By By TOM NYHUIS / Niles Daily Star
BUCHANAN – In front of a record number of fans for an outdoor national, Ricky Carmichael rode his final race at Red Bud Sunday afternoon.
And the record crowd of 29,338 would not go away disappointed. Carmichael came into Sunday's AMA Motocross Championship in the top spot in the points standings 16 points ahead of James Stewart.
At the end of the day Stewart still trailed Carmichael by the same 16-point margin.
Stewart captured Moto No. 1 ahead of Carmichael leading 11 of the 14 laps. Carmichael was able to take the lead on laps six and seven from Stewart. Stewart took back the lead on lap eight for good to take the checkered flag.
It was only Stewart's second Moto victory over Carmichael this season.
Carmichael is the seven-time defending national champion.
In Moto No. 2 Stewart looked to be heading for a 1-1 finish that was until lap 11. Stewart got his bike into a high berm of the sandy track and stalled his Kawasaki and Carmichael, who was hot on his tail, moved up to take the top spot for the final three laps for the win.
This was Carmichael's 149th win and his ninth win at Red Bud, two at 125 and seven in the motocross class.
Carmichael will retire from the motocross circuit and move in to stock car racing making his debut on the oval track this Wednesday.
Carmichael is driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports.
Mike Alessi finished the day with a 3-3 finish for the number three spot on the podium.
In the Motocross Lites it was Ryan Villopoto taking a 1-1 finish to extend his points total over second place finisher Ben Townley after a 2-2 day behind Villopoto.
Villopoto went wire to wire in the Moto No. 1 and after looking at the back side of Townley for the first six laps of Moto No. 2 Villopoto took over the number on spot for the final eight laps and the checkered flag.
Villopoto, who was taken to the hospital on Saturday with medical issues, is the current points leader, which is now 238-218 over Ben Townley, who was second in both races.
Joshua Grant had a 4-3 finish for a third place overall finish.