The 2008 ARCA/RE Max 250 was held at Talladega on October 3. Behind the wheel of the #33 Chevrolet that bore the banner of Kevin Harvick Inc. was a driver unknown to NASCAR circles. But his name was legendary in two-wheeled racing circles. It was Ricky Carmichael, the most successful motocross racer in history. The race paved the way for a memorable career in stock cars.
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Carmichael competed in the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Motocross Championships from 1997 to 2007. He won 15 AMA championships, 10 Motocross championships, and five Supercross championships. The racer was unbeatable on motorcycles, so Harvick decided to give him a shot driving on four wheels. He acknowledged this before the race at Talladega.
“I like the fact he has the determination and drive to have won multiple championships running motorcycles. I believe he will put the same will and determination toward his stock car career. He knows how to race and he takes care of his equipment. Every time I’ve seen him race, he has shown great promise,” opined Harvick. Carmichael finished the race in 30th place.
He also drove for Ken Schrader Racing in the ARCA Menards Series East the same year and brought in some impressive results. All this led to him securing an extensive schedule with Harvick’s team in the Craftsman Truck Series for 2009.
Ricky Carmichael – Monster Energy (Chevrolet)
2009 O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 (Kansas Speedway) #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/S4SqX5oH8z
— NASCAR Paint Schemes (@NascarPaint) August 13, 2020
He drove the #4 Chevrolet Silverado and brought in three top-10 finishes. He then moved teams to drive for Turner Motorsports in 2010 and 2011. Carmichael’s goal to drive in the Truck Series was clear even before the race in Talladega.
He’d told the press, “My goal is to learn as much as I can and do a good job for KHI so I can get approved by NASCAR to race at Daytona next year in the Truck Series. That’s the big picture here: showing what we can do and trying to get sponsor support to go Truck racing in 2009.”
When he did prove himself, Monster Energy took first notice and sponsored his ride for 2009. His best finish was 13th in the driver standings (2010), and it came from behind the wheel of Turner Motorsports’ #4 entry. He secured his first career pole at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2011. He also raced in the Nationwide Series sporadically.
Notably, his interest in racing stock cars came from his friendship with Clint Bowyer. In 2007, the legendary Mark Martin coached him in Super Late Model cars in a bid to prepare him for a NASCAR career. He was originally poised to race for Dale Earnhardt Inc. but failed negotiations sent him the way of Ken Schrader Racing and subsequently, Kevin Harvick Inc., and the rest is history.
