Carmichael wins 'Tonight Show Cup"

AURORA, Ill. - EA SPORTS Supercross Presented by Speed Stick made their second appearance on 'The Tonight Show' with Jay Leno May 11th for "Tonight Show Cup," featuring standouts Travis Pastrana, Jeremy McGrath, and Ricky Carmichael. Carmichael, who is the current 250cc EA SPORTS Supercross champion, earned his first-ever "Tonight Show Cup" over seven-time supercross champion and last year's "Tonight Show Cup" winner McGrath.

Team Chevy Trucks Kawasaki-backed Carmichael rode flawlessly through the halls of the NBC studio and midway out to the one-of-a-kind, Dirt-Wurx-designed track. Carmichael edged out McGrath in the time-based race by just a few seconds. Team Suzuki's Travis Pastrana stayed off of the track this year and provided the play-by-play with Jay Leno as the race unfolded. Pastrana commented on Carmichael's speed through the 'whoops' as "them (the whoops) not even being there."

"Pastrana, McGrath and Carmichael were all flawless in their interaction with Jay, and just when you thought 'Showtime' couldn't have handled the track any better, Carmichael proved the 2001 season was his by eight tenths of a second," said Mark Abernethy, Director of Marketing, Supercross, SFX Motor Sports. "The staff of the Tonight Show couldn't have been any more accommodating."

-SFX