Ricky Carmichael has announced that he will end his motorcycle-racing career at the final supercross event of the season in Las Vegas. This is particularly fitting, as Carmichael has raced in every invitation-only Rockstar Energy Drink US Open since its debut ten years ago, and has won three US Open titles.

Carmichael’s fans will have special incentive to make the trip to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Vegas for the October 12-14 weekend. Just think how much Carmichael souvenirs from the event will be worth if he manages to win his fourth and final US Open. And for those of a less mercenary bent, there’ll be the nostalgia of watching a moto and supercross hero drive into the sunset.

This final invite-only event of the motorcycle racing season brings elite riders from across the globe, in what’s being billed (by the event promoters anyway), as the supercross world’s “biggest party.” This shouldn’t be too difficult to achieve. Just combine speeding bikes (with Supercross and Supercross Lites racing in one class), testosterone, the roar of the crowd, and a town that never sleeps.

A new attraction at this year’s event may entice Carmichael to race again in a year or two anyway. Retired former US Open champions Damon Huffman (who won in 1998), Jeff Emig (1999), and Mike LaRocco (2002), will meet for an exhibition rematch. The five-lap “grudge match” promises to be a full-throttle affair. They may be retired, but they still want to win.

The Rockstar Energy Drink US Open is popular with racers because the racetrack is part of the MGM Grand Hotel complex, where most of the riders stay. They could almost roll out of bed and head straight to the track. It’s the last event of the season, they don’t have to worry about points, and there’s a nice cash prize for the winner. So a bit of a party atmosphere prevails.

The festive feeling isn’t that surprising, perhaps, as supercross events tend to be glossier than motocross anyway. Indoor stadiums, corporate sponsorship, big crowds, network coverage – even air conditioning in some venues. This makes a bit of a change from the blood, guts, and mud of down and dirty motocross courses.

So Ricky Carmichael will end his motocross and supercross career in a blaze of glory, but it will be Las Vegas-style glory. Flash, panache, and television crews from CBS Sports may add glamour to the US Open weekend, but you can bet it’ll be the mud and dust of a rural motocross track that comes to mind when he thinks back on his best moments.

Grant Langston, one of the most established champions of the motocross world, was born with the heart of a lion. He was destined to become a world champion as far back as his family can remember. His competitive nature has taken him down the path to stardom and his skillful victories have solidified his success. Let’s take a closer look at his story of motorbike racing.

To understand how far back the love of competitive racing is embedded into the mind of Grant Langston, we have a journey to undergo. It started early, very early. Grant was born on June 17, 1982 in Durban, South Africa. A short 9 years and change later, he was given a special dispensation from the controllers of Motorsport South Africa to race at senior motocross levels. Rising to the challenge, he won a heat at King’s Park at the National Supercross Championships. The average competitor there was five years his senior. Thus began the reputation of Langston as being a ferocious competitor and a force to be reckoned with.

In 1993, this budding reputation earned Grant a spot on the Castrol Honda Motocross Team. He was leading the way to the National Championship when he endured a severe femur breakage and was put in the hospital for the next three months. He also had to take the remainder of the year off from racing for the purposes of healing and rehabilitation. Remember, he was only 11 years old at the time. This future champion’s mind was already settled as to his destiny.

1994 marked the year of Grant Langston’s comeback trail. He emerged from his debilitating accident with one leg 2 cm shorter than the other. It must have been a good thing because he not only was winning at national levels by mid-season, he was dominating. Winning five of the last eight National Championship heats delivered him to a second place finish in the South African Championship. He also reigned as champion that year in the Natal Supercross Championship and placed second in the Natal Motocross Championship.

Here’s a list of achievements from Grant in 1995 alone:
• Natal 80cc Motocross & Supercross Champion
• Southern African Amateur Champion
• Won all five heats entered in the British Schoolboy Championships in the UK

Honda did not officially sponsor a team in South Africa in 1995, but Grant was gobbled up by Kawasaki. Grant’s winning record and fame continued to grow. At the age of 14, in 1997 Grant was crowned the youngest rider to have ever won the 125cc National Championship. At the finish of the 1998 season, Grant was ranked 35th in the world due to a 9th place finish in the French Gran Prix. At the end of 1999, he was ranked 10th in the world (still at only 17 years old)!

In 1999, Grant was given full factory backing as a member of the KTM team.
• In 2000, Grant raced in 32 motos. He won 12, had 6 second-place finishes and 7 third-place finishes. Phenomenal!
• Grant was the 2000 Dutch 125cc Champion.
• Grant was the 2000 Mx des Nations Champion

In 2001, Grant was Vice Champion 125 Motocross / 4th 125 West Supercross (USA). In 2002, he was ranked 16th in the 125 Motocross category and 9th in the East 125 Supercross (USA). He was the 125 AMA Motocross Champion in 2003. In 2004, Grant stepped-up to the 250cc class and even raced in the 450 class at Apple Valley, CA finishing 3rd.

2007 delivered several top 5 finishes to Grant Langston’s record. He never finished less than 6th place in the AMA Motocross Championship races. As of September 9, 2007, Grant Langston was crowned the AMA Outdoor Motocross Champion.

Grant is 25 years old now. He has been on a journey to become a world champion all of his life. Through bone-breaking determination, sacrifice and persistence, Grant Langston has realized his dreams and aspirations. He is on top of the world as always and continues to race for his fans and for his life. You can read more about this champion’s champion at http://www.langstonracing.com.