KERNERSVILLE, N.C. – Ricky Carmichael and the No. 4 Monster Energy / KHI All-Stars Chevrolet Silverado team will compete Saturday afternoon in the San Bernardino County 200 at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. This will mark the second career start for Carmichael in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In his first career start at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Carmichael started sixth and ran among the top five before being swept into a multi-truck accident and finished 24th in the race.
In the history of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), no other rider has won as many championships (15) and races (150) as Carmichael, earning him the nickname the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). Carmichael, a 29-year-old resident of Tallahassee, Fla., was a record five-time AMA “Rider of the Year.”
“I cannot wait to get to California,” said Carmichael, who had eight professional motocross victories in the San Bernardino area. “The goal this week is to continue learning. We want to be realistic, and I’m trying to be a sponge – learn as much as I can every lap.
“Having a car owner like Kevin (Harvick) is great for me. He’s very critical, but that’s what I need. If everyone sugarcoats everything, I’m not going to learn what I need to be competitive. His advice has been really helpful and I try to put it into practice as much as I can. To go along with his guidance, I need as many laps and as much real-time experience to help me get better each time out. I know I have the best equipment out there from KHI, and it’s up to me to finish races and get good results.”
The No. 4 KHI All-Stars team is led by crew chief Billy Wilburn. Carmichael will compete in at least 14 races this year in the truck, while the remaining 11 races will feature NASCAR Sprint Cup stars behind the wheel, including team owner Harvick.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Ricky Carmichael is a legend in Southern California with his many motocross exploits in the region. Of his 150 professional victories, 26 wins were in the state of California, including eight at the nearby Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino. He also won two X Games gold medals in the Golden State.
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Monster Energy supports the sport, no matter how radical or extreme. Be it Ricky Carmichael’s high-speed, high-banked NASCAR racing program, supercross, rally, insane distance jumping, motocross, MotoGP, roadracing, supermoto, off-road, freestyle motocross, skate, MTB, rock crawling, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – the list goes on – the athletes that participate in these unique forms of athleticism are sparked by Monster Energy. Available in Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line (supercharged with our Monster Energy blend), as well as the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot, there’s something for everyone. Wherever they go, Monster Energy beverages power the Monster Army of athletes. Be sure to check out their never-ending series of adventures at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com.
Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), established in 2001, is a 70,000 sq. ft. facility located in Kernersville, N.C. KHI houses two full-time Truck Series teams, including the 2007 series champions, the No. 33 Chevrolet Silverado driven by three-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday and the No. 4 KHI All-Stars Chevrolet Silverado driven by Ricky Carmichael and a variety of NASCAR Sprint Cup stars. KHI is also home to the No. 33 Chevrolet Impala competing full-time in the Nationwide Series, with drivers Kevin Harvick (a two-time Nationwide Series champion), Hornaday and Cale Gale. The 2009 season marks KHI’s sixth year of full-time competition in NASCAR’s elite divisions. Visit www.kevinharvickinc.com for more information.
Ricky Carmichael / NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Stats:
Truck: No. 4 KHI All-Stars Chevrolet Silverado
Sponsor: Monster Energy
Career Starts: One
Chassis: No. 028 (Last Raced: Finished third at Homestead 2008 with Kevin Harvick driving.)
Race Date: Saturday, Feb. 21
Length: 100 laps / 200 miles
Start: 3:00 pm ET / 12:00 p.m. PT
TV: Fox-TV 3:00 p.m. ET / 12:00 p.m. PT