PHOENIX (January 10, 2009) – San Manuel Yamaha’s James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., won his first Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, race of the season at Chase Field in front of 46,566 fans. JGRMX/Yamaha/Toyota’s Josh Grant, of Riverside, Calif., opened the AMA Supercross class main event with the holeshot. Stewart and Reed trailed Grant through turn one, and by the end of lap one, Stewart moved into the lead. Reed made his move around Grant on lap three and secured second place.
Reed spent the next 17 laps pursuing Stewart but was unable to make the pass. The win marked Stewart’s third consecutive at Chase Field.
“I knew that Chad (Reed) would make it tough on me tonight,” said Stewart. “That is the type of racing that we love to do, and I am pumped because I picked up the win.”
“I felt good tonight,” said Reed. “I was chasing the #7 bike down and having fun but it wasn’t enough. I will take the championship week by week and stay on the podium.”
Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey, of Belle Plaine, Minn., picked up his first Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites class win of the season and moved into the championship points lead.
Last week’s winner Jake Weimer, of Rupert, Idaho, pushed his Pro Circuit Kawasaki into the lead through turn one as he picked up the holeshot with Dungey and P.J. Larsen, of Stanley, N.C., following in second and third respectively.
While leading on lap six, Weimer crashed and allowed Dungey to assume the lead and MDK/KTM’s Justin Brayton, of Murrieta, Calif., to move into second place. Dungey finished the race off by completing six solid laps en route to the win. Brayton finished second and Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Ryan Morais finished third.
“After I saw Jake (Weimer ) crash, I knew there were plenty of laps left in the race, so I needed to be smart and consistent,” said Dungey. “I’m happy to move into the points lead as we head back to Anaheim next weekend.”
AMA Supercross Class Results, Phoenix
1. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha
2. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Suzuki
3. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha
4. Ivan Tedesco, Tallahasse, Fla., Honda
5. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda
6. Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda
7. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
8. Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha
9. Tim Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki
10. Davi Millsaps, Tallahassee, Fla., Honda
AMA Supercross Class Season Standings
1. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 45
2. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Suzuki, 42
3. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 38
4. Ivan Tedesco, Tallahasse, Fla., Honda, 33
5. Tim Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 30
6. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 30
7. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha, 27
8. Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda, 21
9. Davi Millsaps, Tallahassee, Fla., Honda, 21
10. Mike Alessi, Apple Valley, Calif., Suzuki, 20
Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Results, Phoenix
1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki
2. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
3. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki
4. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki
5. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Honda
6. PJ Larsen, Stanley, N.C., Kawasaki
7. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ken., KTM
8. Cedric Souberas, Entraygues Songue, Yamaha
9. Ben Evans, Boise, Idaho, Honda
10. Dan Reardon, Menifee, Calif., Honda
Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Class Season Standings
1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 45
2. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki, 43
3. Ryan Morais, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 42
4. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., KTM, 36
5. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Honda, 34
6. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ken., KTM, 29
7. Ben Evans, Boise, Idaho, Honda, 24
8. Cedric Souberas, Entraygues Songue, Yamaha, 18
9. Adam Chatfield, Cherry Valley, Calif., Honda, 17
10. Jason Lawrence, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha, 16
Tonight’s AMA Supercross class race will air on Sunday, January 11 at 5:00 p.m. EST on SPEED. The AMA Supercross Lites class race will air on SPEED Sunday, January 11 at 6:00 p.m. EST. Racing return to Anaheim’s Angle Stadium next Saturday, January 17.