The Top 10 Supercross Racers of All-Time

DirtBikes.com contributor Steve Cox gives us his take on the top 10 supercross racers of all-time.

RC-Creative-Works-12-15-20162. Ricky Carmichael
2001-2003 & 2004-2005 AMA 250cc/450cc (Premier Class) Supercross Champion
Premier-Class Wins: 48
Most Premier-Class Wins in a Season: 14 out of 16 (2001)

The GOAT (Greatest Of All Time), Ricky Carmichael, earned that nickname not because of how great he was in supercross, but how great he was in motocross and supercross combined.

During his 10 years as a professional, Carmichael won all 10 outdoor championships, and five premier-class supercross titles, including three in a row between 2001 and 2003. His first title came with Kawasaki, the next two with Honda, and then he was forced to sit out the 2004 season with a knee injury.

Ricky Carmichael may not have had the most natural talent, but no one ever worked harder. Carmichael raised the fitness level of the sport, literally and metaphorically, en route to becoming the second winningest supercross racer of all-time.
Ricky Carmichael may not have had the most natural talent, but no one ever worked harder. Carmichael raised the fitness level of the sport, literally and metaphorically, en route to becoming the second winningest supercross racer of all-time.

Carmichael returned to supercross with Suzuki in 2005, then proceeded to win the last-ever supercross championship ever won on a two-stroke (his 2005 factory Suzuki RM250), and then the first championship won on a four-stroke a year later (on his 2006 factory Suzuki RM-Z450). Among his records, he’s tied with having the most wins in a single season (14) with Jeremy McGrath; the only difference is that McGrath did it in a 15-race series, while Carmichael did it in a 16-race series (worth noting, the two races Carmichael lost in 2001 were to McGrath). Carmichael is also the only racer to win premier-class supercross championships with three different manufacturers.

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