No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado (Ricky Carmichael) - Photo Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

Event / Date: Bully Hill Vineyards 200 – April 22, 2011

Venue: Nashville Superspeedway – Lebanon, Tenn.

This Week’s Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado … Ricky Carmichael will pilot chassis TMS-013 from the Turner Motorsports NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) stable in Friday night’s Bully Hill Vineyards 200 at Nashville Superspeedway. Built new in 2010, this truck was the workhorse of the Monster Energy fleet last fall. Carmichael raced the same Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado last year at Chicagoland Speedway (St. 13, Fn. 28), Kentucky Speedway (St. 5, Fn. 9), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (St. 8, Fn. 9) and Homestead Miami Speedway (St. 22, Fn. 21).

Nashville Numbers … Carmichael has two NCWTS starts at Nashville Superspeedway and has notched 15th-place finishes in both races. The 15-time AMA National Champion has logged a 16.5 starting average, and completed all but two of the 300 total laps (99.3 percent) run over those two events.

Martinsville Minutes … Three weeks ago, at Martinsville Speedway, Carmichael started 20th and finished eighth in the Kroger 250. The 31-year-old driver raced inside the top five for much of the day, led 36 laps and matched his best finish of the four-race-young 2011 season. Meanwhile, Carmichael jumped seven spots and rocketed from 19th to 12th in the driver point standings.

In a Nutshell … The 2011 season marks Carmichael’s second year competing on a full-time basis in the NCWTS. Since making his series debut 47 races ago, the father of twins has gone on to earn three top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. Over those same 47 races, The Tallahassee, Fla., resident has logged a 14.3 average start, a 16.9 average finish, completed 91.7 percent of the laps run and earned just over $630,000 in purse money.

Welcome Aboard … Turner Motorsports and Monster Energy are pleased to feature Daily’s and Quik Mart Convenience Stores on the lower-rear quarter panels of the No. 4 Monster Energy Silverado this weekend in Nashville. Daily’s Convenience Stores have always been locally owned and operated with over 90 stores throughout middle Tennessee and Kentucky. Daily’s is owned by Tri Star Energy, which is a partnership created between Kimbro Oil and The Parman Corporation. Quik Mart Convenience Stores operate 40 stores in middle Tennessee and northern Alabama.

Remembering Beau … For the second week in a row, Turner Motorsports entries will carry decals honoring the life of former ARCA Series competitor and Turner Motorsports employee Beau Slocumb who lost his heroic battle with cancer two weekends ago. Slocumb made four ARCA starts in 2009, logging an impressive 7.0 starting average combined with a solid 11.2 average finish. The 26-year-old driver logged a pair of top 10s over those four starts including a career-best fifth-place finish at Kansas Speedway.

Slocumb began his career racing Legends cars and climbed the professional ladder through the late model ranks, earning 131 feature wins in Legends and late model competition, eventually making his mark in the ARCA series. He is survived by his wife Jessica, parents Burke “Buster” and Jeanne, brothers Seth and Daniel and sister Maggie. Memorials will be graciously accepted the Ryan Newman Foundation, Hospice of Iredell County (N.C.) or Hospice of Central Georgia.

Got My First Real Six String… Carmichael and his Turner Motorsports teammates will take a private tour of the Gibson Guitar Factory in Nashville on Thursday afternoon. The home of Gibson electric guitars, ‘Gibson USA’ was built in ‘Music City’ in 1974.

See the Monster Energy Silverado … The Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado show truck will make three stops in the Nashville area this week. The No. 4 machine will visit Daily’s on White Bridge Road in Nashville on Wednesday from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and head to Quik Mart on Nashville Highway in Columbia the following day for another 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. show. On Friday, the Monster Energy machine will visit a second Daily’s location from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. The Friday pit stop will take place at Daily’s Store No. 6641 located at 3696 Bell Road in Nashville.

Up to Speed … Live coverage of the Bully Hill Vineyards 200 from Nashville Superspeedway will be televised live on SPEED Fri., April 22 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio Channel 128. Qualifying for the fifth of 25 races on the 2011 NCWTS schedule will be televised on SPEED the same day at 5:30 p.m. EDT.

Ricky Carmichael - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

You finished 15th in both races at Nashville last year. Talk about your two starts at Nashville Superspeedway.

“I adapted to the track very quickly. The spring race last year was the first time I’d ever been there. We were really, really good as soon as we unloaded. We were sixth on the speed sheet after the first practice so I was pretty excited. We were racing against guys like Kyle (Busch) and Kevin (Harvick) so to be that fast, right off the truck, felt great. Unfortunately, I cut a left-rear tire right away during the second practice and wrecked the truck. We had to go to a back-up truck and it never got much better after that.

“I was really excited to go back for the summer race because of how much I liked the track but we really struggled, not only as a team but as an organization. We were just off. I finished 15th and my teammate James Buescher finished 16th. I’m looking forward to going back this weekend. I’ve got a new crew chief with Mark Rette this year and he ran really well last year at Nashville with Justin Lofton so I’m sure we’ll be trying some different things. I’m excited. The Monster Energy Team has a lot of momentum coming off of Martinsville. We want to carry that through Nashville, get another solid finish, and keep moving forward.”

Nashville is fairly unique. It’s bigger than a mile and not quite a mile-and-a-half. Does that present a different type of challenge from the driver’s seat?

“Nashville is a mile-and-a-third, it’s concrete not asphalt, so the racing is a little different. You can feel like you’ll have a ton of grip and then the truck can very easily get out from underneath you and spin out. For me, there’s a very fine line. The race track will be really green during the first practice so you need to pay close attention to what your truck is doing during the second session to know where you’re going to be for the race. The track changes a lot from the first to second practice and especially after the Nationwide teams lay some rubber down on the track.”

What’s the key to getting around Nashville?

“Qualifying well and maintaining track position goes a long way at Nashville. You can’t be tight in the center of the turn. You really have to keep the truck turning. If you get tight in the corners, you lose so much speed that you can’t keep up on the straightaways. If the truck is handling the way you need it to, you can really keep it wound up in the corner to get a good run off the exit. It’s a bottom-feeder type of race track. You won’t see many people on the high side. The bottom lane is going to be the preferred groove so you have to concentrate on getting a good run off the corner to be able to get your nose underneath someone to make a pass.”

With the exception of Phoenix, there’s been a three-week break between Darlington, Martinsville and Nashville. How do you stay focused and in tune so you’ve got the right mind frame when you get to the track?

“I just try to stay as mentally prepared as I can. It stinks when you start getting in a grove, have a good run, and then you’ve got three weeks in between races. I’ve been trying to get my mind set and focus on my game plan for the weekend so we can put together a good finish. If we could leave Nashville inside the top 10 in points, then that would be a great night for us.”

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

Ricky Carmichael - Photo Credit: Sam Greenwood / Getty Images for NASCAR

But the 15-time American Motorcyclist Association champion was taken aback when team owner Steve Turner called to let him know he could be making his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Kansas Speedway this weekend.

Turner, who owns the team for which Carmichael and James Buescher drive in the Camping World Truck Series, was completing the purchase of the Braun Racing Nationwide team last week and needed a driver for the No. 10 Toyota.

“It has been really quick. Never expected it to come this quick,” Carmichael said. “I got a call from our team owner last week, and he said, ‘Hey, there’s a possibility we might be able to run you in the Nationwide race next weekend in Kansas. Would you be up for it?’”

- Lee Montgomery / Scene Daily

Ricky Carmichael

In the history of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), no other rider has won as many championships (15) and races (150) as Carmichael, earning him the nickname the Greatest of All-Time (the GOAT). He was also a record five-time AMA “Rider of the Year.”

The 30-year-old Clearwater, Florida native competed in 16 NCWTS races last season for Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) scoring two top-10 finishes before moving over to Turner Motorsports for the final two Truck Series races of the year, where he drove the No. 31 Chevrolet. He also piloted a KHI entry in two ARCA Racing Series presented by REMAX and Menards races in 2009.

Carmichael will wheel the Monster Energy sponsored truck in all 25 NCWTS events. In addition he will steer a Monster Energy Chevrolet in nine ARCA races, beginning with the season opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

“Monster has been a sponsor of mine for five years,” said Carmichael. “So it’s really an honor for them to continue to expand their motorsports efforts with me. I learned so much as a driver working with Kevin (Harvick) last year. He encouraged me to make the jump to Turner Motorsports because of the number of races I was going to be able to compete in. I know seat time is the key for me becoming a successful driver. Last season was a great year for me, but I am really looking forward this season.”

“We’re quite pleased to be back in NASCAR and supporting Ricky in 2010,” said Nick Gagliardi, Monster Beverage COO. “Ricky has been instrumental in making Monster Energy the No. 1 energy drink in America, and as we help him to reach his goals in racing, he’s going to help us in the marketplace with an entirely new sales and marketing program we’ve structured around him.”

Mike Fritts, who served as Carmichael’s crew chief in his first stock car endeavor in 2007, will again assume the role as crew chief for the 2010 season. The No. 4 Monster Energy team is locked in for the first five races of the season based on last season’s championship points.

For more information on Turner Motorsports or Ricky Carmichael visit www.rickycarmichael.com and www.teamturnermotorsports.com

About Monster Energy:

Monster Energy supports the scene. Be it, MX, SX, surfing, BMX, go-karts, pit bikes, mountain bikes, PWC racing, off road, rally, insane distance jumping, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, FMX, skate, rock crawling, wake, surf, snow – name it – seems athletes and bands are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out the types – Original Monster Energy, Lo-Carb Monster, Monster Assault, Monster’s fruit juice hybrids dubbed Monster Khaos, Monster M-80 and Monster MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster and X-Presso Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with Monster Energy’s blend, 3 oz. Monster Hitman Energy Shooters, Monster Import, and the new nitrous oxide injected Nitrous Monster. Everybody running the Monster Energy Mammoth MX will be diggin’ ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com

About Turner Motorsports:

Turner Motorsports, LLC, established in 1999, embarks on its inaugural full season in NASCAR competition. Co-owned by Texas natives Steve and Sandra Turner, the racing organization is operated out of a 30,000 square-foot facility in Mooresville, N.C., which houses two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chevrolet entries piloted by James Buescher and Ricky Carmichael. In addition, Turner Motorsports fields part-time entries in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards, with Carmichael behind the wheel and a full-time USARacing Pro Cup Series team with driver Logan Ruffin. For more information on Turner Motorsports, visit www.teamturnermotorsports.com

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

Ricky Carmichael

Carmichael, a 29-year-old of Clearwater, Florida, is the most successful rider in American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) history. No other competitor has won fifteen championships or over 150 races, accomplishments which earned him the nickname “GOAT” (Greatest of All-Time). Carmichael made the switch from two wheels to four in 2007, competing in a partial schedule in the Florida FASCAR Series before joining Ken Schrader Racing in the NASCAR Camping World East Series the following year. During the current 2009 NCWTS season, Carmichael has driven on a part-time basis for Kevin Harvick Inc., while challenging for the Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors.

“I’m very excited about having the opportunity to compete full-time in the Truck Series next season for Turner Motorsports,” said Carmichael. “To compete every week and gain as much seat time as possible is the only way that I will be able to get better as a driver. The Truck Series is a great place to learn and the racing is very competitive, no matter which track we go to. On top of the Truck schedule next year, we will run 10 ARCA races and possibly some Nationwide Series races which will give me some extra time in these stock cars. The two races that we will run this year at Phoenix and Homestead will definitely give us a chance to start getting everything ready for 2010 and I’m pumped about the future.”

“To have a driver with as much talent as Ricky is something that every owner wants to have,” said Steve Turner, co-owner of TMS. “Ricky has accomplished a lot in his motocross career and he has the determination and passion to have just as much success in his stock car career. It’s an exciting addition for our Turner Motorsports team and the two races this season will give us a head start heading into 2010.”

Sponsorship details, truck number and personnel will be released at a later date.

Turner Motorsports made its NCWTS debut last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, with driver Scott Wimmer capturing a 13th-place finish. Carmichael will make his first career start at Phoenix International Raceway this Friday, November 13th as the green-flag will wave on the Lucas Oil 150 shortly after 8 P.M. Eastern. Live television coverage can be seen on SPEED

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

Ricky Carmichael

The 15-time American Motorcyclist Association champion, who made his first foray into NASCAR this year driving for Kevin Harvick Inc., said Thursday he is leaving KHI for the new Turner Motorsports organization, where he’ll compete as a teammate alongside incoming driver James Buescher.

Buescher, who currently competes for Circle Bar Racing in the Truck series, plans to make at least 19 Truck starts for Turner Motorsports – which is debuting at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend – in addition to a full Nationwide Series campaign with Phoenix Racing.

Carmichael isn’t severing all ties with KHI co-owners Kevin and DeLana Harvick; he’ll be receiving equipment and technical support from KHI in his new endeavor with a fellow Chevrolet team.

Carmichael called his impending move “a great opportunity” and said he remains on good terms with the Harvicks, who will once again field the No. 33 Truck of point leader Ron Hornaday in 2010.

- Scene Daily

No. 4 Monster Energy Drink Chevrolet Silverado

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS IS ALWAYS MEMORABLE: Ricky Carmichael is no stranger to the bright lights, glitz and glamour of Las Vegas. In the history of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), no other rider has won as many championships (15) and races (150) as Carmichael. He was able to finalize his last Supercross title in “sin city” and recorded three US Open titles at one of Las Vegas’ biggest venues the MGM Grand.

“Las Vegas has been very special to me in my Supercross career,” Carmichael said. “I have always liked coming out to Vegas because of my racing history there. I have been very successful in that city. I was able to win three US Open titles at the MGM Grand and wrap up the 2006 Supercross title there. I have a lot of good memories.”

TOP DOG: Of the 13 Truck Series events Carmichael has competed in this season, he has spent 959 of 2143 laps running in the top-15. That is nearly 50 percent race event spent running 15th or better, which ranks third among rookies this season.

PICKING SPOTS: One major learning curve Carmichael has been focused on during the 2009 Truck Series season is learning where and how to pass. Carmichael’s spotter, veteran driver Andy Houston, is on the radio week in and week out coaching Carmichael and helping him find a line for his truck. Thus far in 2009, Carmichael has completed 284 pass, 156 of those through the turns and 126 down the straight-a-ways.

Ricky Carmichael

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON GOING TO LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY?

“I have actually never been to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. I have heard from everyone I have talked with in the garage area that it is a really fun and fast place to run. I’m excited to be able to try my hand at it. I really want to be able to learn the track quickly. I think we have run quite a few venues similar to it this season and I hope to have a good base for it. As always my goal is to walk out of there with a top-10 finish.”

WHEN YOU ARE IN LAS VEGAS DO YOU EVER GET A CHANCE TO RELAX OR IS IT ALL WORK ALL THE TIME?

“Oh yeah, I would say when we go to Las Vegas it is 15 percent play and 85 percent work. I enjoy catching some shows and laying pool side. I am a really big fan of the Winn. We like to go down there and hang out.”

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 4 Monster Energy team will take chassis No.028 to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The last time chassis No. 028 took to the track was at Chicagoland Speedway with Carmichael behind the wheel. The No. 4 Monster Energy team recorded an 18th-place finish at Chicago.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Last week J.R. Fitzpatrick made his New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) debut behind the wheel of the No. 4 KHI entry. Fitzpatrick experienced trouble early on in the first practice session, hitting the wall and forcing the No. 4 team to pull out the back-up truck. Qualifying in the 24th position, Fitzpatrick’s goal was survival. Fitzpatrick stayed out of trouble and was able to come away from NHMS with an 18th-place finish.

About Monster Energy

Monster Energy supports the sport, no matter how radical or extreme. Be it Ricky Carmichael’s high-speed, high-banked NASCAR racing program, supercross, rally, insane distance jumping, motocross, MotoGP, roadracing, supermoto, off-road, freestyle motocross, skate, MTB, rock crawling, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – the list goes on – the athletes that participate in these unique forms of athleticism are sparked by Monster Energy.

Available in Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line (supercharged with our Monster Energy blend), as well as the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot, there’s something for everyone. Wherever they go, Monster Energy beverages power the Monster Army of athletes. Be sure to check out their never-ending series of adventures at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com.

ABOUT KEVIN HARVICK INC.:

Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), established in 2001, is a 70,000 sq. ft. facility located in Kernersville, N.C. KHI houses two full-time Truck Series teams, including the 2007 series champions. The No. 33 team is led by three-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday and the No. 4 KHI All-Stars team is comprised of Ricky Carmichael, the most successful motocross racer in American history, J.R. Fitzpatrick and a variety of NASCAR Sprint Cup stars. KHI is also home to the No. 33 Nationwide Series team competing full-time with drivers Kevin Harvick (a two-time Nationwide Series champion), 2008 Daytona 500 champion Ryan Newman, Ron Hornaday, Cale Gale and Kelly Bires. The 2009 season marks KHI’s sixth year of full-time competition in NASCAR’s elite divisions. Visit www.kevinharvickinc.com for more information.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

No. 4 Monster Energy Drink Chevrolet Silverado

INDY OPPORTUNIY: Ricky Carmichael always had an interest in racing in NASCAR. It wasn’t until his last full-time season in Motorcross race at the former Indianapolis RCA dome that he invited friend and Sprint Cup Series driver, Kasey Kahne, to check out his first Motorcross race, and that is where the 15-time American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) champ’s NASCAR dreams would begin to take shape. It was Kahne who set up Carmichael’s first test session, and is still a huge supporter of Carmichael’s NASCAR career. Kahne recently attended one of Carmichael’s test sessions.

“I think that for Ricky [Carmichael], the opportunity to work with Kevin Harvick is a huge benefit,” said Kahne. “You can tell that he really cares about his team and the input he gives really helps the drivers in that organization. Ricky and I are friends and I have always been a huge fan of his from the motorcycle days. I went with Ricky to a Late Model test at Hickory [Motor Speedway in North Carolina] and watched as he made some laps.”

Carmichael will return to Indianapolis but not on two-wheels at the RCA Dome, but on four wheels in his No. 4 Monster Energy Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) Chevrolet this weekend at O’Reilly Raceway Park (ORP).

X-GAMES BOUND: While the Truck Series heads to Nashville Superspeedway, Carmichael will return to the X-Games to participate in two events. Carmichael will take his Suzuki to compete in the Best Whip competition as well as defend his 2008 gold medal in the Step-Up competition. Carmichael is a two-time X-Game gold medalist.

Ricky Carmichael

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON SHORT-TRACK RACING?

“I like short-track racing. To be honest I like racing everywhere. Anytime I have the opportunity to climb behind the wheel of the No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet I get excited. I think that short-track racing is a little more challenging than some of the 1.5-mile tracks because you really have to keep your eyes open as to what is happening around you and it is tougher to pass.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE HARDEST PART OF RACING ON A SMALL TRACK LIKE ORP?

“For me the hardest part is that I have never been to most of the short tracks that we race on in the Truck Series. However, I do use some of my experiences from the Camping World East Series. Last year, we traveled to more short tracks where I learned a lot and I can use that experience racing this year.”

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO THE BRICKYARD OR THE INDY 500 AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY?

“I actually have. I went to an F1 practice at the Brickyard a few years ago. It was a really awesome experience. I watched Juan Montoya run his F1 car. It was unbelievable how fast those cars come down the backstretch and just dive down into the corners.”

WOULD YOU EVER CONSIDER CLIMBING BEHIND THE SEAT OF AN OPEN-WHEEL CAR?

“I have no desire to get into one of those cars. I would much rather be enclosed in a stock car. If I am in danger of hitting the wall head on, I’d like to have a cage around me. I spent the better part of my life out in the open, I think for the next chapter I will stay in something.”

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 4 Monster Energy team will unload truck chassis No. 032 at ORP. Chassis 032 last competed as a No. 2 truck with KHI co-owner Kevin Harvick behind the wheel at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in March. Harvick drove No. 032 to victory lane at Martinsville, recording KHI’s first Truck Series win of 2009.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Last week at Kentucky Speedway, Carmichael began the race from the third starting position. Kentucky marks the third time that Carmichael has started from the third position in the 2009 season, which is his career-best qualifying effort. Carmichael and the No. 4 team ran in the top 10 the majority of race. Carmichael was caught one lap down to the leaders during a round of green-flag pit stops, but was able to get the “lucky dog” award late to get back on the lead lap. Carmichael made a late-race charge and was able to cross the finish line in the seventh position. The run marks his career-best finish.

About Monster Energy

Monster Energy supports the sport, no matter how radical or extreme. Be it Ricky Carmichael’s high-speed, high-banked NASCAR racing program, supercross, rally, insane distance jumping, motocross, MotoGP, roadracing, supermoto, off-road, freestyle motocross, skate, MTB, rock crawling, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – the list goes on – the athletes that participate in these unique forms of athleticism are sparked by Monster Energy. Available in Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line (supercharged with our Monster Energy blend), as well as the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot, there’s something for everyone. Wherever they go, Monster Energy beverages power the Monster Army of athletes. Be sure to check out their never-ending series of adventures at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com.

About Kevin Harvick Inc.

Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), established in 2001, is a 70,000 sq. ft. facility located in Kernersville, N.C. KHI houses two full-time Truck Series teams, including the 2007 series champions. The No. 33 team is led by three-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday and the No. 4 KHI All-Stars team is comprised of Ricky Carmichael, the most successful motocross racer in American history, J.R. Fitzpatrick and a variety of NASCAR Sprint Cup stars. KHI is also home to the No. 33 Nationwide Series team competing full-time with drivers Kevin Harvick (a two-time Nationwide Series champion), 2008 Daytona 500 champion Ryan Newman, Ron Hornaday, Cale Gale and Kelly Bires. The 2009 season marks KHI’s sixth year of full-time competition in NASCAR’s elite divisions. Visit www.kevinharvickinc.com for more information.

No. 4 Monster Energy Drink Chevrolet Silverado

SUNSHINE FOUNDATION: Throughout his career, Ricky Carmichael has had the privilege to meet with numerous children whose one wish has been to meet the 15-time American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) champion.

This weekend at Memphis Motorsports Park (MMP), through the efforts of the Sunshine Foundation: Dreams by Kids, Carmichael will meet with Jason Schmidt. He and his family will be traveling from Canada to meet with the Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) rookie of the year contender.

MONSTER ENERGY TRIPLE CROWN OF MOTOCROSS: As the Motocross season revs into high gear, Carmichael will be joining NBC’s live telecast as a color commentator on July 4th from one of his favorite Motocross tracks Red Bud Motorcross track in Buchanan, Michigan. This will be the second race of the Monster Energy Triple Crown challenge.

The first round of the challenge began at High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania. Christophe Pourcel and Chad Reed won in their respective divisions and are now the two riders capable of completing the Triple Crown victory. Carmichael is a three-time winner of the Triple Crown.

ESPN X-GAMES THE MOVIE 3-D: Carmichael will be one of six featured athletes in the new ESPN X-Games the Movie 3-D. The movie outlines major athlete’s sacrifices and perils on their journeys to stardom.

BACK TO WHERE IT BEGAN: Only 122 miles east of MMP is the famous Loretta Lynn’s ranch in scenic Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. Loretta Lynn’s is the site of the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships, where Carmichael became an instant sensation at the beginning of his two-wheel career. Carmichael won multiple amateur titles at Loretta Lynn’s on his way to professional motocross competition.

Ricky Carmichael

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT GOING INTO THIS WEEKEND IN MEMPHIS? HOW DO YOU PREPARE TO DRIVE AT A PLACE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN?

“To be honest with you I will jump online and go to Google Earth to check out an aerial view of the facility. I’m a very visual person so that kind of helps me get a layout in my head. I will also watch video from last year’s race. My teammate Ron Hornaday dominated this place last year, so I will probably call him up and get his opinion on what I need to be focusing on. Mainly, I try to do all the research I can. That is the trouble with me this season. I’m seeing all these places for the first time, so my learning curve is pretty steep. I am looking forward to when I can go back to a place for a second time. I think my results will be that much better.”

MEMPHIS IS KNOWN FOR ITS ELVIS TROPHY. HAVE YOU RECEIVED SOME COOL TROPHIES FROM YOUR MOTORCROSS DAYS?

“Actually, I have some pretty cool stuff at my house. I have a guitar that Mini Me (Vern Troyer) presented to me for the 2002 Action Sports Awards Most Extreme Athlete. I also have a drum set from Travis Barker the drummer with the band Blink 182. I have been fortunate to have collected some really nice memorabilia over the years. It would be nice to be able to put a NASCAR trophy with all the other awards I have.”

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 4 Monster Energy team will unload truck chassis No. 018 at Memphis Motorsports Park. Chassis 018 last competed one week ago at The Milwaukee (Wisc.) Mile, finishing 21st.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Last week at The Milwaukee Mile Carmichael and the No. 4 Monster Energy team struggled with a loose truck the majority of the race. The team was caught three laps down to the leaders when an untimely caution waved during a round of green-flag pit stops. Carmichael finished the race in the 21st position three laps down.

About Monster Energy

Monster Energy supports the sport, no matter how radical or extreme. Be it Ricky Carmichael’s high-speed, high-banked NASCAR racing program, supercross, rally, insane distance jumping, motocross, MotoGP, roadracing, supermoto, off-road, freestyle motocross, skate, MTB, rock crawling, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – the list goes on – the athletes that participate in these unique forms of athleticism are sparked by Monster Energy. Available in Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line (supercharged with our Monster Energy blend), as well as the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot, there’s something for everyone. Wherever they go, Monster Energy beverages power the Monster Army of athletes. Be sure to check out their never-ending series of adventures at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com.

About Kevin Harvick Inc.

Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), established in 2001, is a 70,000 sq. ft. facility located in Kernersville, N.C. KHI houses two full-time Truck Series teams, including the 2007 series champions. The No. 33 team is led by three-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday and the No. 4 KHI All-Stars team is comprised of Ricky Carmichael, the most successful motocross racer in American history, J.R. Fitzpatrick and a variety of NASCAR Sprint Cup stars. KHI is also home to the No. 33 Nationwide Series team competing full-time with drivers Kevin Harvick (a two-time Nationwide Series champion), 2008 Daytona 500 champion Ryan Newman, Ron Hornaday, Cale Gale and Kelly Bires. The 2009 season marks KHI’s sixth year of full-time competition in NASCAR’s elite divisions. Visit www.kevinharvickinc.com for more information.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release