Stewart Holds Off Reed To Win Phoenix SX, Jake Weimer wins Lites final

After finishing second at the opener in Anaheim last weekend,
James Stewart got back on the winning track, topping San Manual
Yamaha’s Chad Reed on a hard-packed and slippery track to win
the second round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross
Championship at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, tonight.

At the start, Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Mike Alessi grabbed the
holeshot, leading Stewart and Reed through the first turn of the
20-lap final, however a few turns later Stewart would move his
Monster Energy Kawasaki to the front after Alessi made contact
with a Tuf-Bloc.

Kawasaki’s Tim Ferry and Red Bull Honda’s Davi Millsaps got the
worst of Alessi’s encounter with the track marker as both riders
went down, dropping them to the back of the pack. Meanwhile,
Stewart and Reed gapped the field in first and second, while
Torco Racing Fuels/Honda Kevin Windham and Yamaha’s Grant
Langston ran in third and fourth (although, Langston would
ultimately drop out with suspension problems).

Up front, Reed remained within striking distance of Stewart,
waiting for any kind of mistake to capitalize on, but Stewart
never made one and led every lap en route to his first race-win
since the Colorado outdoor national way back in July.

Windham held off fellow Honda riders Andrew Short and Ivan
Tedesco to take the final podium position, while Alessi managed
sixth, despite the fact that he rode most the race with a Tuf-Bloc
cover hung on his footpeg.

Reed’s teammate, Nathan Ramsey, finished seventh, while Joe
Gibbs Racing’s Josh Hansen and Charles Summey were eighth and
ninth, respectively. Meanwhile, Ferry rebounded for 10th.

In the Lites division, Jake Weimer fended off a last-lap bid by
Ryan Dungey to win a crazy and action packed final.

Weimer put his Torco Racing Fuels/Honda into the lead at the
start of the 15-lap race, but dropped to fourth on lap two as
Dungey moved his Rockstar/Makita Suzuki into the lead, followed
by Yamaha’s Broc Hepler and Monster/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s
Bret Metcalfe. Boost Mobile Yamaha’s Jason Lawrence and MDK
KTM’s Justin Brayton also joined the front runners for one of
the most exciting races in a long time.

With four laps remaining, Weimer worked his way back into the
lead, dropping Dungey to second, however, Dungey held tight
and was all over Weimer when the duo crossed the finish.

Metcalfe finished third ahead of Hepler and Lawrence.

cyclenews.com - pics from tedescophoto.com