Amp'd Mobile Supercross Returns to Houston's Reliant Stadium

Reed’s Ready for Stewart After Anaheim 3 Duel

AURORA, Ill. (February 6, 2007) – Chad Reed proved last Saturday night that he is ready to start racing with Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP/Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series points leader James Stewart. This weekend Reliant Stadium will host the 41st Amp’d Mobile Supercross race held in Houston, and Reed, who has been hampered by a shoulder injury for most of the year, is ready to pick up his first AMA Supercross win.

Media day is Thursday, February 8, from Noon-2:00 p.m., featuring Houston’s Jeff Dement and Team Pro30 Racing. Dement will be available for interviews and photographs.

In Reed’s way stands Kawasaki Stewart, 21, of Haines City, Fla., who will race for his third consecutive AMA Supercross win at the venue. Before another sold out Angels Stadium last weekend Stewart and Reed showcased an amazing race, trading positions before Stewart rode off to his fourth win of the season by a mere 1.5 seconds.

“I felt like it was good racing, just like we had in Toronto,” said Stewart. “And, you know, he got me first. He came in and just squared up. I didn’t even see him, and he got me, and then, I just went to the outside. He went to the outside in that corner before the second set of whoops, and I just dove down to the inside and just made a pass. I didn’t really see to the point where it was bad. Like, I didn’t – you know, even his pass, I didn’t take offense to it. But, at the same time, you’re like, man, he’s going to race, so we could start racing like that. I just thought it was good, hard racing, and I didn’t take offense at all.”

Stewart’s teammate, Tim Ferry, made his first podium appearance of the season last weekend. This marked Ferry’s first podium since Anaheim 1 in 2004, and he has finished inside of the top five at every race this year. The 1997 Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites champion is having the best season of his career.

“The level of competition right now is just – it’s unbelievable,” said Ferry. “You have James, who is a phenomenal rider, and when Ricky’s here, he’s the greatest of all time. And Chad’s a past champion. So those are three guys that will always race for the championship. It’s good to get on the podium and finally earn it.” 

Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, of Poulsbo, Wash., scored his fourth AMA Supercross Lites win of the season and extended his points lead to 31 over Yamaha’s Jason Lawrence, of Carlsbad, Calif. Like Stewart, Villopoto swept all three races at Angel Stadium this year.

Last year, Stewart won his eighth Amp’d Mobile Supercross race at Reliant Stadium in front of 47,389 fans. The win tied Stewart with Suzuki’s Ricky Carmichael, of Tallahassee, Fla., for the Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP championship. Honda’s Davi Millsaps, of Cairo, Ga., won his first Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites championship and led 13 of 15 laps in the main event.

“I had a great start tonight but I was unable to run with James’ (Stewart) pace in the first three laps,” said Carmichael last year in the post-race press conference. “I was fighting hard out there and not riding conservatively but, at the same time, I do not want to take too many chances. I have a decent lead for the AMA championship but want to win the world championship as well, so I have to step up at these last few races.”

In dominant fashion, Stewart led all 20 laps in the AMA Supercross class main event at Houston’s Reliant Stadium.

“I am having a blast out there,” said Stewart a year ago after the race. “I am pumped to tie up the points for the world championship, and if I want to have a shot at winning the AMA championship, I need to win races. I had a great pace out there tonight.”

In the AMA Supercross Lites class Millsaps moved into the lead on lap 2 and rode off to his fourth win of the season. Honda’s Thomas Hahn, of Decatur, Texas, finished second and Kawasaki’s Chris Gosselaar, of Victorville, Calif., finished third.

“This is great,” said Millsaps last year in Houston. “I have been looking forward to this my whole life and I have a lot of people to thank, especially my mother, who has been behind me my whole career. Now that I have this number 1 plate for the AMA Supercross Lites class, I am ready to go race with the big boys in the AMA Supercross class.”

The first AMA Supercross class race in Houston was on March 15, 1974 where Jim Pomeroy earned the inaugural race win. In AMA Supercross Lites competition, Eddie Warren won the first lites race held in Houston on April 20, 1985. Jeremy McGrath, the all-time winningest supercross rider, shares the all-time win record along with Mark Barnett with five.

This weekend’s AMA Supercross class race will air on CBS Sports at Noon (EST) and the AMA Supercross Lites class race will air on SPEED Sunday, February 18 at 5:00 p.m. (EST).

Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP Season Standings

1. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki, 164
2. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Yamaha, 149
3. Timmy Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 122
4. Ricky Carmichael, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki, 116
5. Nicholas Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 108
6. David Vuillemin, Menifee, Calif., Honda, 89
7. Travis Preston, Hesperia, Calif., Honda, 80
8. Michael Byrne, Newnan, Ga., Suzuki, 80
9. Heath Voss, Mico, Texas, Honda, 80
10. Paul Carpenter, Ithaca, N.Y., Kawasaki, 73

Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP Event Results, San Francisco

1. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki
2. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Yamaha
3. Timmy Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki
4. Nick Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
5. Michael Byrne, Newnan, Ga., Suzuki
6. Nathan Ramsey, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha
7. Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda
8. Heath Voss, Mico, Texas, Honda
9. Paul Carpenter, Ithaca, N.Y., Kawasaki
10. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki

Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series Standings

1. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki, 122
2. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Yamaha, 104
3. Timmy Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 90
4. Michael Byrne, Newnan, Ga., Suzuki, 73
5. Ricky Carmichael, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki, 69
6. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda, 66
7. Nicholas Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 60
8. Travis Preston, Hesperia, Calif., Honda, 60
9. Heath Voss, Mico, Texas, Honda, 55
10. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 53

Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Lites Event Results, Anaheim 3

1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
2. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda
3. Jason Lawrence, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha
4. Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha
5. Josh Hansen, Lake Elsinore, Calif., KTM
6. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Honda
7. Chris Gosselaar, Victorville, Calif., Kawasaki
8. Kyle Partridge, Las Vegas, Nev., Honda
9. Kyle Cunningham, Springtown, Texas, Yamaha
10. Matt Lemoine, Pilot Point, Texas, Yamaha

Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Lites Season Standings

1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 122
2. Jason Lawrence, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha, 91
3. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Honda, 74
4. Christopher Gosselaar, Victorville, Calif., Kawasaki, 65
5. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda, 64
6. Matthew Lemoine, Pilot Point, Texas, Yamaha, 63
7. Josh Hansen, Lake Elsinore, Calif., KTM, 62
8. Steve Boniface, Corona, Calif., Kawasaki, 61
9. Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha, 52
10. Kyle Partridge, Las Vegas, Nev., 51

Past Winners in Houston

AMA Supercross Class
April 1, 2006: James Stewart
April 30, 2005: James Stewart
February 14, 2004: Chad Reed
March 29, 2003: Chad Reed
March 23, 2002: Ricky Carmichael
March 24, 2001: Ricky Carmichael
February 05, 2000: Jeremy McGrath
March 19, 1999: Jeremy McGrath
January 17, 1998: Ezra Lusk
March 22, 1997: Jeff Emig
March 16, 1996: Jeremy McGrath
March 25, 1995: Jeremy McGrath
January 22, 1994: Jeremy McGrath
January 16, 1993: Damon Bradshaw
January 18, 1992: Damon Bradshaw
January 19, 1991: Jean-Michel Bayle
February 03, 1990: Damon Bradshaw
March 18, 1989: Jeff Stanton
February 06, 1988: Jeff Ward
February 07, 1987: Jeff Ward
February 02, 1986: Jeff Ward
April 20, 1985: Jeff Ward
March 24, 1984: David Bailey
March 20, 1983: Mark Barnett
March 19, 1983: Bob Hannah
March 20, 1982: Mark Barnett
March 19, 1982: Mark Barnett
March 14, 1981: Mark Barnett
March 13, 1981: Mark Barnett
March 14, 1980: Mike Bell
March 15, 1980: Broc Glover
March 17, 1979: Bob Hannah
March 16, 1979: Bob Hannah
March 18, 1978: Bob Hannah
March 18, 1977: Tony DiStefano
March 19, 1977: Jim Ellis
March 12, 1976: Jim Weinert
March 14, 1975: Jim Ellis
March 15, 1974: Jim Pomeroy

AMA Supercross Lites Class
April 1, 2006: Davi Millsaps
April 30, 2005: Andrew Short
February 14, 2004: James Stewart
March 29, 2003: Brock Sellards
March 23, 2002: Matt Walker
March 24, 2001: Travis Preston
February 05, 2000: Derrick Shae Bentley
March 19, 1999: Nathan Ramsey
January 17, 1998: David Vuillemin
March 22, 1997: Kevin Windham
March 16, 1996: Kevin Windham
March 25, 1995: Damon Huffman
January 22, 1994: Ezra Huffman
January 16, 1993: Jimmy Gaddis
January 18, 1992: Brian Swink
January 19, 1991: Tallon Vohland
February 03, 1990: Jeff Emig
March 18, 1989: Mike LaRocco
February 06, 1988: Jeff Matiasevich
February 07, 1987: Keith Turpin
February 02, 1986: Willie Surratt
April 20, 1985: Eddie Warren

For more information about the Amp’d Mobile World Supercross GP/Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, please log on to www.supercrossonline.com.