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Josh Grant scores debut win in AMA opener

In Offroad

06 gennaio 2009

Yamaha continued their streak of victories in the AMA Supercross Championship (also an FIM World Championship) as Joe Gibbs Racing Team's Josh Grant surprisingly took his YZ450F to first place at the opening round of seventeen in the 2009 campaign at Anaheim in Los Angeles last Saturday. 2008 champion Chad Reed clinched the last race of 2008 and Grant beat both the Australian, and pre-event favourite - and new Yamaha recruit - James Stewart to the chequered flag.

It was a dramatic first AMA outing for Stewart as part of the title-winning L and M San Manuel squad. In front of a bumper collective of 42,309 spectators, the 23 year old took the holeshot in the main event and pull away from the pack with Reed in pursuit. The pair swapped the lead before a collision caused both to hit the dirt. Stewart's bike was hit by the pursuing Kevin Windham and he was unable to restart, pulling out of the sprint after just six laps.

Grant was running in third position prior to the Stewart-Reed incident and fronted the pack for the rest of the race for a sensational debut result in his first meeting in the Supercross category since joining Yamaha during the winter.

"I just kept plugging away and I didn't even look at the board or the laptimes or how many laps were left. I just kept going and when it felt like halfway I looked up and it said '18 laps' and I was like, 'Thank God!' said the young Californian, who had to nurse his machine across the line after catching a trackside banner in his rear wheel with two laps remaining. 'I'm just so pumped, and I didn't want to take too many chances with the banner in the wheel, so I just kept riding and it came through.'

After winning the US Open in Las Vegas and then at Paris, Bercy, it was a disappointing night for Stewart who classified 19th after his retirement.

'I got the holeshot and uncharacteristically I let him (Reed) go by. I was making a few mistakes in the beginning and I wasn't really comfortable yet. He ended up getting by me and actually pulled away,' he said. 'I found my rhythm and came back up and he might have started fading a little bit - I don't know what he was doing - but I went past him pretty quick and then I came into that corner and I missed a shift. Once I clicked back in, all I know is - just like Toronto in 2006 - I was getting hit from the rear. He took me out and I was down and out, and couldn't start my bike again.'

In the Lites category reigning champion Jason Lawrence recovered from his involvement in a first lap pile-up to guide his YZ250F to 4th place.

Round two will take place next Saturday at Chase Field in Phoenix.

2009 AMA-SX Anaheim, CA 04/01/2009

Race 1 - 20 Laps
Pos.     Rider     Manu.     Nat.     Total Time
1     Josh Grant     Yamaha     USA     22'4.768
2     Andrew Short     Honda     USA     0'6.718
3     Chad Reed     Suzuki     AUS     0'10.433
4     Tim Ferry     Kawasaki     USA     0'19.648
5     Ryan Villopoto     Kawasaki     USA     0'22.814
6     Ivan Tedesco     Honda     USA     0'26.118
7     Heath Voss     Honda     USA     0'39.522
8     Benjamin Coisy     Honda     FRA     0'43.099
9     Nicholas Wey     Yamaha     USA     0'48.068
10     Paul Carpenter     Kawasaki     USA     0'49.372
11     Mike Alessi     Suzuki     USA     0'57.609
12     David D Millsaps     Honda     USA     0'58.348
13     Cole Siebler     Honda     USA     1'13.225
14     Matt Boni     Honda     USA     -1 Laps
15     Kevin Windham     Honda     USA     -1 Laps
19     James Stewart     Yamaha     USA     -14 Laps

Rider Standings     03/01/2009
Pos.     Rider     Manu.     Nat.     Points
1.    Josh Grant    Yamaha    USA    25
2.    Andrew Short    Honda    USA    22
3.    Chad Reed    Suzuki    AUS    20
4.    Tim Ferry    Kawasaki    USA    18
5.    Ryan Villopoto    Kawasaki    USA    16
6.    Ivan Tedesco    Honda    USA    15
7.    Heath Voss    Honda    USA    14
8.    Benjamin Coisy    Honda    FRA    13
9.    Nicholas Wey    Yamaha    USA    12
10.    Paul Carpenter    Kawasaki    USA    11
11.    Mike Alessi    Suzuki    USA    10
12.    David D Millsaps    Honda    USA    9
13.    Cole Siebler    Honda    USA    8
14.    Matt Boni    Honda    USA    7
15.    Kevin Windham    Honda    USA    6
19.    James Stewart    Yamaha    USA    2

Manufacturer Standings     03/01/2009
Pos.     Manufacturer     Points
1.    Yamaha    25
2.    Honda    22
3.    Suzuki    20
4.    Kawasaki    18
5.    KTM    1