Checking in with James Stewart 2

James was in Seattle last weekend, signing autographs at the Monster Energy Kawasaki rig, and we had a chance to catch up with him to find out how his recovery from knee surgery is going, as well his plans for the summer...

Vital MX: How has the time off been, and how is the recovery going for you?

James Stewart: It’s actually been going good so far. I should start riding next week, so I’m looking forward to that. Everything’s going according to plan so far, and the toughest part, these injuries take forever and you want to make sure you do them right. Somehow we have to become Superman and do things quicker than we normally have. They should take four to six months, and to make it back at Glen Helen, that’s four months.

Have you missed the bike in the time off?

Oh yeah. It seems like it’s been forever since I raced. A lot of people say it seemed like the season went by fast, but if you’re sitting on the couch at home and doing your thing, it goes by slow, I’ll tell you that.

One of the things missing from your racing resume is a big bike outdoor title. Is it important for you to try and get one?

Yeah, it’s been a big deal for me for a while. I felt like last year I should have had it, and let it slip away from me. This year, it’s going to be one of those things. I don’t like to start where I’m at, and I already feel like I’m in a hole. I only have a couple weeks to ride. It’s going to be tough. I think at the end of the day, the program I’ve been on, and the hard work I’ve put in, I think we can be where be at where we need to be. As long as we go in healthy, I don’t see any issues with trying to get this done.

Do you have to see how it feels after you start riding and that’ll determine whether you make it to Glen Helen?

Yeah, like I said, the problem was you want to get it (the knee surgery) done once, and get it done right. These injuries, they suck and I don’t want to go through it again, not because it (the return) was a week or two weeks early. So far I think I’ve been doing a good job as far as sticking to the program, and everything’s been good. But it’s going to obviously tell on the motorcycle in the next few days.

Judging by when you were healthy in the past, missing one race probably wouldn’t make that big a difference in the series outcome. It probably wouldn’t make that much difference if you miss a round.

Yeah, I plan on making all 12 rounds. The only race I want to miss is Unadilla. I don’t want to go to that place. So, I’d rather suck it up in the beginning and get it done, and take a weekend off at that race. (Laughs)

Should we call it the Unadilla flu?

I don’t know. I won the first three years, and didn’t even make it the last three years, so hopefully I can turn it back around and win it again.

I feel like once I get past Mount Morris…if I get past Mount Morris good, I’ll be good for the season ‘cause Mount Morris has always given me issues. It’s the third race of the season and if I get past that, I’ll be in good shape.

I guess I need to quit reading the Internet, because if I go by the list of rumors I’ve seen, you’re not racing this summer, you got fired by Kawasaki…there’s a lot of nonsense on there.

Yeah, there’s a lot of rumors going around. If I got fired, they’re still awfully nice to me. The checks are still coming, and they let me come in here and eat, so…

As far as the plan of not riding any nationals, that’s the first time I heard the memo, so I guess I can just go on vacation now, huh? (Laughs)