YAMAHA RACING:

An LandM San Manuel Yamaha rider finished on the podium of the second round of the 2010 AMA Supercross/FIM World Championship at Chase Field in Phoenix but it was Josh Hill gaining his first silverware for the team instead of defending champion and Anaheim 1 winner James Stewart.

Hill gave the 2010 YZ450F its second rostrum appearance in as many weeks last Saturday when he rode to a steady 3rd place in Arizona behind the two Ryans; Dungey and Villopoto. After setting the fastest time in the first practice session Stewart suffered a heavy fall in the qualification Heat and left trackside in some pain. He was able to participate and win the Last Chance race but in discomfort. In the Main Event the Floridian was tussling for a slot just inside the top ten when he tangled with arch-rival Chad Reed causing him to be lapped and drop down the order to 15th. Reed retired for his second DNF and apparently is now on the sidelines with a broken hand.

Stewart was able to obtain 6 points for his efforts in reaching the chequered flag but has slipped from 1st to 7th after 2 of 17 meetings in the 2010 schedule. Hill meanwhile survived his own scare prior to his run to 3rd position: “I had a big crash in practice,” he said. “I almost got into a head-on collision with [Fabien] Izoird, but I came out of that and didn’t get hurt. I just got good starts, which is something I don’t usually do, so it was awesome. I was just able to keep a good track position.”

The 20 year old celebrated his fifth podium in the supercross class and finished just ahead of Ivan Tedesco, who was 4th, with Justin Brayton taking another top-ten finish with 8th place. Broc Tickle was 5th on the YZ250F in the West Coast Lites series and Yamaha Monster Energy Motocross Team’s Gautier Paulin finished the second Main Event of his career in 12th after a mediocre start.

Round three will take place next weekend back in the Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Los Angeles.