UPDATE 4 pm PST: James Stewart has elected not to compete in tonight's San Diego supercross, he did not feel well after the second practice session this afternoon. James is recovering from a hard hit last weekend at Anaheim. Previous updates on this from earlier today are below:
After begin described as “day to day” earlier this week for Round 2 of Monster Energy Supercross in San Diego after being knocked unconscious during the main event at the season opener, Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart has been cleared to race.
Stewart was injured following a collision with Ryan Dungey early in the main event. The race was red flagged while Stewart was being attended to by the Asterisk Medical Crew. He did not return for the restart.
According to the team, Stewart underwent “neurocognitive and concussion management testing” today and was cleared by Asterisk Mobile Medical Center personnel.
Team manager Mike Webb said the team had been taking a cautious approach and wanted to make sure James came back fully healthy.
“James said he started feeling much better in the last couple of days since his Anaheim fall,” said Yoshimura Suzuki team manager Mike Webb. “He was eager to get back in action and was happy he cleared all the tests and got the OK to race tomorrow. The team has been taking a cautious approach and we’ve made it clear to James that we only want him to come back if he’s fully healthy and ready. It’s his decision to race and we’re putting our trust in James’ decision and the testing procedure the series has in place to protect the riders.”
UPDATE, Noon PST: We talked to James and his team during track walk today, although he's passed the test and is cleared to race, James told us "I'm going to take my own test" and make sure he actually feels good once he's on the bike in practice today. He won't force it if he doesn't feel right. 450 practice has just begun here in San Digeo, we'll see how it goes.
The full press release from the team is below.
Chino, CA – Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s James Stewart underwent neurocognitive and concussion management testing Friday afternoon and was cleared by Asterisk Mobile Medical Center personnel to race in tomorrow’s San Diego Supercross event at Petco Park, round two of the Monster Energy AMA/FIM Supercross Championship.
“James said he started feeling much better in the last couple of days since his Anaheim fall,” said Yoshimura Suzuki team manager Mike Webb. “He was eager to get back in action and was happy he cleared all the tests and got the OK to race tomorrow. The team has been taking a cautious approach and we’ve made it clear to James that we only want him to come back if he’s fully healthy and ready. It’s his decision to race and we’re putting our trust in James’ decision and the testing procedure the series has in place to protect the riders.”
Stewart was involved in crash, while battling near the front in the early going of the season opener last Saturday at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. He has been going through a regimen of rest and light training since Anaheim in anticipation that he’d be cleared to race in San Diego.
