LAKEWOOD, Colo. (July 22, 2007) – Monster Energy Kawasaki rider James Stewart took home his first overall victory of the season in the AMA Motocross class at the seventh round of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ben Townley secured the win in the AMA Motocross Lites division.

Recovering from neck and back soreness sustained last week at Unadilla, Stewart came to Thunder Valley Motocross Park in hopes of salvaging valuable points. Stewart’s accomplishments on this day would be truly inspiring as he overcame the pain, and then a rare three-way tie, to earn his career fourth AMA Motocross win.

In the first moto, he held the lead for most of the first 10 laps before the pain became too much to bare and he literally held on to finish fourth. After the moto, Stewart was experiencing so much pain in his neck that this status for moto two was in doubt.

“I came here just trying to race and I really didn’t know what to expect,” said Stewart. “I wasn’t even sure if I could ride at all. I haven’t sat on a motorcycle, put on a helmet or anything since the crash at Unadilla.”

As the time drew near for the second moto, Stewart emerged from his motor home and decided he was going to give it his best shot. He rode a race of heart and finished in the runner-up position which was good for the overall win (4-2).

“I was about 75-percent sure that I wasn’t going to race the second moto, and to be honest I am not sure why I did. But I gutted it out and it all worked out. I am still shocked I won the overall.” 

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Timmy Ferry, who won his first moto since 2003 last week at Unadilla, put in another impressive performance on his Kawasaki KX™450F capturing his second moto win of the season. After some bad luck in moto one, Ferry fired back in one of the most heated six-way battles of the season to secure the victory, which earned him fifth overall (11-1).    

“Going into the second moto, I really had nothing to lose,” said Ferry. “I told myself, just like I did last week, that I am going to win the second moto. I had my mind set on it and that’s the only way I was going to leave this race happy after going down in the first moto.”

In the AMA Motocross Lites Division, it was a Kawasaki KX™250F showdown as teammates Townley and Ryan Villopoto battled it out for the win. In moto one it was Villopoto who was able to capitalize on a great start and take the first moto win. But in moto two, the fate was reversed and it was Townley who took the moto win and the overall for the weekend with a 2-1 moto finish.

After this weekend’s race, Townley and Villopoto are once again tied for the lead in the AMA Motocross Lites standings at 310 points apiece, with five races remaining.

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammates Brett Metcalfe (5-5) and Chris Gosselaar (10-7) put in strong rides and finished fifth and seventh, respectively.

MotoSport Kawasaki's Kyle Chisholm put in a solid ride to finish 12th overall in the AMA Motocross Lites. Teammate Bobby Kiniry and Steve Boniface finished just behind in 15th and 17th.

The Monster Energy Kawasaki teams head to Washougal, Wash., on July 28-29 for the eighth round of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Series.

For the most recent Kawasaki racing action, interviews and more visit www.kawasaki/racing.com

RACE RESULTS
 
AMA Motocross Championship Series
Thunder Valley Motocross Park – Lakewood, Colo.
July 22, 2007

AMA Motocross (Moto Finishes)
1. JAMES STEWART, HAINES CITY, FLA., MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI, 4-2
2. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 3-3
3. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 4-2
4. David Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., Honda, 1-8
5. TIMMY FERRY, LARGO, FLA., MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI, 11-1
6. David Vuillemin, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 8-5
7. Joshua Summey, Stanley, N.C., Honda, 7-7
8. Gavin Gracyk, Blissfield, Ohio, Honda, 6-10
9. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda, 5-11
10. Grant Langston, Clermont, Fla., Yamaha, 10-9

AMA Motocross Class Point Standings
1. JAMES STEWART, HAINES CITY, FLA., MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI, 265
2. Ricky Carmichael, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki, 241
3. TIMMY FERRY, LARGO, FLA., MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI, 239
4. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 237
5. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 224
6. Grant Langston, Clermont, Fla., Yamaha, 213
7. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda, 203
8. Davi Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., Honda, 172
9. David Vuillemin, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 164
10. Gavin Gracyk, Blissfield, Ohio, Honda, 129

AMA Motocross Lites (Moto Finishes)
1. BEN TOWNLEY, TALLAHASSEE, FLA., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI, 2-1
2. RYAN VILLOPOTO, POULSBO, WASH., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI, 1-2
3. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda, 3-4
4. Jason Lawrence, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha, 7-3
5. BRETT METCALFE, MURRIETA, CALIF., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI, 5-5
6. Martin Davalos, Cario, Ga., KTM, 6-6
7. CHRISTOPHER GOSSELAAR, VICTORVILLE, CALIF., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI, 10-7
8. Andrew Mcfarlane, Newport Beach, Calif., Suzuki, 9-8
9. Thomas Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 8-9
10. Broc Hepler, Kittanning, Pa., Yamaha, 11-12

AMA Motocross Lites Point Standings
1. RYAN VILLOPOTO, POULSBO, WASH., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI, 310
2. BEN TOWNLEY, TALLAHASSEE, FLA., MONSTER ENERGY/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI, 310
3. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Honda, 253
4. Jason Lawrence, Murrieta, Ga., Yamaha, 246 
5. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 212
6. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Honda, 141
7. Thomas Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 129
8. Andrew Mcfarlane, Newport Beach, Calif., 128
9. Joshua Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha, 121
10. KYLE CHISHOLM, SEMINOLE, FLA., MOTOSPORT KAWASAKI, 111