Stewart 8th at Chase Field

AMA-SX UNITED STATES - ROUND 2

JGRMX Yamaha's James Stewart was one of the fastest riders around a tight and challenging Chase Field circuit in Phoenix for the second round of the AMA Supercross series (also an FIM World Championship) but a slip mid-race prevented the former champion from rising higher than 8th position.

The YZ450F racer set the quickest time in the first qualification session and produced an electric performance to win his Heat race. The start of the main event at the packed baseball stadium in Arizona saw the Floridian - who was not physically 100% - outside the top five but he rapidly started to make ground. His pace would have easily pulled him into contention for the podium behind escaping leader Ryan Dungey but he lost control of the front end in the sandy section and lost valuable time.

"James wasn't really feeling all that good today," said team owner Coy Gibbs. "He skipped second practice because he felt sick and didn't want to wear himself down for the racing, which we thought was a good idea, but that was a tough main event. The start wasn't very good, and then to have a fall in the sand there, it was just too much to come through the pack in a field like this."

Team-mate David Millsaps made a bright start to the race but also went down in the sand - holding up champion Ryan Villopoto who would fly back to third place - and crossed the finish line in 13th.

[Monster Energy Yamaha's Zach Osborne rode well in the second round of the West Coast Lites category. The Grand Prix rider took his YZ250F to 6th place on what is the second of four appearances on the indoor arena circuit as part of his build-up for the 2012 MX2-GP World Championship that starts on Easter weekend in Holland.

The American was challenging for third position in the opening phases of the 15 lap sprint but was powerless to prevent the charge of Eli Tomac and round one winner Cole Seely. "That was a good chance of making the podium," he reflected "but it was an improvement on last week. My start was better and I attacked the best I could. So far these races are going pretty well and it is cool to be back doing this series. We have two more events to go now before we can start thinking about Europe."

Round three of fourteen will take place at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles next Saturday.

2012 AMA-SX United States
Chase Field 16/01/2012 | 20 Laps
race I

AMA-SX World Standing
Rider Standings
After Race 2 of 17

Circuit Length:
unknown
Crowd:
49, 236
Weather:
Dry
Lap Record:
0'51.216
(Ricky Carmichael, 1/1/2005)
Last Years Winner:
James Stewart

Manufacturer Standings
16/01/2012