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In the late 1970's ABC's Wide World of Sports aired
a Special Feature called The Superbikers. Promoter's
Gavin Trippe and Bruce Cox sold ABC Sports on the concept
of a motorcycle racing showdown, with the heroes of
Roadracing, Motocross, and Dirt Tack competing on a
combined asphalt and dirt circuit. Southern California's
Carlsbad Raceway was the setting, and the entry list
was filled with National and World Champions. These
made for television events offered race fans epic showdowns
and crowned the winners the event hyped status of Best
of the Best. The Superbikers ran successfully for nearly
a decade and concluded with the restructuring of ABC
Sports in 1986. The French picked up the series and
re-coined it "Supermotard" or "SuperMoto"(
the European translation of the word Superbiker), mainstream
interest throughout Europe spread rapidly in the 1990's
and SuperMoto is now a prime time TV and high end stadium
touring series throughout mainland Europe.
"Super TT" and the "Super TT American
Racing Series" (STTARS), was the first and largest
reincarnation of the Carlsbad Superbikers in the United
States, sanctioning events in the US since 1998. The
term "Super TT" married the term Superbike
and TT style Dirt Track racing into one word. Carl was
introduced to the sport by friend and Motocross legend
Chuck Sun in early 1998. We made the journey to the
famous Streets of Willow Springs, in Rosemond, California
in the fall of 1998 to test against the best. One ride
on a specially prepared KTM Duke was all it took to
hook him for good. Carl earned a Second and a Third
place that first week end and has been going non stop
ever since. We immediately got involved with Super TT
Racing, and in helping promote the idea of the "Return
of the Superbikers", traveling up and down the
West Coast and occasionally the East Coast for special
East vs West Exhibition events. By 2000 we were promoting
our own events in Washington and Oregon sanctioned by
STTARS and appearing at industry related trade shows
abroad.
Just after the new millennium, Carl and I had the opportunity
to crew for the 1999 Super TT National Champion, Ricky
Pearce at the World Championship "Guidon D'or (
Golden Handlebar) in Paris France. The Olympics of SuperMoto,
the Guidon D'or draws the who's who from every country
around the world. The experience from that one event
burned into Carl's psyche, he vowed that some day he
would return to the World Championship, not as a Crew
Chief, but as a competitor. He began what became a three
year process, to get to the big show. He changed his
diet, got in fantastic shape, and trained on his bikes
every day rain or shine (mostly in the rain). Once known
for a "party like a rockstar" lifestyle and
off season pudginess, Carl now has the body of a 25
year old, straight, clean cut and ripped, tipping the
scale at 155 pounds. Armed with a pair of Swedish made
Husaberg Factory Racebikes, Carl aka, "The Rainman"
went on to become one of the most successful Professional
Privateer SuperMoto Racers in the United States, winning
races, working trade shows and promoting the sport he
loves.
Early this year the FIM (Federation Internationale De
Motorcyclisme), announced a new SuperMoto World Series
"S1". The press release quickly circulated
through the SuperMoto community and the world's top
athletes began sending résumé's to gain
admission. Carl thought that this was the moment he'd
been waiting for. A string of victories and second Title
in the US might be enough for an invitation to the Olympics
of SuperMoto. Beginning in April of this year, Husaberg's
"Rainman" won an unprecedented 8 consecutive
races in Super TT competition, then applied for the
hard to obtain FIM License and an entry into the World
Championships. Much to our surprise, the very next day
we received a message from the President of the series
saying, It is a pleasure to welcome you to the SuperMoto
World Championships. You should have seen the look on
his face when he opened his mail...though he tried to
play it down pretty hard, I know his knees were knocking
(they still are). Carl went on to finish the season
with a record of 9 wins, 3 second place finishes, earning
a second Title. As the FIM would have it, Carl was the
only American with the notoriety to gain admission and
is now considered to be one of the top 40 SuperMoto
Pilots in the World.
The American SuperMoto Pilot is scheduled to appear
in Austria, Italy, Greece and the finals in Australia,
riding a Factory Husaberg 650. Joining Carl on the Husaberg
World Team are European 600 Supersport Champion, Sebastien
Le Gelle and Deutscher SuperMoto Cup Champion, Jens
Hainbach. The All-Star field of the SuperMoto World
Championship include Supermotard legend, Stephan Chambon,
Jean Michel Bayle and Rueben Xaus, just to name a few.
When asked how he likes his chances, Carl replies simply,
prey for rain !
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