Ricky Carmichael
Motocross's most dominant force, whose perfect seasons and relentless intensity redefined what was possible on two wheels.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American motorcycle and stock car racing driver·Birthday: November 27·Generation X
Biography
Ricky Carmichael didn't just win races; he systematically dismantled the record books and the spirits of his competitors. Turning professional as a teenager, he brought a previously unseen level of physical fitness and relentless aggression to motocross and supercross. His nickname, 'The GOAT', is not hyperbole but a statistical reality. He achieved the unthinkable: going undefeated for entire outdoor national seasons, a feat of consistency and durability that may never be matched. Carmichael's approach was revolutionary, merging a motocross racer's skill with an athlete's conditioning, pushing the sport into a new era of professionalism. After retiring from two wheels with nothing left to prove, he embarked on a second career in NASCAR truck and stock car racing, demonstrating the same fierce determination on four wheels.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Ricky was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ricky Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Ricky's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won 15 total AMA Motocross and Supercross championships.
- Went undefeated for the entire 2002 and 2004 AMA Motocross seasons.
- Holds the AMA record for most career motocross victories with 102 wins.
- Earned five AMA Supercross 450cc championships.
- Helped Team USA win multiple Motocross des Nations events.
Did You Know?
His #4 jersey was retired by the AMA, the first such honor in motocross.
He trained with a motocross-specific trainer, Aldon Baker, starting a trend in the sport.
He made his NASCAR debut in the Camping World Truck Series in 2008.
He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2013.
“I wanted to be known as the guy who gave 100 percent every time he was on the track.”
