SAN DIEGO TRIBUTE TO RICKY CARMICHAEL: THE WRAP

MotoFactory · 17 января

Today, no one questions Ricky Carmichael’s position as the Greatest Of All Time in motocross. In premier-class Supercross, his legacy didn’t get its first chapter until 2001. The previous two years had spotty results as he was continuously frustrated by the likes of Jeremy McGrath. His first win in a stadium came in round two at San Diego in ‘01.

That season started as they often did back then, with Jeremy in front at Anaheim One. And, for a few laps, it looked as though San Diego would go the same way–Ricky had the holeshot but Jeremy took over almost immediately. Then something happened that we hadn’t seen before. Ricky repassed Jeremy for the lead. Then it was race-on for the next 10 laps as the two riders went wheel to wheel. Eventually, McGrath backed out of the battle and even dropped back to third when Mike LaRocco snuck by at the end. “I think I forgot to breathe,” said Jeremy at the end.

In 2001, this was a familiar scene. The Jeremy vs Ricky battles were many, and made the cover of the May 2001 issue of Dirt Bike.

Carmichael went on to win 14 of 16 races during the 2001 Supercross season and finished on the podium at every round to claim his first Supercross championship in the premier class. Carmichael ushered in a new era in racing and took over the premier class. At the San Diego Supercross this year, Kawasaki will commemorate the milestone by placing the very bike that Carmichael rode in 2001 on display as wwell as a modern bike dressed up in 2001 colors.

The bike that never was. For the June, 2001 issue Dirt Bike paid tribute to RC’s upcoming outdoor season with this cover, showing his bike with a big number one. It never happened. Ricky Carmichael chose to keep his traditional number four that season–the first rider to turn down a number one earned in AMA Nationals.

Ricky Carmichael earned his first 250-class Supercross win in Daytona, 2000. He felt his real breakthrough came the following season with his first win in a stadium

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At San Diego, Kawasaki will have the original 2001 KX250SR on display as well as this tribute version of Chase sexton’s modern KX450SR.

STEVE WISE

Steve Wise passed away this week of a heart attack. He was 68 years old. Wise was one of the most versatile riders in the history of motorcycle competition and the only man to win AMA motocross, AMA Supercross and AMA Superbike Nationals. Additionally, Wise earned a podium in the AMA Grand National Championship as well as the ABC Wide World of Sports Superbikers competition–twice; 1980 and 1981.

As a rider for Kawasaki and Honda during the early stages of his career, Wise notched a third-place finish in the AMA 250 National Motocross Championship in 1980, which included a victory at the Red Bud 250cc National in Buchanan, Michigan.

Wise nearly claimed a title in his first AMA road racing season, falling just three points shy of Mike Baldwin for the Formula One championship. Wise’s outstanding debut season, compounded with a podium finish in his first-ever appearance in an AMA Grand National Dirt Track race at the Houston TT, earned him the 1982 AMA Pro Athlete of the Year honor.

Following his racing career, Wise became an ordained minister and started a real estate investment company.

Wise was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2001 and later served as the Grand Marshal of AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days in 2023.

JOHNNY CAMPBELL, 2001

Johnny Campbell is the most successful Dakar Rally coach in the world. He has ridden the rally on two wheels, navigated on four wheels, mentored Ricky Brabec and now has passed the torch to his son, Preston. It all started in 2001, when Johnny rode the rally as a rookie and finished eighth overall on a stock Honda XR650R. In those days it was a very different event. Not only did it take place in Africa, but it included massive twin-cylinder motorcycles capable of over 120 mph. Strategy was much simpler and survival was job one, so many of the lessons learned are now obsolete. Still, that was when Johnny started to gather the fundamentals that he still teaches today. Here’s what he wrote about that experience in Dirt Bike Magazine afterward.

It’s the gnarliest race in the world. Period. The Paris-Dakar Rally is an event like no other. It’s long, fast, exhausting, disorienting, exciting and sometimes scary. You ride/race for 20 days across Europe and Africa. You get one rest day in the middle. There are no hotels, showers, toilets or excess food supplies. Just sand, rocks, camels and natives—you know, the usual Africa stuff.

I just got back from my first Paris-Dakar Rally. It was wild. Last summer during the Nevada 2000, Franco Acerbis talked about sending me to the rally. I was wildly enthusiastic, but I don’t think I knew what I was in for. He said it would be an adventure. He was right. From New Year’s Day 2001 through the first four weeks of the year, I would be exposed to hundreds of new sights, experiences and smells. In the course of the race, I learned there are certain things you can and can’t get away with in the rally. With apologies to David Letterman, here is the Top Ten list of things Not to Do in Africa.

The Top Ten List
1
Never pass up a shower. This is very important, even if it is a cold five-gallon bucket of stagnant water. You never know when you will see your next one—it could be five to 10 days. Luckily, no one will notice how bad you smell. They all smell worse.
2
Never leave all your gear in the assistance truck if it’s going to be a long stage. You arrive at the bivouac at 4 p.m., but the truck won’t get there until 2:00 a.m.. So you end up sleeping in the riding gear that you’ve been wearing for four straight days, right next to your bike on the ground. If you’re resourceful, you can probably figure out how to carry at least a change of underwear with you.
3
Always stop if you feel nature calling. You would be surprised how many riders don’t. It is, after all, a race, and you convince yourself that there’s no way you can sacrifice any time whatsoever. So some riders just do their business while they ride. Unfortunately, it’s often 100-plus degrees and your spare clothes probably won’t show up until the wee hours of the morning. And remember, you’ll probably have to wear those same riding pants for another week. Trust me, it’s a long race and you can make up the time it takes to stop.
4
Never assume that the guy in front of you knows where he’s going. He’s just as lost as you are.
5
Never forget your snack bag. Even if your rations look rather disgusting, pack them up and carry them with you. You’ll be happy you did, because if you finish the day at 2 p.m., you won’t be eating lunch until 7:30 p.m..
6
Always make good notes in the road book. Every evening there’s a briefing on the hazards of the following day. Pay attention. Take notes. Highlight the slippery turns. If you don’t, one of those slippery turns might well make you look like a fool on international television.
7
Never go shopping outside of the bivouac, especially not with Jimmy Lewis. There is a time and a place for tourism. The natives are the best used-car salesmen in the world and before you know it, they will sell you a wooden hippo for twice what it’s worth even if you aren’t in the market for one—and after all, who is ever really in the market for a good wooden hippo?
8
Never fall over and get stuck under the bike. After refueling, your bike can weigh 70 pounds more than normal. And normal for a light rally bike like mine is about 300 pounds. It’s bad enough to be pinned by your own bike, but it’s much worse to have gas from the overflow vent pouring all over you and burning your skin.
9
Never think you have mastered navigation. Just when you think you’re somebody, you will ride 20 miles down the wrong valley. Pay attention to your road book at all times, even if it means slowing down. You will save time and energy in the long run, let alone the aggravation of being lost.
10
Never assume there will be fuel waiting for you at the finish of each day unless the organization tells you so. You’ll end up riding 10 miles down a scary African road to the nearest Total station. When you get there, no one will speak English and it could get ugly.

Franco Acerbis offered Johnny the Dakar ride after the Baja 2000. That took place in the year 2000 and Johnny won with the help of Tim Stabb (with the foot injury) and Steve Hengeveld.

See you next time!