| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | James Stewart Jr. |
| Nickname(s) | "Bubba" |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | December 21, 1985 Bartow, Florida |
| Height | 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m)[1] |
| Weight | 160 pounds (73 kg)[1] |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Motocross |
| Event(s) | Supercross |
| Achievements and titles | |
| World finals |
2006 FIM World Supercross Grand Prix Champion |
| Regional finals |
2003 AMA 125 West Supercross Champion |
| National finals |
2002 AMA 125 Motocross National Champion |
| Updated on 30 July 2009. | |
James Stewart Jr., also known as Bubba Stewart (born December 21, 1985) is an American professional motocross racer competing in supercross. He is known for being the first African-American to have success at the very top level of any major motorsports association.
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Stewart was born in Bartow, Florida[1] and currently resides in Haines City, Florida.[2] His father, James Sr., was a motocross enthusiast and introduced his son to the sport at the age of three. Stewart entered his first motocross race when he was four years old.[3]
Winning eighty-four twinky titles, Amateur national titles all before the age of 16, he debuted as pro in 2002. While crashes and rookie mistakes kept him from winning the 2002 125 West Supercross title, he went on to dominate the 2002 125cc national championship and was named the 2002 AMA Rookie of the Year.[3] He was also named one of "20 Teens Who Will Change the World" in the April 2003 issue of Teen People magazine.
Stewart went on to win the 2003 125 West Supercross Championship but suffered a severe crash at the season ending 125 East/West Shootout in Las Vegas, Nevada. With his collarbone broken in two places as a result of the crash, he was forced to sit out the first few rounds of the 2003 AMA Motocross series, losing the hope to win the championship, although he won every single race he competed in after coming back from that injury.
In 2004 he won both the 125 East Supercross title and the 125 Outdoor national title, only losing one moto to Mike Brown in the latter due to a broken clutch cover.
For 2005 Stewart moved up to the premier 450cc class for both the Supercross series and the Outdoor National Motocross series. A practice crash that resulted in a broken wrist at Round 2 in Phoenix meant that he would have to wait before he notched his first career supercross win.
On April 2, 2005, at Texas Stadium (in only his 3rd race), Stewart captured his very first career Supercross victory. He would go on to record many more victories throughout 2005 and 2006, and he eventually won the 2007 Supercross Championship. He was unable to finish the 2007 National series due to a knee injury.
2008
Stewart missed the last 15 races of the 2008 Supercross season due to a knee injury.[3]
2009
Stewart signed with L&M Yamaha racing for the 2009 season, replacing Chad Reed for the supercross season. In the latter season Stewart & Chad Reed were involved in the tightest (and sometimes heated) points race of his career. Stewart won 11 of the 17 events. On May 2, 2009, at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Stewart won the 2009 Supercross Championship by a margin of 4 points over Reed (377-373).
2010
After a strong charge by Supercross class rookie Ryan Dungey, Stewart captured the lead on lap 18, taking the win at the opening round at Anaheim. In round 2, Stewart was involved in a crash during his heat, coming back to win the Last Chance Qualifier. In the final, a collision with Chad Reed caused both riders to fall. Reed's left hand was pinned under Stewart and Reed pushed Stewart's head off his arm, in what some deemed to be a physically aggressive manner. Controversy followed in the pits when Stewart pushed Reed's bike off its stand, resulting in an official warning from the AMA.[4] Still struggling with injury Stewart finished 3rd behind Ryan Dungey and Josh Hill in round 3. Stewart retired from the season after having surgery from Dr. Arthur Ting for a broken right scaphoid.[5]
Stewart's wrist injury took longer than expected to heal, leaving him out of the 2010 Motocross series although he did return for one round at Unadilla where he placed third in the first moto and retired early from the second moto,[6] citing bike setup issues and exhaustion.[7]
2011
On January 8, 2011 Stewart made his return to Supercross placing 3rd in the Anaheim season opener. The next week at Phoenix on January 15, he won his first main event in over a year, leading all 20 laps over Ryan Villopoto, who trailed close behind for most of the race. Throughout the season Stewart suffered several crashes with his last big crash in the season finale at Las Vegas where he had the lead but then crashed in the whoops. He took out Kevin Windham along with him, allowing Villopoto and Reed to pass [8]
| Round | Date | Place | Finished | Total Points | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 8 | Anaheim | 3rd | 20 | 3rd |
| 2 | January 15 | Phoenix | 1st | 45 | 2nd |
| 3 | January 22 | Dodger Stadium | 2nd | 67 | 2nd |
| 4 | January 29 | Oakland | 1st | 92 | 1st |
| 5 | February 5 | Anaheim II | 1st | 117 | 1st |
| 6 | February 12 | Houston | 15th | 123 | 2nd |
| 7 | February 19 | San Diego | 3rd | 143 | 2nd |
| 8 | February 26 | Atlanta | 4th | 161 | 2nd |
| 9 | March 5 | Daytona | 9th | 173 | 2nd |
| 10 | March 12 | Indianapolis | 2nd | 195 | 2nd |
| 11 | March 19 | Jacksonville | 18th | 198 | 4th |
| 12 | March 26 | Toronto | 4th | 216 | 4th |
| 13 | April 2 | Arlington | 4th | 234 | 5th |
| 14 | April 9 | St Louis | 1st | 259 | 4th |
| 15 | April 16 | Seattle | 1st | 284 | 4th |
| 16 | April 30 | Salt Lake City | 10th | 295 | 4th |
| 17 | May 7 | Las Vegas | 15th | 301 | 4th |
2008
Having missed the entire Supercross season, he returned to racing at the first round of the outdoor nationals and went on to win all 24 motos and thus the championship.
2009
Stewart did not compete in the 2009 Motocross series.
2010
A wrist injury sustained in the Supercross season prevented Stewart from competing in the 2010 Motocross series although he did return for one round at Unadilla where he placed third in the first moto and retired early from the second moto,[10] citing bike setup issues and exhaustion.[11]
2011
Stewart chose not to race the 2011 National season citing lack of preparation.[12]
Stewart made his X Games debut on July 30, 2009 at X Games XV, and placed second in the best whip competition with 21% of the votes winning his first X Games medal.[13]
He suffered a deep bruise to his bone and muscle in his left shoulder during seeding trials for SuperMoto on July 31, forcing him to drop out of the games.[14]
On March 28, 2010 Stewart's reality show “Bubba’s World” debuted and ran 10 episodes. The second season started in December, offered 13 episodes and concluded Feb. 24. There has been no announcement about a third season.[15]
In October 2011, Stewart signed to race for Joe Gibbs Racing, with a multiyear contract to run for JGRMX in motorcross as well as plans to run NASCAR stock car races in the K&N Pro Series East and Nationwide Series.[16]
On March 28, 2011, Stewart was arrested in Orange County, Florida and charged with impersonating a police officer. According to the allegation, he was driving his 2008 Toyota Tundra pick-up truck when he tried to pull over a vehicle using red and blue flashing police lights on Florida State Road 417. He pulled up along-side the vehicle and the occupants identified themselves as Florida State Troopers. When they identified themselves as law enforcement officers, he fled and was later caught at Orlando International Airport with the help of deputies from the Orange County Sheriff's Office and the Orlando Police. He was released from police custody at approximately 2:50 am the following morning.[17] The truck used is currently impounded by Florida Highway Patrol pending resolution of the case.
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