It's good to see Stewart back...
It's good to see Stewart back in the saddle; we should be in for two great nights of racing.
Everyone's ready to see Carmichael wrap up a grand slam season at the US Open of Supercross this weekend. He's had an unbelievable year so far, making it easy to name him a shoe-in for the overall win. But at today's press conference, Ricky was the first to cast a shadow of doubt.
"I haven't prepared as well as I would have liked," said Carmichael, who was sick earlier this week. Still fresh off his trip to France, he didn't have enough time to get acclimated to the 250 two-stroke, which team manager Roger DeCoster wanted him to ride, so Ricky will be contesting the US Open on the RM-Z450.
Michael Byrne spun a few laps...
Michael Byrne spun a few laps on the new KX450F.
Kevin Windham will be racing the US Open after all. As of last night, K-Dub's hat is officially in the ring. James "Bubba" Stewart is also stepping back into the spotlight after taking some time off following his tumultuous outdoor series. "I'm definitely 100% coming into this," commented Stewart. While the media and fans may still search for explanations for his mysterious outdoor season, only one thing is clear: the season is over and he's put it behind him. He's simply looking forward to a fun race this weekend, and a better year in 2006.
Also present at the press conference was Greg Schnell, the former 125 class winner at the US Open. This weekend will serve as a warm up round for Schnell, who will soon be kicking off the Arenacross Series. He'll be debuting his American Suzuki Rockstar team colors this weekend which he'll run for the Arenacross and 125 East Supercross Series'.
Stewart and teammate Michael Byrne did a little riding on the unfinished track following the conference, where we got to see two great things: Byrne finally aboard a Kawasaki 450, just in time for the, er... tightest indoor track of the year, and Bubba Stewart back in the saddle.
The track's whoop section...
The track's whoop section looks like it'll claim a few victims.
The president of MGM (modeling...
The president of MGM (modeling some new Fox gear) hops on RC's bike for a photoshoot.
"I'm definitely 100% coming...
"I'm definitely 100% coming in to this weekend," says Stewart.
So who's it going to be? While the Nationals may remain the same old song, the US Open has proven to be somewhat of a wildcard event. We've seen winners like Damon Huffman, Jeff Emig and Mike LaRocco in the past years. "All it takes here is a good start," said Carmichael. There are several talented riders with the potential to win, and the best part is there are two nights to do it.
Check back on DR.com throughout the weekend for more updates and photos from the US Open in Las Vegas!