Seventh Win Continues Stewart AMA Streak

LandM San Manuel Yamaha rider James Stewart is the new leader of the 2009 AMA Supercross series (also an FIM World Championship) after taking his YZ450F to a brilliant seventh consecutive success last Saturday. Round eight of seventeen at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, filled almost to capacity, was the scene of his latest victory and another chapter in the fierce spell of domination he is casting over his peers.

22 years after Bob Hannah won the first an Atlanta SX meeting on a Yamaha, Stewart was again placing a blue machine on the top of the podium. His flight from main rival Chad Reed once more increased his career victory tally to 32 and become the 5th most successful rider in the history of the sport.

"Streaks are always meant to be broken, so I want to make it eight!" said Stewart who equalled his superb run of 7 wins taken in 2007. "I know Chad rides good every weekend, and I always have my hands full, so I'll just go back and prepare. However to come out of Anaheim I 23 points back and now be 3 points in the lead, it definitely feels good."

Thanks to Stewart's increasing total of wins and Josh Grant's maiden triumph, Yamaha remain unbeaten Indoors in 2009. With 8 trophies Yamaha can start to look towards beating their own record of success when in 2000 they accumulated 14 victories.

Grant finished 13th in Atlanta in the wake of his spill and neck injury in San Diego. There was bright news for Yamaha's Broc Hepler, who ran as high as second for a sizeable period of the race before finishing fifth; his best result of the season so far. "I didn't ride that speed all night, so I didn't know whether I could go that speed for 20 laps or not," he said. "I haven't done a 20-lap moto since December. I just slowed it down a little bit because I was making a few mistakes... I just didn't want to be 19th again."

Stewart now leads Reed by 3 points. Round nine takes place next weekend at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.