Stewart in the groove again with Toronto success
By TMX Archives on 31st Mar 09
James Stewart picked up his ninth win of the 2009 AMA Supercross series (also an FIM World Championship) by owning round thirteen of seventeen at the Roger's Centre in Toronto, the only non-American event on the schedule. Nearly 37,000 spectators saw the 23 year old take his YZ450F back to the top of the podium just one week after a disappointing outing in St Louis.
Stewart came to the venue having won at the same place in 2005 and knew that nothing less than a victory would suffice if he was to keep his title hopes alive. Across a difficult and rutted track the LandM San Manuel rider pulled out a lead over main championship foe Chad Reed after swopping past Mike Alessi on the first lap. Without any of the costly errors that dogged his performance seven days earlier the Yamaha man managed to ease away to the chequered flag.
"Honestly, my job is the same every weekend and that's to prepare like always, and then see what I can do," Stewart said. "I think that I have to win every race every weekend, so nothing's changed. I work hard, and I just have to keep focused on what I'm doing, and I think it showed in the 20 laps I put in tonight."
With his ninth triumph, the AMA Motocross Champion cut down Reed's numerical advantage to just 8 points. With his Australian peer not dropping out of the top three all season Stewart needs to win at least three of the four remaining rounds if his rival keeps taking runner-up positions, to clinch the crown.
Yamaha's Josh Hill celebrated his first podium finish with third position and also marked something of a return to form after suffering problems with his should since the start of the season. "It's been a really tough year for me," he said. "I tore my labarum in my shoulder at the start of the year, and as soon as that started feeling better, I tore ligaments. It's been really hard for me, but I just want to thank my team for not giving up on me, and James (Stewart) for letting me come and ride at his house. Hopefully, I'll just get better from here."
Hill beat Joe Gibbs Racing's Josh Grant to the rostrum. Grant is fourth in the standings and 19 points away from Andrew Short.
Yamaha had cause for celebration in the East Coast Lites series as Broc Tickle took his YZ250F to third place; his first ever AMA podium finish. "This is the first time I've ever been on the podium," he said. "After the race, I didn't even know how to pop the champagne cork. I'm so happy I can't believe it. It's late in the year, but after breaking my jaw on Press Day before Anaheim I, this is a big deal for me."
Round fourteen takes place next Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida.
Last Years Winner: Dusty Klatt
2009 AMA-SX Toronto, Canada 30/03/2009
Race 1 - 20 Laps
Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time
1 James Stewart Yamaha USA 18'00.986
2 Chad Reed Suzuki AUS 0'12.994
3 Josh Hill Yamaha USA 0'21.198
4 Josh Grant Yamaha USA 0'31.602
5 Ivan Tedesco Honda USA 0'32.917
6 Kevin Windham Honda USA 0'41.356
7 David D Millsaps Honda USA 0'46.679
8 Matt Boni Suzuki USA 0'49.287
9 Andrew Short Honda USA 0'51.763
10 Benjamin Coisy Honda FRA -1Laps
11 Mike Alessi Suzuki USA -1Laps
12 Nathan Ramsey Yamaha USA -1Laps
13 Kyle Chisholm Yamaha USA -1Laps
14 Paul Carpenter Kawasaki USA -1Laps
15 Nicholas Wey Yamaha USA -1Laps
17 Broc Hepler Yamaha USA -1Laps
20 Jason Lawrence Yamaha USA -20Laps
Rider Standings 28/03/2009
Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Points
1. Chad Reed Suzuki AUS 293
2. James Stewart Yamaha USA 285
3. Andrew Short Honda USA 209
4. Josh Grant Yamaha USA 190
5. Ivan Tedesco Honda USA 179
6. Kevin Windham Honda USA 173
7. Mike Alessi Suzuki USA 170
8. David D Millsaps Honda USA 166
9. Ryan Villopoto Kawasaki USA 165
10. Josh Hill Yamaha USA 128
11. Tim Ferry Kawasaki USA 100
12. Matt Boni Suzuki USA 78
13. Heath Voss Honda USA 74
14. Nicholas Wey Yamaha USA 70
15. Benjamin Coisy Honda FRA 66
17. Kyle Chisholm Yamaha USA 61
18. Broc Hepler Yamaha USA 60
19. Jason Lawrence Yamaha USA 39
30. Nathan Ramsey Yamaha USA 15
35. Sean Hamblin Yamaha USA 3
Manufacturer Standings 28/03/2009
Pos. Manufacturer Points
1. Yamaha 316
2. Suzuki 293
3. Honda 240
4. Kawasaki 196
5. KTM 66