PREVIEW: RICKY CARMICHAEL (NO. 4 MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET)
VENUE: DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY (2.5-MILE TRI-OVAL)
CIRCUIT: NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES ( RACE 1 of 25)
EVENT: NEXTERA ENERGY RESOURCES 250 ( 100 LAPS, 250 MILES)
DATE: FEBRUARY 12, 2010
MONSTER MANIA: Monster Energy will sponsor Carmichael and his No. 4 Chevrolet during the 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. In addition the energy drink sponsor will grace the hood of his No. 4 entry during nine ARCA Racing Series events.
CARMICHAEL ON 4-WHEELS AT DAYTONA: Friday night's Truck Series season opener race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway will mark Carmichael's fourth start at the famed track. The Florida native has one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start (2009) and two previous ARCA starts (2009 & 2010) to his resume. He scored his career best ARCA finish last week with a 7th place run during the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200.
CARMICHAEL ON 2-WHEELS AT DAYTONA: It is a proven fact that Carmichael holds one record that no other competitor at Daytona can claim. The former Motocross Champion holds the record for most wins (5) in Supercross at Daytona and is tied for the record for the most consecutive wins (4) with Jeff Stanton. Since retiring from competition in 2007 Carmichael has designed the Supercross track for the Daytona stop on the schedule.
CARMICHAEL ON TRUCKS: Competing in 18 Truck Series events last season Carmichael scored two top-10 finishes during his first season of NASCAR competition at the elite level. This season he will embark on his first full season of competition in the Truck Series.
CALLING THE SHOTS: Florida native Mike Fritts will call the shots atop the pit box for Carmichael during the 2010 season. Fritts served as Carmichael's crew chief during his first stock car endeavor. After working at Ken Schrader Racing over the past few years Fritts made the move Turner Motorsports over the winter to work with Carmichael.
NAME IN LIGHTS: The inaugural Ricky Carmichael Daytona Amateur Supercross Championship will take place on Sunday, March 7 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. 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. For more information visit www.rickycarmichael.com.
BEHIND THE WHEEL: Carmichael will pilot chassis No. 4 on the high banks of Daytona. A brand new chassis that was completed over the winter will make its race debut this Friday night.
MOST POPULAR: Carmichael was voted the 2009 NCWTS Most Popular Driver at the end of the last season. It was his second time to win the award. In 2008 he was awarded the same award for the NASCAR Camping World East Series.
BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW: At his home in Tallahassee (Fla.) Carmichael raises chickens. He has five chickens in his coop and they lay five eggs a day. Carmichael uses the eggs to feed his family and friends.
TWITTER THIS: To be up to speed during the 2010 season with the No. 4 Monster Energy team follow driver Ricky Carmichael (@rickycarmichael), sponsor Monster Energy (@MonsterEnergy), team Turner Motorsports (@turnermotorspts) and for media updates (@amandateamRC)
IN THE BOOTH: Even though Carmichael no longer competes on two wheels he still shows his support from the booth. Earlier this year he provided fans with non-stop Supercross action at Anaheim1 and San Francisco on SPEED and CBS. In the coming weeks he will once again provide fans with his perspective from behind the action during the Monster Energy Supercross Championship at Indianapolis, Atlanta and Daytona.
STAY UP TO SPEED: Flag to flag coverage of The Nextera Energy Resources 250 can be seen LIVE on SPEED at 7:30 p.m. EST on February 12, 2010. Tune into SPEED Wednesday and Thursday for LIVE coverage of practice and qualifying. For information on SPEED TV listings visit www.speedtv.com
RICKY CARMICHAEL ON THE 2010 SEASON: "I head into this season with a lot more confidence than I did last year. I know I need more seat time, but the more I climb behind a race vehicle the more confidence I have. That is what makes me excited about this season. I am not only running the truck schedule, but also several ARCA races to keep myself in a race car and on the track. During my motocross days I was on a bike everyday if I could. I have my training farm in Georgia and rode all day every day if I was at home. In this series you don't have the liberty to be on track every day. So, you have to maximize the time you are on the track. I plan on doing that a lot this year."
