Stewart Nips Dungey For Anaheim I Win

Kit Palmer | January 10, 2010

James Stewart opened the 2010 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series with an exciting win over Ryan Dungey in front of 43,841 spectators at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. But the win didn’t come easily for the defending Supercross Champion.Dungey, a rookie in the Supercross (450cc) class, shot out of the gate and put his Rockstar/Makita/Yoshimura Suzuki into the lead with Stewart, on the San Manuel Yamaha, settling in right behind him. Many expected Stewart to start working on Dungey right away, but Dungey steadily pulled away from Stewart and, at one point well past the halfway point, enjoyed a 4.3-second lead over the champ, who had made a few minor mistakes that allowed Dungey to get away.But Stewart regrouped and took full advantage of a couple of mistakes by Dungey of his own and pulled the leader back in. On the 17th lap of the 20-lap final, Stewart dove to the inside of Dungey and led the race for the first time.Dungey didn’t give up and made one final push at the end and nearly retook the lead, only to bobble slightly in the whoops when the two were pretty much side by side which was just enough to give Stewart the lead and win. Stewart officially finished 3.423 seconds ahead of Dungey, who backed it down a bit through the last few corners.”I stayed consistent throughout the race,” Stewart said. “I started to push myself during the last 10 laps and that is what racing is all about. I wanted to be there at the end and I was.””It was amazing,” Dungey said. “I had a few bobbles; I am here learning. There is always another race. No excuses, James rode a great race, and this was a fun debut for me.”Joining Stewart and Dungey on the Anaheim podium was perhaps the happiest rider of them all – Kevin Windham. The 31-year-old Supercross veteran rode strong through out the race, starting in fifth then passing Ryan Villopoto and Andrew Short before claiming third.For Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Chad Reed, he now knows exactly how Stewart felt last year at Anaheim I when Stewart finished out the night walking back to the pits. On the first lap tonight, Reed and Austin Stroupe banged into each other resulting in Stroupe’s footpeg ripping out the spokes in his front wheel, forcing Reed to retire from the race. He was credited with 19th place.”I was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Reed said. “Our lines just came together.”Reed held no grudges against Stroupe, who crashed out later in the race.Fourth place went to Honda Red Bull Racing’s Andrew Short who held down fourth behind Villopoto for much of the race. Short passed Villopoto on the 11th lap only to get passed by Windham about the same time.Villopoto, on the Monster Energy Kawasaki, said he made some mistakes and rode tight for much of the race. He would finish fifth one spot ahead of a noticeably thinner and trimmer Josh Hill of the San Manuel Yamaha team.Hill, who finished out the 2009 season with an injured back, looked more like the Hill of old after coming from 11th to sixth.Seventh went to former factory Honda rider Ivan Tedesco who was making his debut on the Valli Motorsports Yamaha.Muscle Milk/Toyotoa JGR Yamaha’s Justin Brayton finished eighth and Honda Red Bull Racing’s Davi Millsaps ninth.Grant Langston, who was making his return after a long bout with an eye disorder, rounded out the top 10 on the J Law Racing/Boost Mobile Yamaha.Josh Grant, of the JGR Yamaha team and winner of last year’s opener, struggled through the night with a shoulder injury that he suffered while practicing earlier in the week. He qualified for the main event but did not start, earning one point on the night.Jason Lawrence, who was released from jail on Christmas Eve, competed but after just five hours on the bike prior to the race. Lawrence looked rusty and was noticeably winded after the main event in which he finished 17th. He will sit out the next couple of rounds in order to get himself back into shape.Results:SX HEAT 1 (8 laps, 1-9 transfer): 1. Davi Millsaps (Hon); 2. Ryan Dungey (Suz); 3. Chad Reed (Kaw); 4. Kevin Windham (Hon); 5. Ivan Tedesco (Yam); 6. Grant Langston (Yam); 7. Fabien Izoird (Kaw); 8. Nick Wey (Kaw); 9. Jason Lawrence (Yam); 10. Jarred Jet Browne (Kaw); 11. Manuel Rivas Gomez (Kaw); 12. Cyrille Coulon (Kaw); 13. Kyle Partridge (Kaw); 14. Billy Payne (Hon); 15. Teddy Parks (Kaw); 16. Spencer Dally (Suz); 17. Daniel Blair (Hon); 18. Casey Hinson (Hon); 19. Chris Blose (Hon); 20. Dan Reardon (Yam).Race Time: 7 min., 28.652 sec.Margin of Victory: 1.079 sec.SX HEAT 2 (8 laps, 1-9 transfer): 1. James Stewart (Yam); 2. Andrew Short (Hon); 3. Ryan Villopoto (Kaw); 4. Austin Stroupe (Suz); 5. Justin Brayton (Yam); 6. Michael Byrne (Kaw); 7. Gregory Aranda (Kaw); 8. Tommy Hahn (Suz); 9. Josh Grant (Yam); 10. Matt Boni (Hon); 11. Jesse Casillas (Kaw); 12. Shane Sewell (Suz); 13. Josh Hill (Yam); 14. Jake Anstett (Yam); 15. Justin Keeney (Kaw); 16. Weston Peick (Yam); 17. Derek Costella (Hon); 18. Robert Fitch (Kaw); 19. Michael Sleeter (KTM); 20. Vincent Blair (Kaw).Race Time: 7 min., 32.837 sec.Margin of Victory: 6.820 sec.LCQ (6 laps, 1-2 transfer): 1. Josh Hill (Yam); 2. Justin Keeney (Kaw); 3. Jesse Casillas (Kaw); 4. Kyle Partridge (Kaw); 5. Manuel rivas Gomez (Kaw); 6. Shane Sewell (Suz); 7. Weston Peick (Yam); 8. Matt Boni (Hon); 9. Vincent Blair (Kaw); 10. Cyrille Coulon (Kaw); 11. Jake Anstett (Yam); 12. Casey Hinson (Hon); 13. Spencer Dally (Suz); 14. Michael Sleeter (KTM); 15. Teddy Parks (Kaw); 16. Billy Payne (Hon); 17. Robert Fitch (Kaw); 18. Jarred Jet Browne (Kaw); 19. Daniel Blair (Hon); 20. Derek Costella (Hon); 21. Chris Blose (Hon); 22. Dan Reardon (Yam).Race Time: 5 min., 49.042 sec.Margin of Victory: 4.034 sec.SX MAIN (20 laps): 1. James Stewart (Yam); 2. Ryan Dungey (Suz); 3. Kevin Windham (Hon); 4. Andrew Short (Hon); 5. Ryan Villopoto (Kaw); 6. Josh Hill (Yam); 7. Ivan Tedesco (Yam); 8. Justin Brayton (Yam); 9. Davi Millsaps (Hon); 10. Grant Langston (Yam); 11. Tommy Hahn (Suz); 12. Nick Wey (Kaw); 13. Greg Arando (Kaw); 14. Fabien Izoird (Kaw); 15. Justin Keeney (Kaw); 16. Michael Byrne (Kaw); 17. Jason Lawrence (Yam); 18. Austin Stroupe (Suz); 19. Chad Reed (Kaw); 20. Josh Grant (Yam).Time of Race: 18 min., 59.724 sec.Margin of Victory: 3.423 sec.