Daytona, MX Sports Announce Ricky Carmichael Daytona Amateur Supercross Championship

Courtesy of MX Sports
MORGANTOWN, W. VA. -- MX Sports, producer of the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships, is pleased to announce the formation of two new and exciting opportunities for amateur riders. The inaugural Ricky Carmichael Daytona Amateur Supercross Championship will take place on Sunday, March 7 at Daytona International Speedway, and on Monday, March 8, Carmichael will then host Ricky Carmichael University, the first public riding school ever hosted by the 15-Time AMA National Champion.

Both events will take place after the Daytona Supercross By Honda on Saturday, March 6, where those amateur families will have the opportunity to see the best stars in AMA Supercross, such as Chad Reed and James Stewart, battle in America’s toughest, most challenging Supercross event of the year.

“This is an unprecedented opportunity for amateur racers to ride at Daytona International Speedway,” said Tim Cotter, director of MX Sports. “Every horsepower buff knows what Daytona stands for. It is the heartbeat of the racing universe, and now amateur riders will have the opportunity to race on these storied grounds and learn from the Greatest of All-Time.”

“I’m super pumped to be involved with this,” said Carmichael, a five-time Daytona Supercross By Honda champion. “I feel like Daytona is one of my racing homes, and to be able to give back to the sport like this will be awesome. You never forget your roots. For the riders, this is an amazing opportunity to race on the Daytona track. I’m really looking forward to sharing my knowledge with them.”

MX Sports will organize the event by utilizing their nearly 30 years of experience operating the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn Ranch. The class structure will include classes for youth riders on 50cc bikes all the way up to vet and senior classes. The race will follow a supercross format, using heat races and last-chance qualifiers to seed the field of riders into a main event in each class. Unlike the Loretta Lynn Ranch format, riders do not need to qualify at other races in advance in order to participate in the Daytona event. Full online signup information is posted on MXSports.com.

While amateur riders have competed at Daytona before, the Ricky Carmichael University event on Monday, March 8, is an unprecedented opportunity. The Ricky Carmichael University will feature the legendary Supercross champion and his team sharing exclusive riding secrets during a one-day-only Supercross camp on the Daytona track. It marks the first time amateur racers have had the opportunity to tap into the techniques and skills of the Greatest of All-Time.

The amateur track will run a basic layout similar to the Daytona Supercross By Honda with changes made to accommodate amateur and youth riders. Amateur riders and their families are encouraged to come down early and camp on the Daytona infield, where hookups are available.

“Both of these two events are great additions to our busy motorcycle schedule,” Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig said. “Our Supercross course is legendary around the country and it’s a special opportunity for these amateur riders to test their skills on it, as well as learn from a legend such as Ricky Carmichael.”

Full information on the race and riding school is available at mxsports.com.