Open Mic: Indianapolis
Monday, March 14, 2011 | 1:30 PM
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James Stewart: San Manuel Red Bull Yamaha – Second Place, SX Class
On the podium you said you had a rough week.
Definitely a rough week. I wasn’t able to ride the motorcycle after my crash at Daytona, and it obviously had an effect. But really, I gave the race away in the first five laps. You can’t start dead last trying to win this thing. I’m disappointed for my team. I let them down like that. We had a good chance to win it, and I didn’t.
We saw some big mistakes from you out there. Was that because of the track, not riding this week, or what?
It was a little bit of everything. I didn’t perform tonight. I wasn’t myself. I was still able to come up and get second, and I think that’s always good, but, I think the week and the track did have an effect on me, and I struggled.
How gnarly was the track?
It was gnarly, but it was my kind of track, to be honest. It was really technical. I would start getting it going, making some passes, or making some time up, and then, like I said, I would just make a mistake. When Ryan is that far out front, all you can do is try to close that gap, but like I said, I gave the race away on the first few laps.
Stewart made some mistakes early but was able to rebound and grab second place ahead of Reed.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
Even though you haven’t had the results you wanted in the last few weeks, do you feel like think things are working well with you and the bike, and you just haven’t had the results to show it?
I don’t know, I was two seconds faster than everyone last week so I don’t know how much better we can get. This weekend I did not execute, not off the start, not on the first five laps.
So your strategy hasn’t changed, and you think you’re still riding okay.
"Yeah it’s just little things here. Getting taken out doesn’t help, going over the handlebars didn’t help, starting dead last didn’t help. Next week we’ll get it figured out and get a win." - Stewart
How’s the team situation right now?
Good. Yeah. We’re making headway on everything, we’re making good moves for the future. I’ve got a great group of guys here behind me, and that just disappoints me more that I can’t win for them. It’s pretty damn pathetic, really, I just can’t do anything for them right now. But we’ll win next week.
Matt Boni: Ti-Lube Kawasaki, twelfth place SX Class
I felt really good, I was fighting a cold all week and didn’t have a lot of confidence going into the night. My goal is a top ten, so I’m not there yet but I’m working hard on it. The track was gnarly but I tend to do better on those types of tracks, last week in Daytona it was tough and I got twelfth there. Same thing with tonight, another twelfth.
I got a really bad start and I got up to about ninth, made a few mistakes and got tired. It was tough and I got tired but then again I think there were a lot of guys who dropped anchor out there. It feels good to know that sure I got tired, but a lot of other guys did too!
Talk about that pass on Vince Friese in the heat race, it seemed like there might have been some prior history with that one?
Yeah, last weekend he stopped me on top of a berm in practice and I tweaked my knee because of it. I have no idea why he did that. There’s no mercy out there and I needed to make the main. Payback comes around full-circle I guess.
Justin Barcia: GEICO Honda, Second Place, SX Lites Class
The wrist is getting better and healing every weekend. I’m not able to ride too much, but I don’t think I’m losing anything, riding wise, yet. The wrist is getting stronger and stronger so that’s really what matters.
Do you think you might be able to get back to a normal schedule before this series is over?
Definitely. I’m going to try to do some riding this week before Jacksonville, but I’m probably saying too much because it probably won’t happen. I did some riding this week, a little, and it felt pretty good. But I need to be smart about it and save myself for the weekend because we’re going for a championship here.
Barcia is still battling a wrist injury, but hopes to be 100 percent soon.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
Are you trying to ride a little smarter with the wrist and due to the points?
It was a smart ride, but it was a tough ride. I tried to make a run at Sipes a few times, but it was a tough track to pass on. Lappers were also really tough, but that’s nothing new anymore. Oh and I hit a haybale on the finish line that almost got me. Baggett popped it out on the lip of the jump, and it went right in front of me. I had to lock up, pop over it, and try to catch the backside of the first jump on the finish. It could have been bad but luckily I had my focus going.
Where you going for it all-out on the last lap?
"Oh yeah, but I didn’t want to take anyone out, and I’m trying to keep it clean." - Barcia
I was running it in there, but I wasn’t going to take anyone out, or take us both out. I’m just trying to be a smart here. It wasn’t the right place for that tonight.
Ryan Dungey: Rockstar Makita Suzuki, Fourth Place SX Class
Well, definitely had a race going there, right off the bat we were sitting third. I think I fell into Reed’s pace, and I watched the leader kind of walk away a bit. It took me awhile, and as I was trying to get by Reed, he stopped, kind of quicker than I thought, and I high sided. I think I rode pretty good after that, felt great on the bike, almost went back to a podium, but just didn’t make it happen.
You were pretty far back of Reed late and made a run to get back him on the last lap. How did you make up that ground?
Just going for it. I mean, I don’t know, I want to at least podium. For what it was, we did all we could, but sometimes things don’t go your way.
Dungey battled with Reed all night, but came up just shy of the podium placing 4th.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
You looked like you were more aggressive.
Absolutely, I wanted to get off to a good start, and I did, and I wanted to make my passes right away, but I didn’t do that well enough. I need to get a start and get out and go.
I can tell you’re not very happy. How long before you start getting really mad?
We’ll get our win soon.
Nick Wey: Valli Motorsports Rockstar Yamaha, Eighth Place
This was pretty good. I mean, eleventh was my best result so far, so to get eighth was really good. And even with that, I think I could have done even better, but last weekend I was disappointed with how I rode. At Atlanta, I actually felt like I rode much better. The team has been working to get me comfortable, and Todd Brown our suspension guy helped out a lot. We did some more fine tuning for this week, and I got a good start, so I was able to ride with the guys I feel like I should be able to key off of. So it was a step in the right direction.
What kind of changes did you make?
Well, just stuff with the clutch, and we changed some fork and shock settings, we were searching for some stuff to get me comfortable, and I think we found it. In Atlanta, I think I rode awesome, I started like last and got a 12th. Daytona, I usually look forward to Daytona but I was sick all week with a sinus infection and an ear infection, and with how rough that track was, it didn’t go that well. This track was actually pretty rough, too, so I was happy with my lack of training time to get eighth.
Trey Canard: American Honda Racing, Sixth Place Supercross Class
How was it?
Dude, you reporters need to come up with something new.
Okay, well, let’s step back from the races. Give me your whole feeling about the day, in general.
I felt good. I had clean boots, and a clean neck brace. The team has the bike graphics looking good. I had a sweet mustache in the opening ceremonies video. I felt like my standing on the seat wheelie was probably my best wheelie of the series. I had a good air wheelie at the end of practice. I thought I looked good. I felt lean, and I saw an ab muscle coming through. I felt good. Only thing was, I only got in one brush in on my teeth during the day.
Canard left Indy frustrated after going down again.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
How was the race?
Lites race was awesome.
Did you race tonight?
Yeah but we don’t want to talk about that.
Anything?
I was frustrated. The last four races have been tough for me. I felt so good. I had the fastest qualifying time in the second practice, and that was really huge for me, I’ve never done that before. The heat race was good, I felt like I was at least staying in the lines of Stewart. I got a good start, I was third or fourth. Then I got close to Dungey and I stalled it. I just stalled it. I was so mad. I was just demoralized. It just sucked, I rode around for ten laps. I was in 19th when I crossed the finish. I was so bummed. For one there’s no one around you, and two, you can hear the crowd and see the guys up front, and dude, I was right there. But I have to get past it. I’m in a surprisingly good mood right now.
Well you had ten laps to blow off steam.
Yeah that’s true.
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Cannard = Funny dude!
Canard and Stewart are breaking the mold for interviews and it is Awesome. Supercross needs some characters to liven things up.
Funny how everyone pases themself off JS, Watch his lines and where he is in pratice and the heats. But some guys on here don't think JS is the fastest. I mean everyweek on here there are guys talking about JS like TC just did. They all know his lines and what he is doing out there. Being the Fastest does not mean you will win but everyone is watching what you do to learn something.
go figure what makes more sense, being the faster rider or being the winner !
why dont you just give JS a hummer and be over with it
Yeah I agree, I am sooooooo tired of the inevitable sponsor roll call and worthless "interviews". But Stewart is probably the best at them. Though I do not pull for him to win, he does come off as a guy giving you an honest, script free opinion of the night which is cool. RV2, Dungey and some of the others......straight waste of time. Of course Erin Bates ain't exactly George Will is she.
Seriously, Canard is a great personality and fantastic for the sport. Very good sense of humor, in addition to great speed and style of course.
Any chance you could ride for a different brand Trey? Not a fan of the borg, ah I mean Honda,
Trey will have another shot at some wins this SX season. He's got a lot going for him: he's good enough, he's fast enough and gosh darnit, people like him!
Love my fellow Gingers RV and TC!!! Yes, TC is awesome and we do need some real guys up there, instead of poster boys like Dungey who say the same thing every week... I predict Canard will win Vegas while RV cruises to the title, unledd CR22 tries to take him out like he did Stewart in 09'....In this interview, TC is upset, but not really whining about it, just laughing it off....Could you imagine if Reed had to explain all that? They would need a sham-wow to soak up his tears....Stewart is owning up too and usually does...The oost race Bates interview with Reed he said " we have some things to work on".....cause he got smoked??? man just say you didnt have it......
BillC- Win or lose I guess you can call that the very definition of "Schooling the field". Ok kids, todays lesson on Bubba 101, passing ten people in one straight and then scrubbing in the hart attack position!
@Javandel Like I said does not mean he will always win . @Jeez Grow UP little boy. Here is what Gary Bailey says about the Speed of JS and the Daytona crash.. Well, this week I have heard it all about why James Stewart crashed during the Daytona SX. Some have said Stewart was riding over his head. Another theory is that he was on his arches and that if he were on the balls of his feet he would not have crashed. I don’t think Stewart was riding over his head or out of control. And, I think his position in or out of his arches is irrelevant to the crash as well.
The simple fact is, Stewart is sometimes in a league of his own. Stewart has gone to a level of riding that most don’t know and aren’t even willing to try. Whether you are a Stewart fan or not, you cannot watch Stewart without being amazed at how he is always finding unique ways to finesse the track to go faster.
Stewart was doing just that at Daytona, finessing the track to gain speed. Stewart was doing a small wheelie onto the face of the takeoff ramp, so he could get a little more compression and rebound to clear the center jump and land on the back side of the third one.
When you do this, it is very important you set the front wheel on the face of the jump, about a foot or two from the top. The front wheel touching the top of the jump helps get more lift and keeps the front end a little higher as you leave the jump.
To understand, picture this. It’s a little like going over a log. If the front wheel touches the log, it helps keep the front wheel up. But, if the front wheel does not touch the log, then when the rear wheel hits, it throws the front end down and this makes the rear of the bike come up.
Now that you understand the strategy, here is where it went wrong for Stewart at Daytona (in my opinion). As James came out of the turn, he got a little too much traction (a small miscalculation). As a result, the front wheel came up too high and missed the top of the jump. This may have been okay if the takeoff jump were smoother or flatter. But because the jumps at Daytona seem to get ruts and a little cupped, it causes a kicker, so it was not smooth or flat enough to allow Stewart to get by with this small miscalculation.
So Stewart was not over his head or out of control, he knew exactly what he was trying to do in using the compression and rebound to land further on the backside of the third jump. He just got a little too much traction and at that speed a little mistake can be costly.
You cannot go as fast as Stewart does without commitment on a level that most of us are too scared to even think about. At least Stewart has the confidence to try to get every ounce he can out of the bike and the track. If you ask me that level of commitment takes courage when Stewart is smart enough to know that at his speed even a small miscalculation can put him on the ground. If you question Stewart’s level of commitment, why did no other rider even try that hop over that big wall he was jumping at Daytona?
That pass Stewart put on Reed over the triple was sick. He caught and passed Reed so fast, made Reedy look like a rookie...
BillC,
There are a handful of fast guys whos lines get checked out. The whole "Fastest thing" is played out. It is meaningless label.
Yes JS is fast, but more importantly he is creative with line selectionand sees things that others do not right away. It is that creative line selection that the others are looking for, Things like certain rythem comnbinations.
Speed, or "fast", just comes from executing on the line selections. Corner entrance speed and more importantly the exit speed.
philb3131.. For the sponsor scroll.. Blame it on the sponsors... These poor fellows who get their paycheck (Riders) are more or less obligated to mention this.. I get more annoyed on people thanking Christ?? In a race? Go to church and thank him there.. For crying out loud.. We are racing here...
Was in shock to discover even RV saying such things? I prefer him saying he rode smart or uber smart and he is truly the smartest rider out there than join the bandwagon of thanking the big guy up there??
BillC.. Interesting perspective on JS.
Stewie is the excuse king, sorry if all the Stewie fans go nuts or get mad, too freaking bad. And some guys talk about Reed making excuses, this was terrible. HE WAS NOT LAST. BILLC how come you never commented on Stewie saying he was last?? If that was any other rider you would have ate him up for saying that. After the first turn Stewie was 5th. He is making excuses..
@BILLC, like I said before Millsaps did do the jump over the wall at Daytona.
BD when did I ever say anything about Milsaps and the wall?????
Also bd200 here is what JS said>>>It was a little bit of everything. I didn’t perform tonight. I wasn’t myself. I was still able to come up and get second, and I think that’s always good, but, I think the week and the track did have an effect on me, and I struggled<<< Sounds like he took the blain to me!! So why do you want to bash him any way?? Why do you dislike him SO much anyway??
As far as the last place thing who cares?? At one point on the start straight he was last I guess you could say but who cares. Either way Him and RV are the only ones who could come thru like that. RD could not get past Reed for 15 laps but JS flys past them both and left them!!
All the riders were sucking wind after the race, the air in Mucus Oil Stadium must have been foul. Can't remember ever seeing so many riders taking a knap on their handlebars after a race like that.
I used to get all fumed up watching SX from the nose bleed seats way up in the old Kingdome, it gave me a nasty headache, so I know it wasn't all the awesome PNW ganjee smoke cuz that seems to cure a headache.
"...Getting taken out doesn't help"
Excuse "US" (The entire sport fan base, team owners, trainers, mechanics, drivers, etc)? Once again James Stewart lies and explains off his stupid move of drilling Reed in a block pass as someone else doing him wrong. Amazing, what a liar, cheat, cry baby and a theif James Stewart is.
LOL carlsbad !
You're out of your mind "bd".......the guy blames nobody but himself......saying he got a bad start is NOT making excuses, it is telling the truth. He DID get a bad start, i dont think he is saying the bad start was someone else's fault....just saying that he got one. "Going over the bars" is not an excuse either...It's a fact!! Don't you agree that going over the bars sort of ruined a pretty damn good race he had going on?? Why do you hate so much??
Stall your bike = shove Dungey.
Praise the Lord!
@Didierlotyseng Don't criticize riders for not being afraid to show their faith. Church isn't the only place to talk to God. He's right there watching over each one of them keeping them safe and has given them the supreme talent we all like to watch every weekend. If Christ doesn't deserve a thank you then I don't know who does! Shows great character and I applaud those who do!
@katiedesign47 well said.
You know what? Its not even worth it to make a comment to any of the haters on here. Its not even worth the space it takes on the page. Its old. Most of the fools who talk crap on here just want to get a reaction out of you. The truth is this: The fastest man is not leading this series! Im glad for RV though! He may not be the rider I want to win this championship but im not bashing him. I respect him! RV is faster than any of us other mortals will ever be! Glad to seem having some success! It should give the other riders motivation to get him more! Thats just the way it is. Noone likes you when youre up. They want you down where they are trying to pull you down like crabs! Stewart is finally talking like I want him to! He needs to get mad or something and start winning! Because RV is not going to give him any free lunches like Stewarts has been giving him! I want to see a straight up scrap between these two. Phoenix was close but no cigar. Hard slippery track! Its getting down to the wire here. And there are no other options on both sides. JUST WIN! Its all about who wants it the worst!
katiedesign47.. I have no problem showing their faith... But this is racing.. I do not see any link to the big guy up there.. let me guess... He is also watching and rooting for a rider..?? Bullcrap...
Sport is sport... They choose to ride a dangerous sport... U think the big guy will approve of such? Work on your personal relationship with the big guy up there in a more private enviroment... Have some respect for the big guy...
In this case someone and hopefully RV reads this.. Just mention you rode uber smart and the rest are dumbass donkeys who will be owned at the the end of 2011.. And thank ur sponsors, team, fiancee and personal trainer...
BILLC, YOU said "No one else could do the wall jump Stewie did". I just said that Millsaps hit that jump also. And I read what Stewie said here. But its not what he said in his interview at Indy after the race with Ashley Phillips. It was on the big screen there, not on TV. He said he couldntride all week otherwise the results would have been different.He said it liike that was why he lost. NEVER gives the winner any credit. He is very egotisticle and arrogant. I even heard a few boos when hesaid it. It was pretty bad. My son, (Who used to be a huge fan, always cheered for him over Reed) even looked at me and said "Excuses, excuses" It is what he did. Made excuses. I hate that huge ego and immaturity he shows. And making excuses is a sign of immaturity. And yes he did through out some excuses here. He said not riding during the week had an effect on me, its an excuse. I'm way over Stewie. I know you love him BILLC, you defend everything he does till the end. And he is a great rider, but I hate his ego and attitude. Cant help it. I always defend his speed and riding, you know that. But his big "I'm the greatest" attitude sucks ...
You can say anything is an excuse if you hate someone I guess bd200. Last week you where mad he did not say enough now your mad because he said to much!! I have heard EVERY GUY give reasons why they did not win EVEN RC!!! You say your over him but you ALWAYS have to say something bad about the guy and I am not the only one who see that. You keep saying I love him too even though I have told you 1000x's he is NOT my fav rider but you over look that too and make it like I take his side. Sometimes I just question you on what you said right away I am sticking up for him.
PS. I would love for you to show me where I said no one did the wall jump but JS. When you find that let me know.... OH yeah everytime I tell you to prove I said something you just say I don't have time but I know you said it... Sure.
bd200.. Understand your point regarding Stewie noet being frank enough and giving excuses.. I guess, the guy (Stewie) has the european mentality (Or at least is copying it).. Most athletes whether it be in the mechanised world or not.. From the European continent.. Have the same attitude as a Stewie...
Sucks.. And I see or hear on most sporting events...
Just ignore this... I also do not like this in a athlete... Sucks.. But yeah.. What can you do? Character bound.. Like a Schumacher... He will seldomly give a manly excuse he was just too slow.. But will always find some silly excuse... Same goes for a Valentino Rossi...
SHUT UP!!!! Just Shut the ***** Up, would you????
BILLC, I'm not going to go out of my way to find that, but you wrote it recently. Do you really not remeber?? And you defend Stewie till the bitter end no matter who says anything aginst him. Thats why we know you like him so much. Never said he was your favorite. But you defend him no matter what. Everytime.
I don't bd, I really don't defend him like you think. And I am sure I did not say no one else did the wall jump, Are you sure it was not in the Gary Bailey Cut and paste I did?? He may have said it But I am sure I did not.