posted January 08, 2006 12:04 AM
Edited By: Editor on 8 Jan 2006 00:07
Stewart Wins Third Consecutive Amp'd Mobile Supercross at a Sold-Out Angel Stadium Andrew Short Comes From Behind for AMA Supercross Lites Win
ANAHEIM, Calif. (January 7, 2006) - Kawasaki's James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., won his third Amp'd Mobile Supercross before a sellout crowd of 45,050 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif. Honda's Andrew Short opened the Western Region AMA Supercross Lites series with a main event win.
Honda's Kyle Lewis, of Henderson, Nev., got the holeshot to start the 20-lap main event but it was Honda's Ernesto Fonseca that jumped into the early lead. Fonseca, of Murrieta, Calif., led until a fourth lap crash removed him from the top spot, leaving the battle to series contenders Chad Reed, Ricky Carmichael and Stewart.
The race would tighten as the trio of riders pulled away from the pack, with Reed, of Dade City, Fla., gaining the early advantage aboard his Yamaha. Carmichael, of Havana, Fla., would push his Suzuki into the lead on lap seven, but a crash two turns later would return the lead to Reed, who was later passed by Stewart two laps later.
Once in the lead, Stewart never looked back and went to capture the win. Reed finished second while Carmichael ended up in third.
"I felt like I rode a great race," said Stewart, who adds the Anaheim win to two previous victories in the Amp'd Mobile World Supercross GP. "I knew I was strong when lap 10 came around. I've been putting in a lot of hard work at home with my trainer. I want to stay consistent and I want to take the season slow."
"I wanted to get a good drive through the whoops section, but I missed one of them (whoops) and crashed," said Carmichael. "But I rebuilt myself after the crash and I can't believe I made it to the podium. These guys are making me work hard and we have to be up here (on podium) every weekend."
AMA National Arenacross Series champion Darcy Lange, of San Jacinto, Calif., grabbed the holeshot on a Kawasaki to start the AMA Supercross Lites main event, but was quickly passed by Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., by the end of the first lap. Villopoto, who made his professional supercross début tonight, held the lead until Short, of Murrieta, Calif., got by on lap nine. Short, who picked up the third win of his career, pulled away for the victory. Villopoto was second followed by Honda's Billy Laninovich, of Lake Elsinore, Calif.
Last year's Eastern Region AMA Supercross champion Grant Langston, of Murrieta, Calif., got caught up in a first turn pile up but put in an inspired ride to finish fourth.
"My start was horrible and I didn't even know I was in the lead when I passed Villopoto," said Short. "I couldn't be happier right now. I want to thank Jeremy McGrath for all of his help in the off season. He is a huge help in the off season."
"I had a bad heat race and when I went to the gate for the main event I wanted to get a good start, and that's what I did," explained Villopoto.
Tonight's race will air on CBS Sports Sunday, January 8, at 12:30 p.m. EST.
Source: Clear Channel Entertainment -- Motor Sports
Photo: Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.
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posted January 08, 2006 12:04 AM
Edited By: 
Andrew Short Comes From Behind for AMA Supercross Lites Win
