Stewart wins AMA Rd 4

James ‘Bubba’ Stewart emerged victorious from a close battle with Ricky Carmichael at the fourth round of the AMA Supercross championship in San Francisco on Saturday, January 28, 2006.

The pair clashed as the final began, coming out of the first turn in third and fifth place as Honda’s Nick Wey took an early lead. By the end of the first lap, Stewart had taken the lead. Despite a 3.8 second gap, Carmichael closed, passing Stewart’s Kawasaki on lap nine, before the pair encountered backmarkers, as they lapped up to Wey in third place. In the traffic, Stewart was able to regain the lead and take the win.

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Carmichael still leads the championship by two points from Stewart. Chad Reed finished fifth in San Francisco but remains third in the title standings on 82 points. 10 behind Carmichael.

"That was a real exciting race and ‘Bubba’ deserved the win. We both rode our hardest tonight but he was prepared to give that little extra whereas I wasn’t I had a few scary moments but I acheived my goal tonight – not to crash," said Carmichael. "I think I’ve gotten a little older – this is my 10th season – and I’ve learned to ride in the mud. But I just don’t take the chances that i used to."

In the 125cc class Nate Ramsay and Mike Alessi took first and third, sandwiching the Yamaha of Brett Metcalfe.

AMA Rd 4 results: 250cc

1. Stewart (Kawasaki)

2. Carmichael (Suzuki)

3. Wey (Honda)

4. Byrne (Kawasaki)

5. Reed (Yamaha).

6. Evans (Suzuki)

7. Gibson (Honda).

8 Preston (Honda

9. Clark (Honda)

10. Thomas (Honda)

AMA championship points: (after four rounds)

1. Carmcichael 92.

2. Stewart 90.

3. Reed 82

4. Wey 61.

5. Byrne 58.

6. LaRocco 55.

7. Tedesco 51.

8. Fonseca 48.

9. Preston 47.

10. McGrath 44.

World Supercross points (after six rounds)

1. Stewart 140.

2. Carmichael 136.

3. Reed 122.

4. Wey 98.

5. Byrne 95.

6. Tedesco 95.

7. Gibson 74.

8. Thomas 73.

9. Clark 69.

10. Evans 51.