RC begins second half with unblemished record.

Ricky Carmichael is well on his way to laying his claim to be one of the best motocross racers in the history of the sport, having recently reached a new milestone with victory last week in Buchanan, Michigan.

There, RC set a new record in terms of moto wins in AMA 250 Motocross competition with his twelfth straight success. He now looks to this Sunday's AMA Chevy Trucks US Motocross Championship race at Kenworthy's Motocross Park in Troy, Ohio, with other records now squarely in his sights.

With a victory this Sunday in Troy, Carmichael could move into sole possession of second-place on the all-time AMA 250 Motocross National wins list - he's tied for second now with Rick Johnson, who has 22-career victories in the class. Hannah leads the list with 27, but now even that long-time record looks in jeopardy of falling this year. Pundits are already mentioning the possibility of Carmichael becoming the first rider ever to clean sweep the AMA 250 Motocross Championship, a feat that if completed would certainly be considered the greatest accomplishment in the history of AMA Motocross.

Motocross fans can count themselves fortunate to be able to watch Carmichael at the peak of his career and to be able to witness the early beginnings of another rider who could become a legend in James Stewart. The 16-year old wunderkind from Florida has won four of the six 125 Motocross events coming into this weekend's race in Troy.

This, however, will be Stewart's first visit to Kenworthy's, but he's quickly gained a reputation as one of the most exciting riders to watch. He tries things on his 125cc Kawasaki that many riders in the bigger 250 class won't even attempt and, even though there are still rough edges to his technique, Stewart has a certain flare in his riding style that is unique in all of motocross.

Kenworthy's Motocross Park, which has hosted AMA National Motocross' since 1987, is distinctive among the twelve-round outdoor circuit, and has often been described as the lost AMA Supercross national because of its numerous Supercross-style jumps. Built on a densely wooded flood plane in the Great Miami River basin, Kenworthy's has some of the deepest and darkest loam in all of motocross.

Riders who excel in AMA Supercross often do very well at Kenworthy's. Jeremy McGrath twice won here in the mid-1990s, while Carmichael has the chance to become the first rider to win three straight 250 class races at Troy. In fact, RC is undefeated at the West Central Ohio circuit, having won twice in the 125 division and two more
times on the 250s.

Mike LaRocco will be the only other past 250 winner of Troy to take to the starting gate on Sunday, as the Hoosier rider won the event in 1994. Ohio's own Brock Sellards will be one of the past 125 winners at Troy, after he became the surprise winner of the 125 class in 2000. He will be joined by two-time Troy 125 class winner Damon Huffman, who is ranked eighth in the 125 division and could become the first three-time 125 winner at Troy.

Stewart will be the heavy favourite to win the 125 class even though this will be his first visit to the track. Aussie Chad Reed, who is second ranked to Stewart in the 125 standings, will also be seeing Troy for the first time. Reed won the 125 East Supercross championship this winter in convincing fashion, so the Troy circuit could be right up his alley.