In the my previous article could you read how Ryan Villopoto will have to compete against namesake Ryan Dungey. Of course he is not the only opponent of RV2. James Stewart will also be a formidable opponent this year. With this we immediately mention an icon in the motocross world. James is the first person of color to be successful in motocross and supercross. Just like Villopoto, he has 3 '450 supercross' titles to his name. However, he does have one more lites title, so James managed to win both the East and West titles.
We all know by now that Stewart can drive fast. But the sad thing about this thing is that sometimes it moves too fast. All too often, James is the first to make certain jumps or scrubs half a second off his lap time, for about 10-15 laps until he suddenly collapses. Fortunately, the man from Florida is always in top physical condition and he does not injure himself that much in relation to the number of tumbles he takes. Still, the crashes slowly take their toll and he often loses consciousness with new falls. Not exactly what you want as a 27-year-old top athlete.
“Bubba” currently rides a Yoshimira Suzuki, yet people often connect the name Stewart with Kawasaki. Until 2008 he was affiliated with Kawasaki. James had never touched any motorcycle other than the team green motorcycle in his entire life. When he switched to Yamaha in 2009, he clinched another supercross title, but then bad luck continued to follow him. Injuries, wrong choices and a lack of confidence made Stewart ride like he wasn't himself. The man who rode whoops as if they were a flat section has completely disappeared... Until Suzuki picked him up. It looked as if Stewart had been reborn. The whoop monster was back and James fought for the title for a long time. Most recently, he won the monster Energy Cup after an epic duel with rival Ryan Villopoto. Let that be the man to beat for this season. James managed to keep the Kawasaki pilot behind him for the entire race and force him to make the mistake. Ryan forgot the joker lane, lost his concentration and therefore completely missed his jump.
Finally, what does Stewart have to do to win the title this year? Drive as before. That's simply put, of course... But if the man from Florida can be patient and show his speed at the right time, I see him at the top at the end of the year. No more stunning the world during the heat races with an awesome rhythm section, or a whoop speed that is no longer of this earth. But wait until halfway through the main event to make everyone cry!
Tekst: VePix.be
