With an unprecedented 102 career wins and a record 10 career titles in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, Ricky Carmichael remains the standard bearer of success in American motocross, and it's why he's affectionately known as "The G.O.A.T." (Greatest of All Time). In honor of Carmichael's legacy, the Pro Motocross Championship has made an effort to recognized the most determined rider at each respective National for more than a decade with the Ricky Carmichael Hard Charger Award. This accolade rewards the one competitor at each of the 12 rounds on the schedule  who overtakes the highest number of his fellow racers in either 450 Class moto.

With a rich heritage of its own that now spans nearly three decades, INTENSE CYCLES has long been a standard bearer of its own in downhill mountain bike racing. The California company has long held a crossover connection to the sport of motocross, with a who's who of team athletes that also became familiar figures within motorcycle racing. Passion and ingenuity was the driving force behind INTENSE's ascension in mountain biking, and those same traits became integral to the brand's development of its first electric bike, the TAZER MX. When it debuted in 2018, the TAZER integrated the refinements of traditional downhill mountain bikes with emerging electric technology, and even some elements of motocross, for an innovative design that remained true to the man-powered nature of the experience. The seamless transition into the e-bike segment further cemented INTENSE's status as an elite manufacturer, much like how Carmichael's sustained decade of dominance competing aboard three different brands of motorcycles proved he's simply the best there's ever been.

Each recipient of the INTENSE RC HARD CHARGER AWARD is recognized during the riders meeting at the following National and is awarded with a custom-designed trophy.

Privateer Chris Canning primarily focuses his efforts on the eastern portion of the Pro Motocross schedule. The Connecticut native has a pro career that dates back to 2011, and despite running only part-time, he's show consistent improvement with each passing season. The Lucas Oil Stabilizer High Point National served as the 2022 debut for Canning, where he was tasked to go bar-to-bar with a deep field of competitors who had three rounds under their belts. After an impressive qualifying effort of 13th in the 450 Class, Canning got a solid start aboard his GASGAS in Moto 1 and maintain a spot in the top 20 throughout the entirety of the moto to secure his first point of the season in 20th. His fortunes took a hit to begin Moto 2, where he emerged with a 34th-place start and had some serious work to do. From there, Canning relied on his many years of experience and even though it was just his second moto of the season, he made an impressive charge through the field to pass 17 riders en route to a well-earned 17th-place finish. The resilient ride gave Canning four more points and landed him 18th overall (20-17) for a memorable season debut and the INTENSE RC HARD CHARGER AWARD at High Point.

High Point National: 
#82 Chris Canning / Coventry, Connecticut / GASGAS
+17 positions in 450 Moto 2 (34th to 17th)

2022 INTENSE RC HARD CHARGER AWARD Recipients

Fox Raceway I National:
#61 Fredrik Noren / Lidköping, Sweden / Suzuki
+26 positions in 450 Moto 1 (40th to 14th)

Hangtown Motocross Classic: 
#73 Benny Bloss / Oak Grove, Missouri / KTM
+18 positions in 450 Moto 1 (35th to 17th)

Thunder Valley National: 
#28 Christian Craig / El Cajon, California / Yamaha
+22 positions in 450 Moto 1 (32nd to 10th)