To people outside of the motorcycle industry, when you tell them you’re going to talk to the GOAT, you tend to get a quizzical look. The GOAT in this case is the Greatest Of All Time Ricky Carmichael. We got the chance to interview him when he was in the area visiting our friends at Cometic Gaskets.
As it turns out, the timing was just right because Carmichael had just been re-signed as brand ambassador for Suzuki and is also doing some promotional work for his longtime sponsors Cometic. We asked him about his plans with Suzuki, Cometic, Supercross and his Road To Supercross involvement.
”I’m doing the same stuff that I’ve always done,” Carmichael said. “There’s just no race team. I’m always trying to continue to building what I have going on. My role on Fox Sports One with Feld and the promoters of Supercross as well as doing my track-side analysis for the shows keeps me involved.”
We asked what he likes best about doing the Supercross broadcasts: “I don’t get to take as much time as I would like to explain myself. However it’s fun. I like being on the floor. Sometimes it gets a little chaotic down there. When I’m in the booth it’s easy to just sit there and watch the races and talk about the racing.”
Carmichael will also be working a few Amsoil Arenacross events for Feld. He says he enjoys the events and working with up-and-coming riders who are trying to earn their way into the big leagues. “Arenacross allows riders to get their feet wet with indoor racing, which is different than what most have raced in outdoors. The fans are practically right on top of you indoors. It helps riders get acclimated to this style of racing.”
Carmichael will continue to be an integral part of Suzuki’s efforts including the RM Army initiative – the umbrella under which Suzuki racing support resides. The Camp Carmichael program, an exclusive Suzuki offering, will continue with Carmichael providing personal coaching for riders who qualify on Suzuki RM and RM-Z race bikes. As a champion who rose to prominence through amateur racing, it’s fitting that Ricky will continue to provide guidance to Suzuki Amateur Elite Team riders. He will also continue to teach several classes a year at his GOAT farm in Georgia for his Ricky Carmichael Universities.
The GOAT’s racing career may be in the rearview mirror but he’s hardly slowed down.
