Down in New Orleans...
By TMX Archives on 19th Mar 09
AFTER a disappointing seventh place finish in last week's AMA Supercross, Team San Manuel Yamaha's James Stewart answered back at the New Orleans' Superdome to take his eighth win of the 2009 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and FIM World Championship.Meanwhile, Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Chad Reed remained consistent to claim second and maintain his championship lead. In the main event, Stewart took the holeshot and an early lead while Reed piled on the pressure in second. This is how it stood for the next 20-laps as Stewart rode a near perfect race, and Reed settled for a safe second.
I got a great start, said Stewart, I had to win tonight point blank. I had to win. This is what I needed heading into the race next weekend in St Louis.
Behind these two was Team Yamaha's Broc Hepler, who took advantage of a great start and was unchallenged for the majority of the race until Geico Powersports Honda's Kevin Windham caught up on the final two laps. However, despite piling on the pressure, Windham ran out of track leaving Hepler to claim his first podium of the championship, in third.
Reed now retains an eight-point lead in the champs as the series heads to the Edward Jones Dome, St Louis, Missouri, for round 12.
In the Lites Main event, Monster Energy Kawasaki's Austin Stroupe claimed his second win of the year, taking the holeshot and remaining consistent from start to finish.
Geico Powersports' Tyler Wharton followed Stroupe through the first turn, but crashed soon after allowing team-mate Daniel Blair through. Behind him Canidae Kawasaki's Branden Jesseman rode hard and on lap three came past Blair to sit in second, and remain there until the flag to claim his first podium of the year.
It was a technical track tonight, so I had to ride smart, said Stroupe. It was important to get the holeshot because I was able to get out front and ride my own race.
It wasn't a night for the series leaders however, as current Lites class points leader, Christophe Pourcel, started the main event in 12th and only managed a fourth place finish.
Meanwhile, Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Nico Izzi failed to qualify for the main event after crashing in his heat race and then suffering a bad start in the Last Chance Qualifier.
AMA & WORLD SUPERCROSS CHAMPS
Rd 11 Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
SUPERCROSS MAIN: 1 James Stewart (Yam), 2 Chad Reed (Suz), 3 Broc Hepler (Yam), 4 Kevin Windham (Hon), 5 Andrew Short (Hon), 6 Mike Alessi (Suz), 7 Josh Grant (Yam), 8 Justin Brayton (KTM), 9 Ryan Villopoto (Kaw), 10 Matt Boni (Hon), 11 Josh Hill (Yam), 12 Nick Wey (Yam), 13 Ivan Tedesco (Hon), 14 Tyler Bowers (Hon), 15 Nathan Ramsey (Yam), 16 Heath Voss (Hon), 17 Troy Adams (Hon), 18 Davi Millsaps (Hon), 19 Kyle Chisholm (Yam), 20 Robert Kiniry (Kaw).
SERIES STANDINGS after 11 rounds: 1 Reed 246 points, 2 Stewart 238, 3 Short 179, 4 Villopoto 165, 5 Grant 152, 6 Tedesco 148, 7 Alessi 146, 8 Windham 146, 9 Millsaps 139, 10 Hill 102, 11 Tim Ferry 100, 12 Voss 70, 13 Wey 64, 14 Boni 56, 15 Ben Coisy 55,
SUPERCROSS LITES MAIN: 1 Austin Stroupe (Kaw), 2 Branden Jesseman (Kaw), 3 Blake Wharton (Hon), 4 Christophe Pourcel (Kaw), 5 Wil Hahn (KTM), 6 Darryn Durham (Yam), 7 Daniel Blair (Hon), 8 Broc Tickle (Yam), 9 Matthew Goerke (Suz), 10 Steven Clarke (Suz), 11 Levi Kilbarger (Hon), 12 Dennis Jonon (Kaw), 13 Tyler Wharton (Hon), 14 Jacob Saylor (Yam), 15 Teddy Parks (Suz), 16 Chad Ward (Kaw), 17 Matthew Lemoine (Yam), 18 Phillip Nicoletti (Hon), 19 Bryan Johnson (Hon), 20 Jason Thomas (Hon).
SERIES STANDINGS (East) after 5 rounds: 1 Pourcel 115 points, 2 Stroupe 84, 3 N Izzi 82, 4 Jesseman 73, 5 Hahn 68, 6 B Wharton 66, 7 M Davalos 57, 8 M Lemoine 51, 9 Clarke 51, 10 M Goerke 50, 11 Blair 50, 12 Durham 48, 13 Kilbarger 43, 14 J Saylor 29, 15 T Wharton 27,
NEXT ROUND: March 21 Edward Jones Dome, St Louis, Missouri.