“It’s hard as a rider to have a real solid opinion about it. I know when it happened to Chad I was chasing him in the points, so it didn’t matter to me because I was going for a championship. I didn’t know a lot about it then and I don’t know much about it now. The thing that bothers me is that anyone who gets caught with illegal fuel is … I don’t think they’re trying to cheat. There seems to be some issues with testing the fuel. I hate to see a SX title come down to this. I think there are things the AMA should police harder that they don’t police that hard and leave the fuel testing alone. I also think we should get together and tell them this is the way it is. With the small percent that he [Carmichael] was over, I don’t think there is an advantage. There are so many other ways you could cheat other than that small percentage of lead in the fuel. I would hate to see, for the sake of the sport, this affect the championship.”

“I don’t think the amount we were over with, which we had no control of in the first place, was worth the 25 points. I don’t agree with the rule in the first place. We have stronger rules with the lead content in the fuel than the EPA allows for lead content. We have no control of what happened with the fuel. I guess we have to test every drum of fuel and we’re still at the mercy of the people who tested the fuel. I can understand their position, but I just wish more people got involved when it happened to Kawasaki and Yamaha.”

“It happened to us in 2004 and we didn’t think it was that great of a scenario. It also happened to James last year and Ricky this year. It’s a bummer that a small amount of lead tracing is worth 25 points. We said all along some things [should] change in 2004 for everybody because it’s such a fine line of a lead trace. I feel sorry for Ricky and the whole team. I guess that’s part of the sanctioning body and how they plan to do business.”

“It’s unfortunate that it happened, but we do have rules to follow. I think the penalty was a little stiff; I think a fine would be more appropriate. But the AMA has to stand their ground and my hat’s off to them for sticking to their guns, but I still think it’s a little stiff.”

“You know, there hasn’t been a championship race like this for a long time. Obviously, rules are rules and [they are] there to keep the playing field level. The 25 points are certainly going to change the whole completion of the series as it goes on. Now Reed has a comfortable points lead and James Stewart knows what he has to do to close up. And you can never count Ricky Carmichael out of this championship.”

“I think it’s bs! I know they didn’t mean to cheat—I think they just used a can that had some lead in it—but rules are rules.”

“I don’t really have a feeling one way or another with Ricky. I have a big problem with the way it was originally done with the Chad Reed incident in 2004. My biggest problem is that the person who crosses the finish line on the first legal bike [should be] the winner. In Chad ’s situation, they took away his points but still gave him the win…. In the rulebook, it still shows him as the winner. They also didn’t move up Kevin Windham, who finished second on the first legal bike. To me, if you’re on an illegal bike then you should be disqualified. Then when they took 25 points from Tyson Hadsell last year, he ended up with negative points. In Ricky’s situation, if his bike was illegal then he shouldn’t get the win or the prize money. I don’t think Suzuki knew about the fuel; I just think it was a bad batch of fuel. But the bike is still illegal.”

“I think they have rules and you have to follow them. I guess if there’s no lead [allowed] then you shouldn’t have any lead in the fuel. If the speed limit is 70 and you go 71, then you’re going to get a ticket. I’m sure Ricky didn’t put that fuel in his bike and I’m sure it’s no reflection on him. It’s an unfortunate thing, and I would be upset with the person who provided me with the fuel.”