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Supercross & Motocross
SX: Countdown To A1 - #3 James Stewart
Despite a lengthy list of career achievements, James Stewart enters the 2013 Monster Energy Supercross season with something to prove.
Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing's James Stewart (Photo: Suzuki Racing)
PROGRAMMING NOTE: The 2013 Monster Energy Supercross season opener will air LIVE on SPEED on Saturday, January 5th at 9:30 ET.
Ever since he burst onto the professional scene in 2002, James Stewart has been almost universally considered the fastest man on the planet. Even in the era of fellow future Hall of Fame riders Ricky Carmichael, Chad Reed, and Kevin Windham, Stewart was the superstar in the making. And now, a decade later, he has more than lived up to those lofty expectations.
In recent years, the gap between Stewart and his rivals has slowly shrank, making for what very well could be the most competitive generation of riders ever -- one that still includes Reed and Windham, but has also seen the rise of Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Dungey, Trey Canard and potentially Justin Barcia.
Despite the massive influx of talent, Stewart still possesses the speed and an ability to do things on a track that no one ever thought possible. Stewart is a breathtaking rider and he still retains those qualities at 27, an age when many riders start looking towards life away from racing.
Prior to the 2012 season, the new relationship between Stewart and Joe Gibbs Racing was widely viewed as a match made in heaven. It was an overdue opportunity to slot Stewart in with the team that arguably boasts the most potential in the pits, but one that has yet to truly show it. Many, including myself, expected it to result in the return of the dominant Stewart, but things never gelled.
Whether it was the Yamaha bike, the fact that Stewart and the team simply didn’t mesh, or some other reason, it became evident that he wasn't fully comfortable despite winning a pair of races. A few hard crashes put him in and out of competition for much of the season and ultimately eliminated him from championship contention.
Following Supercross, Stewart parted ways with JGR and signed with the Factory Suzuki effort for the motocross season. The last time he competed full time outdoors was during his perfect season in 2008 with Kawasaki. After two rounds, Stewart appeared to have found a home. Not only was he dominant, he looked like he had never spent any time away from the grueling discipline. The change in his confidence was evident. However, a crash at the third round resulted in injury yet again… and another season of being in and out of competition.
Ever since he burst onto the professional scene in 2002, James Stewart has been almost universally considered the fastest man on the planet. Even in the era of fellow future Hall of Fame riders Ricky Carmichael, Chad Reed, and Kevin Windham, Stewart was the superstar in the making. And now, a decade later, he has more than lived up to those lofty expectations.
In recent years, the gap between Stewart and his rivals has slowly shrank, making for what very well could be the most competitive generation of riders ever -- one that still includes Reed and Windham, but has also seen the rise of Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Dungey, Trey Canard and potentially Justin Barcia.
Despite the massive influx of talent, Stewart still possesses the speed and an ability to do things on a track that no one ever thought possible. Stewart is a breathtaking rider and he still retains those qualities at 27, an age when many riders start looking towards life away from racing.
Prior to the 2012 season, the new relationship between Stewart and Joe Gibbs Racing was widely viewed as a match made in heaven. It was an overdue opportunity to slot Stewart in with the team that arguably boasts the most potential in the pits, but one that has yet to truly show it. Many, including myself, expected it to result in the return of the dominant Stewart, but things never gelled.
Whether it was the Yamaha bike, the fact that Stewart and the team simply didn’t mesh, or some other reason, it became evident that he wasn't fully comfortable despite winning a pair of races. A few hard crashes put him in and out of competition for much of the season and ultimately eliminated him from championship contention.
Following Supercross, Stewart parted ways with JGR and signed with the Factory Suzuki effort for the motocross season. The last time he competed full time outdoors was during his perfect season in 2008 with Kawasaki. After two rounds, Stewart appeared to have found a home. Not only was he dominant, he looked like he had never spent any time away from the grueling discipline. The change in his confidence was evident. However, a crash at the third round resulted in injury yet again… and another season of being in and out of competition.
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