Team San Manuel Yamaha's James Stewart Takes Win at Anaheim Season Opener

ROUND 1 - ANGEL STADIUM - JANUARY 9TH

LOS ANGELES, CA (January 9th, 2010) - Team San Manuel Yamaha's James Stewart took an exciting win at the season opener of the 2010 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, this Saturday evening at Anaheim's Angel Stadium. Aboard an all-new Yamaha YZ450F, Stewart blasted out of the gate just shy of the holeshot and ran a smooth, consistent race settling into a strategic second place spot. On lap 17, Stewart passed the race leader, Ryan Dungey, and took the win three laps later with a 3.4 second lead. Teammate Josh Hill finished 6th in his inaugural race outing with Team San Manuel.

Beautiful So Cal weather throughout the day and 60-degree evening temps set the stage for a packed Angel Stadium of 43,831 fans. For Stewart, the day started off with the fastest qualifying times in practice and ended with his 7th win at Anaheim and the 37th win of his career.

Both Stewart and teammate Josh Hill ran Heat Race 2, with Stewart taking the win for a direct transfer to the Main and Hill moving to the Last Chance Qualifier, where he took 1st for the transfer to the Main Event.

Post race Stewart had this to say about winning Anaheim 1, “I'm a lot better off than last year by getting this win. It's a great way to start off the season."

Josh Hill had this to say about his first race with his new Team, “this opportunity is the greatest thing that has happened to me. The whole Team is so supportive. They've given me my confidence back.”

Team San Manuel Yamaha Highlights / Anaheim - Round 1 -

James Stewart - Heat Race #2 - Winner

Josh Hill - Last Chance Qualifier - Winner

James Stewart - Season to Date: 1 win

Josh Hill - Season to Date: 1 6th place

James Stewart - Championship Points - 25

Josh Hill - Championship Points - 15

About Team San Manuel

Team San Manuel is a unique partnership between the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and L&M Racing, LLC, with the sole purpose of reaching out to Native and non-Native communities and sharing with them the value of perseverance and dedication. Building a winning team comprised of top-notch talent and community service, Team San Manuel honors the Serrano belief of caring for our community. (www.sanmanuelracing.com)

About the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians

The San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians is a federally recognized American Indian tribe located near the city of Highland, California. The Serrano Indians are the indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys and mountains who share a common language and culture. The San Manuel reservation was established in 1891 and recognized as a sovereign nation with the right of self-government. Despite challenges and hardships, the San Manuel tribal community has continued to progressively maintain and enhance its unique form of government - focusing all efforts on providing a better quality of life for its citizens. Through economic diversification, both on and off the reservation, the tribe has been forward thinking in its efforts to build infrastructure, maintain civil services and promote social, economic, educational and governmental units including the departments of fire, public safety, education and environment and continues to pursue opportunities for future generations.

About L & M Racing

L&M Racing was formed in 2006 by Owner/Team Manager Larry Brooks and partner Mike Kranyak. Operating as Team San Manuel Yamaha, this illustrious team has garnered 2 Supercross Championship titles in just three professional race seasons. For the 2010 race season, 2009 Supercross Champion James Stewart anchors Team San Manuel as he vehemently defends his title and is joined by 2008 Supercross Rookie of the Year Josh Hill. In 2009, Team San Manuel's James Stewart won his second Supercross Championship, his first coming in 2007, and second for L&M Racing's independent effort. Rookie Kyle Chisholm rounded out Team San Manuel's 2009 team. In 2008 team, Team San Manuel Yamaha, consisted of 2004 Supercross Champion Chad Reed and former West Coast Lites Champion Nathan Ramsey -- the newly-formed endeavor garnered its first championship title that season. Led by Larry Brooks, the driving force behind the Jeremy McGrath / Chaparral Racing team's three-year championship reign in Supercross, Brooks' then race effort yielded the first and only indie team to ever win an AMA Supercross Series Championship. L&M Racing is headquartered within an 8,000 square foot, state-of-the-art race facility in Southern California and is one of the most successful independently owned and operated teams in professional Supercross racing today.

Television Coverage Schedule

Anaheim 1 (Supercross class) - SPEED - 1/9/2010 - 10pm ET

Next Race

January 16th - Chase Field - Phoenix, Arizona.