Clark and Suzuki RMZ250 on Top Again

MVR-D Suzuki wild card rider, Steven Clarke, finished the final round of the British Supercross Championship on the top step of the podium once again, after the British-born American Supercross regular stormed to victory in the British and SX2 International finals at the O2 arena in London at the weekend.

 

 

Returning from the US on Friday evening, Clarke was in his usual blistering form, taking the win in both heat races on the 2010 RM-Z250, before going on to dominate the British final, leading from start to finish, then taking the SX2 International final win too on the last lap.

Steven Clarke: "I've got to be pleased with my performance. The bike ran perfectly and I felt really comfortable in all heat races and both finals. I attempted the SX1 final, but was just too tired from both races and all the recent travel, so decided to call it quits early. A big thanks to the MVR-D team for their support in the last two events. I hope I've paid them back with the results."

Team manager, Mark Chamberlain: "Big congratulations to Steven. He rode extremely well and showed the potential of the new RM-Z250. He returns to the US now, but we are delighted to be able to confirm that he will join us for a couple of races this season, to get in some all-important outdoor practice."

Final Championship Standings

(Note: Clarke did not compete in first two rounds)

British Open: 1st Crockard, 2nd Dodd, 3rd Tollet, 4th Greedy, 5th Clarke (Suzuki)

Pro SX1 Open: 1st Facciotti, 2nd Crockard, 3rd Blizzard, 4th Goosen, 5th Voss

Pro SX2 Open: 1st Facciotti, 2nd Beaton, 3rd Blizzard, 4th Goosen, 5th Knowles

(Full race results not available at time of issue)

Image courtesy of Nuno Laranjeira

AMA Supercross champion and Yamaha LandM San Manuel rider James Stewart is likely to face a spell on the sidelines after surgery on a broken scaphoid in his right wrist last Friday. The Floridian went under the knife on the eve of the fourth round of the 2010 Indoor campaign in San Francisco as the pain from his Heat race crash in Phoenix two weeks ago would not subside.

Stewart picked up the injury in a collision with another rider while negotiating the qualification process in southern California. The following week he fought against discomfort of the ailment in his hand to take third place at Anaheim.

His quest to recapture the AMA SX/FIM World Championship title now looks precarious with his absence in San Francisco already causing him to slide back to 9th in the standings. A press release was issued by the LandM San Manuel team before last weekend and claims that the rider will assess the injury on a weekly basis. The AMA schedule continues at pace every Saturday until pausing for a break during Easter weekend on the first Saturday/Sunday of April.

“James is a true champion,” said Larry Brooks, Team Manager. “The fact that he rode as competitively as he did making the podium at Anaheim 2 with a broken wrist (unknowingly) is testimony to that. He’s anxious to heal and get back on the race track as soon as possible.”

The opening round of the 2010 AMA Supercross/FIM SX World Championship at the Angel Stadium, Anaheim in Los Angeles was won in fine style by defending champion L and M San Manuel's James Stewart. The Floridian gave the new Yamaha YZ450F its first victory in a major series.

 

 

The 24 year old started in second place and hunted the rear wheel of rookie Ryan Dungey for 17 of the 20 laps before making his play for the lead in the closing stages. He crossed the line for his seventh win in Los Angeles by nearly four seconds from Dungey with Kevin Windham over thirty seconds adrift in third. Stewart's arch-rival, Chad Reed, retired on the second lap after a collision left him with broken wheel spokes.

"The first few laps, I was trying to settle in and see where everything was, checking out the bike and everything was cool, but I messed up a rhythm section and then he [Dungey] got a pretty good gap," Stewart recalled. "I looked up and it was like lap 13, so I had to put in another charge. I felt like I had a lot left in the tank and I was able to catch him, pass him, and then he ended up trying to pass me back, but I was able to hold him off until the end of the last lap and win the race."

"I feel like my endurance is really good, and that's what I really work for hard every week. I felt way better at lap 17 than I did at the beginning."

"It's going to be a long season," he added. "Unfortunately, Chad DNF-ed tonight, so there were a lot of crazy things going on but I'm happy to be out of here with a win and the points lead."

Stewart's success could start another Anaheim 'clean sweep' for Yamaha as the champion claimed two events last year and Joe Gibbs Racing's Josh Grant was another victor. Grant on this occasion did not start the Main Event after feeling the ill-effects of a practice crash on Tuesday before the meeting.

Other YZ450Fs were present in the top half of the leader-board with Stewart's new team-mate Josh Hill running to 6th place and being followed by Ivan Tedesco in 7th and Paris Bercy SX winner Justin Brayton in 8th.

Yamaha Monster Energy MX Team's Gautier Paulin made his AMA SX debut at Anaheim in the West Coast Lites class. The Frenchman, supported for the event by Yamaha Star Racing, made the first of three scheduled appearances as part of his winter build-up to the FIM MX2-GP Motocross World Championship and finished in 15th, the victim of two falls, the first coming through contact with another rider while holding 4th spot. "I felt good," he said. "It was my first time. But Trey Canard hit me and knocked me down, and then I fell again later. My speed was good, but I need to be more consistent next week." Broc Tickle was the highest YZ250F runner with 6th position.