Carmichael Wins Kawasaki Race of Champions.

Kit Palmer | October 1, 2000

Chevy Trucks/Kawasaki’s Ricky Carmichael scored the 250cc Pro class win at the 24th running of the Kawasaki Race of Champions at Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey, October 1.

Carmichael was in a class all his own, as the 250cc National MX Champion won both motos handidly. His teammate John Dowd, who will be making his final ride on a Kawasaki at the U.S. Open supercross race in Las Vagas, October 10, finished second both motos, while Suzuki rider Travis Preston finished third with 3-3 moto finishes. Fourth overall went to Ty Wallace (Yam), while fifth went Damien Plotts (Suz).

Other than one small crash in the first moto that let Dowd get close to him at one point, Carmichael was flawless as he cruised to victory in front of an estimated 5000 spectators.

In the 125cc Pro class, Bromley Suzuki’s Barry Carsten took the overall win but not before a hard-fought battle with Yamaha-mounted Ty Wallace in the second moto. Carsten and Wallace went 1-2 in the first moto, and Wallace led most of the deciding second moto, until Carsten out-dueled and past him for the lead two laps from the end. Carsten took the moto and overall win.

Third overall with a 3-3 was Kawasaki Team Green’s Jeff Northrop.