Cycle News

Kawasaki's James Stewart ran his new number 7 on the front of his works KX450F four-stroke, instead of the familiar 259 number. Stewart showed up in Toronto sporting the shiny new digit, and perhaps the change brought him better luck than he has experienced over the past few months. Racers are very superstitious when it comes to such things, and Bubba seemed to be riding with more confidence than ever in Toronto. Ivan Tedesco was also sporting a new, single-digit number, as well as being on a new team in Canada. After winning backto-back 12Scc SX titles for Kawasaki, Tedesco made his debut on a Suzuki at Toronto, with the number 9 on his front plate, which he earned after his very successful 2005 season. Tedesco was excited to be riding for the same team as Ricky Carmichael and about riding the in the premier Supercross class. After a somewhat disappointing turnout last year, the Toronto event was huge this year and enjoyed its most starstudded field to date. Most of the teams and riders in attendance, however, said they were looking to the Canadian rounds as more of a testing session for the upcoming U.S. Series, rather than as an important race that needed to be won. There is no doubt that Carmichael gained a big advantage last year by riding the Canadian rounds of the World Supercross Series, when other riders elected to sit them out, especially since he had just moved to a new bike and needed the saddle time. As a result, the extra practice and setup time put him way ahead of the game going into the U.S. opener at Anaheim. The rest apparently want to do the same this year. With most of the teams making the move to four-strokes for '06, even in the "When you get your butt whipped all outdoor season, it makes you motivated to come race. II -James Stewart measure of him before making his move over a tabletop jump to take the lead with just under three laps to go. The 19-year-old Stewart is obviously out to prove something in 2006 after enduring a problem-filled season last year, and he couldn't wait to turn the page and get things started on a high note for the new season. "When you get your butt whipped all outdoor season, it makes you motivated to come race," Stewart said. "I think that's what it was - I was motivated. Because of that, I was back home in Florida, putting in a lot of laps - I did my work during the off season." Stewart ended up topping Carmichael by just over four seconds at the finish, while Team Yamaha's Chad Reed ran an uninspired race to third, another 14 seconds back. Carmichael's new teammate, Ivan Tedesco, came home in fourth, and Unbound Energy/MDK Motorsports' Nick Wey was fifth. Stewart lapped up to fifth place before the end of the 20-lap race. 2S0cc class, and since no one wanted to be left sitting in the dust for a second year in a row, all of the heavy hitters made the trip to Toronto for this year's event to prepare for the rapidly approaching U.S. rounds, with the exception of Sobe/Samsung /Mobile/Honda riders Kevin Windham and Mike LaRocco, and the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki Team. After a relatively long time off since his last race, Stewart was ready from the Dayi Millsaps was another rider making his debut on a new team. The former Team Suzuki rider signed with Team Honda right after the outdoor season and was makinl; his first start on the bike in Toronto. "I've only ridden the race bike a couple of times, but I am adjusting to it," Millsaps said on Friday. "I didn't really feel that good on press day, but I should feel better on it after Saturday's practice." And he did; In the main, Millsaps look right at home on his way to the win. Nick Wey was another rider making his first ride on a four-stroke, and the Unbound Energy/MDK Motorsports Honda rider was still looking for that perfect setup. "I started riding the new Honda 450 right after the U.S. Open, so I've got a little bit of time on it. I've come in here a little bit unprepared and not quite tested with the bike, but I am working on the setup, and we will get it lined out in time for Anaheim." Wey ended up fifth in the main event. Team SoCal - Jiri Dostal, Brian Mason and Clark Stiles - was supposed to be riding Yamahas in Toronto, but instead showed up on Hondas. "Our Yamahas didn't make it in umillate last week," mechanic David Wyatt said, "and there was no way we were going to be able to Continued on poge 19 CYCLE NEWS • DECEMBER 14, 2005 17

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