Ricky Carmichael is giving a career change at the top of his game a whirl, too. Arguably the greatest motocross rider of all time, Carmichael is trying to make the change to NASCAR. Like Jordan, Carmichael is starting in NASCAR’s equivalent of the minor leagues: the Camping World Truck Series.
And despite no longer being on top of the racing world, Carmichael is having fun in his new career.
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“This brings me back to when I was in that position racing motorcycles,” Carmichael said. “I miss [those] days. It’s fun to be back and you have to work for it to get to the top.”
His plan is to run full time in the truck series next year, while mixing in some Nationwide Series races. He hopes to be running full time in the Nationwide Series in 2011 and go from there.
“I anticipated it being hard,” said Carmichael, who will race in the June 5 WinStar World Casino 400k at Texas Motor Speedway. “You’re racing against some of the best guys in the world in the truck series. This is everything I thought it would be.” Fort Worth Star Telegram
Carmichael is working his way up driving for Kevin Harvick. He’s racing in 13 events this year in the No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado. He has started five races with an average finish of 21st.
“People asked me about how I’d deal with not winning,” said Carmichael, who was back on a motorcycle Tuesday, talking with Fort Worth motorcycle police officers and going through a skills competition at Texas Motor Speedway. “I’m fine with it. That would be pretty shallow of me toward my competitors to think I would come up here and be able to win. It’s not going to happen. As long as I meet my boss’ goals, gain some fans and have fun along the way, I’m happy.”
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Carmichael, 29, isn’t starting from scratch. He said there are some skills on a motorcycle that translate when he’s on four wheels. He’s shown flashes of what could be coming.
He raced in the NASCAR Camping World East Series last year and finished sixth in points. Carmichael had eight top-10s in 13 starts and caught the attention of Harvick, who signed him.
While open wheel drivers such as Juan Pablo Montoya, Sam Hornish and Dario Franchitti jumped straight into Sprint Cup with mixed results, Carmichael’s taking his time. Dallas Morning News
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