2002 Anaheim 3 125cc Main (FULL RACE) (James Stewart's 125cc Supercross Season Crumbles)
38This is the 125cc Main Event from the 2002 Anaheim 3 Supercross at Edison International Field in Anaheim, CA.
In 2002, Team Kawasaki rookie #259 James Stewart, Jr. was leading the 125cc West Supercross Championship. Stewart had won 2 of the first 4 races of the season, but he had yet to win at Anaheim. James was ahead by 25 points over Yamaha of Troy's Ivan Tedesco #45. Despite winning 2 races, James had crashed in every race but 1 -- San Diego; he won again in Phoenix, even with a crash while leading. Only 2 other riders had won a race in the West season though.
AMSOIL Honda's Travis Preston #29 won the Anaheim 1 opener by surprise because he actually DIDN'T know he won until he turned back. After a 5th at San Diego, Preston crashed out of Anaheim 2 and finished a lowly 17th; he would rebound for a 2nd at Phoenix. KTM's David Pingree #39 won the Anaheim 2 race -- his first since the 2000 Anaheim opener. After 2 quiet opening races, Pingree, who had moved up to 2nd in the series after his A2 win, scratched himself from title contention 1 race later at Phoenix. Pingree's KTM 125 seized and snapped into 2 pieces off the big triple jump, and Pingree did not report for the 125cc LCQ.
As for James Stewart, Jr., he was on pace to become only the 2nd rookie to win a title in his first season. Team Honda's Ernesto Fonseca #24 had won the 125cc East in 1999 with 6 wins out of 7. After 2 wins and 4 podiums, James was halfway home to accomplishing just that. Unfortunately for James, he would have to wait until 2003 to win at Anaheim, and not only that, his quest for a title began to crumble.
In this race, KTM's Brock Sellards #18 got out to the holeshot. James Stewart ran in 3rd before Blimpie Suzuki's Danny Smith #37 slid out while running in 2nd and James Stewart had nowhere to go. With that, James would have to fight from last for the 2nd time (he came back to finish 2nd at Anaheim 2 just seconds behind Pingree). James worked his way up to 5th before falling again and finishing 11th. Brock Sellards would lead all 15 laps despite a small challenge from AMSOIL Honda's Chris Gosselaar #90, and Sellards' rookie KTM teammate #132 Billy Laninovich.
Unfortunately, Anaheim 3 was the beginning of James Stewart's 125cc West season crumbling to pieces. After his 11th at A3, Stewart would take a 10th at Houston, and a 16th at Dallas. #68 Matt Walker of Pro Circuit Kawasaki would win his lone 125cc SX at the next race in Houston, and Travis Preston would win Dallas and take the points lead while James finished 16th. Stewart would rebound to win the Salt Lake City finale, but Travis Preston would keep Stewart at bay and secure the crown by just 7 points.
Enjoy.