Once the 15-time AMA national champion left two wheels to try his hand at racing on four, he became just another hopeful driver. But the 28-year-old Carmichael is making nice progress in his new career.
On Oct. 3, he will make his first superspeedway start at Talladega in the ARCA stock car race, driving for Kevin Harvick Inc.
Carmichael caught the eye of Harvick and his wife and team co-owner, DeLana, in NASCAR’s fourth-tier Camping World East Series. He is seventh in the points this year with one pole, three top-fives and seven top-10s in 12 starts.
“We’ve just been watching him, and (Richard Childress Racing teammate) Clint (Bowyer) grew up with him and we’ve been keeping track of him since he’s been going through the Late Model stuff,’’ Kevin Harvick said. “I just called him up and said, ‘Hey, are you interested in trying to make something happen and do you think you can do it?’ And everything kind of went from there.
“He’s done a great job and obviously he knows how to race, whether it’s in a car, a truck, or a motorcycle or whatever it is. He knows how to race for a championship. He’s got that will and determination to make something happen. I just like what he has done in the Camping World Series, so we figured we would give it a try and see what happens.’‘
The unassuming Carmichael, driving in the East series for longtime NASCAR star Ken Schrader, has done everything asked of him in his stock car racing career.
“I want to show people that I can do it and be a (Sprint) Cup driver some day,’’ Carmichael said.
Schrader has no doubt the former bike star, who won 150 motocross and supercross races, can do it.
Harvick said he plans to run Carmichael in more ARCA races and hopes to find sponsorship to put him into the truck series next season.
“He’s a little bit green as far as being involved in stock car racing, but I think, from everything that we’ve done and watched, he’s got the potential, and that learning curve should be a little bit faster with him,’’ Harvick said. “He knows how to do a test, and how to be mentally prepared and you don’t have to teach him any of those things.’‘
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