CARMICHAEL CROWNED AT HOUSTON
01 May 2005 - Suzuki Racing

Team Makita Suzuki''s Ricky Carmichael has clinched the AMA/ THQ Supercross Championship - Suzuki''s first in 24 years.

The 25-year-old American - who only needed to finish in the top four to clinch the title at last night''s penultimate 15th round at Reliant Stadium in Houston - grabbed third behind James Stewart and Chad Reed.

The title is his fourth in 250 Supercross and his 12th major AMA title and for Suzuki, the first championship since Mark Barnett won the 1981 AMA 250 Supercross title.

This year, Carmichael has won seven rounds of the THQ AMA Supercross Series - more than any other rider.

The start of the Main 250cc Event saw Kyle Lewis take the holeshot ahead of Stewart, Reed, Carmichael and Kevin Windham before all four moved ahead by the third lap.

Reed and Carmichael engaged in a battle for second, swapping positions several times and on lap four, Reed made a pass stick and began to set his sights on Stewart out front.

By the half way mark, Stewart, Reed and Carmichael began to move into lapped traffic which allowed Reed to make up time on Stewart, but it wasn''t enough:

By the last lap, Reed was only a few seconds back and when the flag came out, the deficit from first to second was a mere 1.685 seconds. Carmichael finished third -another 15.68 seconds down - good enough for the title. Windham was even further back in fourth, while Reed''s team mate David Vuillemin completed the top-five.

''I have to thank Suzuki because they asked me if I''d be interested in riding for them and I took it upon myself to go there,'' said Carmichael from the podium. ''Suzuki believed in me when my leg was in a cast last year. This championship is the result of eight months of hard work and I want to thank the whole Makita Suzuki team, my parents, my wife and all the people who believed in me even when I didn''t believe in myself.''

Carmichael''s clinching of this 2005 THQ AMA Supercross Championship follows closely on the heels of his first THQ World Supercross GP at the Seattle event on April 16th and he is the first rider to ever win both titles in one year.

''We''re very excited about having had the opportunity to welcome Ricky to the Makita Suzuki fold,'' said Mel Harris, American Suzuki Motor Corporation vice president of the Motorcycle/ATV Division. ''Knowing what a champion he is, we have enjoyed working with him all season and appreciate his bringing home a 250 Supercross championship.''

Carmichael, who signed this year with Team Makita Suzuki Racing for the 2005-2006 seasons, now boasts a combined 12 AMA Supercross/ Motocross Championships and claims a combined 115 SX/ MX career victories so far.

''I feel like a weight has been removed from my shoulders,'' said Makita Suzuki Racing Team Manager Roger DeCoster from the podium. ''It''s been a long time since Suzuki has had a 250 Supercross title and I want to thank Ricky for that. It''s been awesome working with him.''

Carmichael and his Makita Suzuki team mates Sebastien Tortelli, Broc Hepler and Davi Millsaps will campaign the final round of the THQ AMA Supercross Series at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada next Saturday, May 7th.

250cc Results: 1 James Stewart (Kawasaki), 2 Chad Reed (Yamaha), 3 Ricky Carmichael (Suzuki), 4 Kevin Windham (Honda), 5 David Vuillemin (Yamaha), 6 Ernesto Fonseca (Honda), 7 Jason Thomas (Honda), 8 Tim Ferry (Yamaha), 9 Kyle Lewis (Honda), 10 Ryan Clark (Honda). 14. Sebastien Tortelli (Suzuki).

Championship points (after 15 of 16 rounds): 1 Carmichael 345, 2 Reed 317, 3 Windham 264, 4 Larocco 229, 5 Vuillemin 227, 6 Fonseca 190, 7 Tortelli 176, 8 Voss 144, 9 Stewart 129, 10 Evans 125.

Final Round: Las Vegas, May 7th.
&nbs p;

www.suzuki-racing.com

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