Carmichael still in touch with his two-wheel side (cont'd)

So last weekend, Carmichael straddled both his present and his past in one hectic day; compressing what he's done for the last year into one day of private jets, race driving and race commentating.

Last weekend, after racing his No. 4 Chevrolet truck at Atlanta Motor Speedway he jumped in fellow NASCAR racer Jimmie Johnson's private jet and flew to Daytona Beach, Fla. Overlooking a track he designed, in a location he once dominated, with a record five career victories Carmichael's color commentary on the live SPEED broadcast, in concert with play-by-play man Ralph Sheheen and former Supercross foe Jeff Emig; emanated both with his love of the game and his affinity for the players.

“

That's the cool thing about what I'm learning in this [NASCAR] deal. It's awesome that a Johnny Benson or a Ron Hornaday will come and swap notes with you, or give you advice. You would never, ever find that unless a guy was five seconds slower than you in motocross. There just ain't no way.

”

-- RICKY CARMICHAEL

Like a broadcast pro, he cited no individual when asked for his current Supercross favorite, saying it was akin to how he felt about his four-wheel racing endeavors.

"That's a tough question, because I have so much respect for the top guys that are out there," Carmichael said. "I know how hard it is and I like a lot [of riders]. I mean, you couldn't ask me who my favorite NASCAR driver is. I respect so many of them and I'm such a huge fan that I don't [pick one] -- and it's the same for Supercross. I just love watching the talent."

Since early 2008 Carmichael didn't have to get his arm twisted much to dabble in Supercross track design. Daytona was the third track he'd designed, starting with last year's Daytona venue won in monsoon conditions by Kevin Windham. He also designed the 2009 Atlanta Supercross track, a venue where he also won five times in his career.

"I've done a lot of practice tracks, but only a few race tracks that they actually race on," Carmichael said. "I'd change my practice track [at home] every year, and then change it at least once during the 17-race [Supercross] season.

"It's pretty easy to think what you want, because you've raced so many tracks, so many different designs and you've been all around. But then it comes time to putting it on paper, and you need a ruler and a measurement tool, and it gets a little bit complicated [laughing]. But for the most part it's pretty easy to scheme up things that you think will be fun, things that you think will be challenging and at the same time will be good for the fans and safe.

"But it's fun."

Obviously, Carmichael said the last knowing he wouldn't have to ride what turned out to be a gnarly combination of the "World Center of Racing's" pristine tri-oval grass, Daytona's trademark rut-plagued sand and treacherous black marl.

It ended up a daunting, entertaining layout that pitched the previous Supercross Lites race winner, Austin Stroupe, into a spectacular race-ending crash. Its main event starting sequence caused pre-race favorite James "Bubba" Stewart to have an end-over-end crash at the field's front that involved half a dozen competitors and seemingly dazed Stewart enough that he tried to pick up and mount his teammate's bike before he recovered to finish seventh on his own Yamaha.

Even though Carmichael's been retired from full-time Supercross since the end of the 2006 season, and last competed at Daytona in 2007, when he finished second; his design effort left him with a powerful urge to race his creation. Carmichael did test-ride the 2008 Daytona track, but it left him wanting more.

"Oh, absolutely," Carmichael said. "Because when I'm designing it, for the most part I'm putting a design on there that I really love, so absolutely I'm like, 'Dang, I wish I could race this thing.'"

Carmichael will find time scarce to do so. Racing trucks at Fontana and Atlanta kept him from testing either this year's Atlanta or Daytona designs. His current racing schedule and the fact that he's totally accepted moving beyond the two-wheel scene will keep his longing to a minimum. (Continued)