Stewart Makes It Two In A Row

Shan Moore | March 25, 2006

For the second straight week, James Stewart pulled away to an easy win in the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, this time at round 12 of the series held at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.

At the start, MDK/Motosport/Honda’s Nick Wey crossed the “holeshot” line first to take the $1500 Progressive Direct Holeshot Award, but it was Stewart who led coming out of turn two, with Team Yamaha’s Chad Reed right on his rear fender. Carmichael and his Makita Suzuki were back in fifth, just behind Wey and Rockstar Suzuki’s Michael Brown, as Stewart and Reed pulled away out front.

On lap three, Carmichael moved into third place, a few lengths behind Reed, but by then Stewart was out of reach.

On lap 10, Carmichael caught and passed Reed for second, but a few laps later, Carmichael ran into the back of a lapper in a tight turn, handing the position back to Reed.

Reed held off Carmichael for a few more laps before the Suzuki rider went back by over the finish line jump.

At the finish, Stewart crossed with his fifth win of the AMA series, while Carmichael came home in second, ahead of Reed and Makita Suzuki’s Ivan Tedesco.

On the final lap, Wey and Team Kawasaki’s Michael Byrne came together and went down, with Wey getting his bike going first to take fifth, while Byrne finishing sixth.

Carmichael now leads the AMA standings with 259 points, followed by Reed with 249 and Stewart with 239.

In the Lites division, Josh Grant took his third main event win of the year and kept his championship hopes alive, though just barely, by beating Team Honda’s Davi Millsaps at round six of the seven round series in Detroit. Grant moved his Sobe/Samsung/Mobile/Honda-sponsored CRF250R into the lead on lap two of the 15 lap main event and maintained about a four-second cushion over Millsaps for the duration of the race.

Motosport.com’s Rob Kiniry was one turn away from his first-ever podium and lost it in the whoops section, giving Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Chris Gosselaar the final podium position. Sobe/Samsung/Mobile/Honda’s Tommy Hahn and Motosport.com’s Kelly Smith got by Kiniry as well, to round out the top five, while Kiniry crossed the line in sixth.

Yamaha of Troy’s Branden Jesseman, who was sitting fourth in the point standings going into the event, suffered a bad start and finished 11th.

Millsaps now leads Grant in the championship chase by 22 points, with one round remaining.

SX MAIN (20 laps):

1. James Stewart (Kaw)

2. Ricky Carmichael (Suz)

3. Chad Reed (Yam)

4. Ivan Tedesco (Suz)

5. Nick Wey (Hon)

6. Michael Byrne (Kaw)

7. Ryan Clark (Hon)

8. Bill Laninovich (Hon)

9. Timmy Ferry (Hon)

10. Jason Thomas (Hon)

SX LITES MAIN (15 laps):

1. Josh Grant (Hon)

2. Davi Millsaps (Hon)

3. Chris Gosselaar (Kaw)

4. Tommy Hahn (Hon)

5. Kelly Smith (Hon)

6. Rob Kiniry (Hon)

7. Josh Woods (Suz)

8. Josh Summey (Hon)

9. Jay Marmont (KTM)

10. Martin Davalos (Yam)

Shan Moore | Contributing Editor

Moore covers all facets of off-road racing for Cycle News – from AMA Supercross and Motocross to GNCC and National Hare Scrambles events.