Team Kawasaki's James Stewart has ridden with a new found maturity and confidence to take the opening round win of the 05/06
Amp'd Mobile World Supercross championship at the Rogers Center, Toronto, Canada, last Saturday night (Dec-3). In the Supercross
Lites support class it was Factory Honda's Davi Millsaps who took the win in his debut for the red team.
"I felt really comfortable tonight," said Stewart. "I feel really strong this year and feel like I can get this. I knew the
fans really wanted a race. If you have your butt kicked last year by this guy (Carmichael), you‰Ûªd come ready to race too.
I have been a winner my whole life and have a lot of work to do."
As the gate dropped on the new season it was the prefect scenario with Kawasaki's Michael Byrne leading his team-mate Stewart,
Makita Suzuki's Ricky Carmichael and Factory Yamaha's Chad Reed through the first turn. Stewart was first to move past the
Australian whilst Reed and Carmichael got physical for third.
It only took two laps for the running order to settle with Stewart , Carmichael and Reed all freight training around the
heavily rutted track. The first sign that Stewart may fall back to previous ways reared its head on lap three when he
dumped the KX450 after a wayward rock took out his front wheel, he was able to keep it going and re-mounted quickly in third.
Reed then clipped a tough block and allowed Stewart back into the hunt for Carmichael. From there the race pace slowed
but Stewart inched back to Carmichael every lap and by lap ten the race was clearly between the Floridian duo as Reed
had dropped of the pace by more than 6 seconds.
From lap 12 through to 17 it became a cat and mouse affair as Stewart passed Carmichael and then let the reigning
champion re-pass until the second last lap when Stewart made the move to the lead and held it all the way to the flag.
"James was obviously faster then me, I guess he was just playing with me, if I was him I would have just passed me
and went on with it", Carmichael said. "It keeps me motivated and striving for that win though, I know where I can
be a little bit better. I just didn't have it tonight so I will go home and work on it", he lamented.
Reed on the other hand played down his 18 second loss - after winning his heat quite easily - and looked at the whole night as a learning experience.
"I really came in here wanting to be strong but we where not strong enough. I didn't feel good at all and it was
a little disappointing to have to push through the weekend like that. I just have to try and build and make next
week better".
"We are here for the a reasons, reality is this is a warm up race and we have a lot of things to achieve, overall
it was a good weekend", he added.
With big guns like Larocco, Windham and Vuillemin missing form the Canadian round it was Supercross class debutant
Ivan Tedesco who finished fourth in his first ride for the Makita Suzuki team, whilst Nick Wey (Honda) took fifth.
In the Supercross Lites class newly signed American Honda rider Davi Millsaps has given his new team a win on debut
after he overcame early leaders Andrew Short (Honda), Josh Hansen and Nathan Ramsey (Red Bull KTM) to win the Supercross
Lites support event.
"I came here to get warmed up for the East Coast so it was good to win", said Millsaps. "I am kinda bummed for Short
but I will take the win. Its my first race for the team so this is big for me and them. I am not in the greatest shape
but will be OK come the West Coast". he added.
Short took the holeshot in the 15 lap main and left Hansen to fend off Ramsey whilst Millsaps had to contend with
Jake Weimer. Once passed it became an all US top 4 as Millsaps laid down the quickest lap of the race in lap three
(58.990) as he set his sites on the leaders.
Millsaps and Ramsey got handlebar to handlebar until Ramsey plowed into him shortly after he was passed and put
himself out of the moto all together, Laninovich moved into 4th as a result.
With six laps down Bercy winner Short held a 3 second lead and looked comfortable in front of Hansen until he pulled up after
a heavy landing on the very next lap and DNF'd.
The race then came down to Hansen and Millsaps. Millsaps took the lead on lap nine and never looked back to notch up
confidence building win with Billy Laninovich grabbing third.
"Honestly I got beat straight up", said Hansen. "I was not going to do anything stupid on Davi being the Canadian
rounds. I am a little off, I definitely don't want to settle for second so will go away and do more work".
"I came here to get warmed up for A1. The track didn't really suit me that great, but I am happy with third". said
third placed Billy Laninovich.
The next round of the at Vancouver's B.C. Place Stadium next Saturday, December 10.
Amp'd Mobile World Supercross GP Results - Toronto
1: James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki
2: Ricky Carmichael, Havana, Fla., Suzuki
3: Chad Reed, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha
4: Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
5: Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Honda
6: Michael Byrne, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki
7: Jason Thomas, Melrose, Fla., Honda
8: Justin Buckelew, Riverside, Calif., Honda
9: Jeff Gibson, Westerville, Ohio, Honda
10: Doug DeHaan Thorndale, Ontario, Honda
Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Lites Event Results
1: Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., Honda
2: Josh Hansen, Temecula, Calif., KTM
3: Billy Laninovich, Corona, Calif., Honda
4: Jake Weimer, Corona, Calif., Honda
5: Michael Willard, Thornville, Ohio, KTM
6: Mitch Cooke, Brookfield, Nova Scotia, Honda
7: Brady Sheren, Surrey, British Columbia, Kawasaki
8: Ryan Lockhart, Springhill, Nova Scotia, Suzuki
9: Dennis Ewing, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda
10: Kyle Keast, Lindsay, Ontario, Honda
