Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1542351
Hou3ton, T)( SUPERCRO55 R6und3 l4lr3 April I, 2OO5 16 APR|L 12,2006 . cYcLE NEWS ?006 Amp'd Mobil€ Wopld sup€Fcnoss GP/ Amp'd Mobile AMA Sup€rcFoss s€rics Bv Sxax Moont PHoros BY Srwr Brusu '-:'\ r , r n, a ta I I BES T F ( .i r_! r i -. ls f* *if- ,# a:j I At the Hourton super.rois, Michoel Eyrne (26) took rhe holeshot money, but hir teommote Jomes steworl (7) took the win. I f- a F's V /:, ,l ames Stewart's M.O. for the last three rounds has been pretty obvious: Move to the front as quickly as possible, gap the field as quickb/ as possible, and hopefully hold on for the win. For the third-strai8ht week, Stewart ran that to perfection en route to a comfoftable win front of 47,389 fans at round I 3 of the Amp'd f4obile AMA Supercross Series at Reliant Stadium in Houston. The win was Stewart's sixth of the season, which matches series points leader Ricky Carmichael in the win category The difference in the AMA Series, however, which now stands at l7 points between the two riders, boils down to consistency - something that the young Stewart struggled with for the first half of the season, which now appeaE to have possibly cost him the'05 Al.lA title. ln the last three races, however, Stewan has been a model of consistency, so much so that he has almost been robotic in his style - all business and no mis- takes. "l definitely got in good laps at the beginning, but not at maximum. That's why at the beginning I feel that I am smoother," Stewart said- "l got me a little gap and there was no need to push it any harder." Carmichael has been consistent in his own right, as well, settling in behind Stewart early on and then run- ning iust fast enough to comfortably maintain the posi- tion and maintain his points lead. The Makia Suzuki rider can afford to give up three points per round to the factory Kawasaki rider and still win his fifth AMA Supercross title with room to spare. "l had a great start tonight, but I was unable to run with James' pace in the Iirst three laps," Carmichael said. "l was fighting hard out there and not riding conserva- tively, but, at the same time, Ido not want to take too many chances. I have a decent lead for the AMA Championship but want to win the world Championship as well, so I have to step up at these last few races." ln the "other" series - the Amp'd Mobile World Supercross GP Series - Stewart drew even in points with Carmichael, as the two riders now hold a 2l-point lead over Chad Reed, Reed, who would be in a better position to challenge Carmichael for the title had it not been for his shoulder iniury before Daytona, struggled with the track in Houston. which became choppy and rough by the time the main event got under way. "l just struggled a lot tonight with the dirt," Reed said. "l think those guys were iust letting it hang out a little more than me and being more aSgressive." Reed did provide one of the eyening's most exciting moments, however, when he put an aggressive block- pass on Team Kawasaki's Michael Byrne during the early moments of the main event. "l went in there hard and was yelling and screaming, because I didn't really want to make contact," Reed said, "l just needed to get that pass done if I was Soing to have a shot at it.'' Reed's pass came on lap four, after Stewan had already established a decent lead and Carmichael was comfortably into second, and the Team Yamaha-rider couldn't afford to let the duo get away. ''l just put an a8Sressive Pass on Byrne and put in a couple of aggressive laps and then iust rode for third," Reed added- Breaking from his routine just a bit, Ste\xart didn't get the holeshot in Houston. which he had done at Orlando and at Detroit. His Kawasaki teammate, Michael Byrne, did and picked up the $1500 Progressive Direct Holeshot Award. Stewan came out of the first turn just behind Byrne and then dropped Byrne to second place midway through the first lap- Carmichael moved around Byme as well before the end ofthe lap, while Reed made three more laps before forcing his way past. Stewan immediately gapped Carmichael when he turned a 42.7-second lap on the second lap of the race, compared to Carmichael's 44.1, By lap five, Stewart, Carmichael and Reed were spread out in the top three positions, while Byrne was engaged in a battle with Team Honda's Kevin Windham and Carmichael's teammate lvan 'lbdesco, who in turn had to dea! with Windham's teammate Travis Preston. MDl(Motospon/Honda s Nick Wey was up into ninth, after gating poorly.