead when he goes 450's!!!!!

I cant follow this train of thought.. you are an athlete that has the ability to ride dirtbikes.. it's what you get paid to do ... can't imagine it feeling like hitting a time clock.. to race super cross ..

Are they saying that the newer generation of riders today are faster than they were in their prime? I don't really watch Supercross since these 2, McGrath and Stewart retired.

Stewart wrecked so much as long as the track was straight he was good but put a bend it and he was praying to survive. But he was a gell of a rider

Anyone got a link to the actual phoenix race footage of this jump? Would love to see it as reference

Then I come along & win everything..🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Cool how they can vocalise their appreciation for each other now.

Definitely the best years in racing it was just so exciting

to me chad is a tech rider, rc is seat of your pants racer. stewart was a pin it and see what happens racer. reed and rc had longer careers. stewart raced like there was no tomorrow!

Ricky faster outdoors stewart faster indoors, but it was close!

No one EVER!!!! PICKED up on the ... games on james... no one...

This is gold. Pure gold!

Come on its not anything like enduro's man its a dirt track all setup for racing .. try hard-core Enduro racing and then talk about getting beat up not saying its not beating you up at all or that its not dangerous but waking up and going outside can be dangerous

It was the training I didn't like.

Just shows you never really know where someone is.

Really cool video. Icons of the sport

the phrase " is it Stewable?" is a thing...

tha quad at vegas on hiz 125 waz filthy sik

Its so awkward interviewing two legends

Sorry do this but ricky looks like Rob dyrdek

Ricky is rob dyrdeks doppelgänger!!

To gladiators in joying a cup of tea