Supercross' James Stewart joins Joe Gibbs Racing, eyes NASCAR

Two-time supercross champion James Stewart signed a multiyear contract to ride for Joe Gibbs Racing's Yamaha motorcycle-racing team with plans to eventually try NASCAR stock-car racing.

Stewart, 25, will make his Gibbs debut Jan. 7 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, where the AMA Supercross Series traditionally kicks off its season.

Supercross is the stadium version of off-road motorcycle racing, or motocross. Stewart won his supercross titles in 2007 and 2009. He also won the AMA Motocross championship in 2008.

With 42 supercross wins in his career, Stewart is third on the all-time list behind Jeremy Grath (72) and Ricky Carmichael (48). Carmichael already has taken up racing cars and trucks in NASCAR, and Stewart previously had expressed a desire to one day drive in NASCAR.

"My goal in supercross is to pass Jeremy McGrath's record," Stewart said in a statement Tuesday. "I also had an interest in car racing and we are going to explore my potential in that sport through the NASCAR side of the operation."

Gibbs, of course, is a major team in NASCAR, with drivers Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano driving Toyotas in the premier Sprint Cup Series.

Travis Pastrana unveils NASCAR plans at LA Live

Travis Pastrana won't make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut until July in Indianapolis.

Californians will get a chance to see Pastrana make his NASCAR debut next weekend in the Toyota All Star Showdown at Irwindale.

Pastrana is entered in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series race at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Jan. 28-29.

Go to Haddock in the Paddock for more on Pastrana's NASCAR plans for 2011 and his NASCAR launch party at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles.

-- Tim Haddock

Photo: Travis Pastrana will be driving the No. 99 Toyota in the NASCAR Toyota All Star Showdown in Irwindale on Jan. 28. Credit: Tim Haddock

AMA Motocross drops Glen Helen event in May over contractual issues

The annual pro motocross race at Glen Helen Raceway near San Bernardino, scheduled for May 29, was dropped Thursday over contractual issues.

"We simply were not able to come to contractual terms with Glen Helen Raceway," Davey Coombs, vice president of MX Sports Pro Racing, manager of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship series, said in a statement.

However, the series moved its Southern California date to Sept. 11 and "we will have time to find a suitable venue," Coombs said.

Glen Helen issued a statement "regretfully" confirming that it would not host the race due to a "lack of equality in the terms" between Glen Helen and other venues where AMA Motocross competes. It did not elaborate on the terms.

The Glen Helen layout, just west of Interstate 215, was considered among the toughest on the motocross circuit, with three hills that were among the steepest in the sport.

Motocross, which usually begins in May, features specially designed motorcycles for outdoor racing. The stadium version of the sport is supercross; that season runs from January to May.

-- Jim Peltz

Ryan Villopoto wins AMA Supercross race in Toronto

Ryan Villopoto won the Monster Energy AMA Supercross race at Rogers Centre in Toronto and closed the gap on Ryan Dungey's lead in the Supercross standings.

Ten races into the AMA Supercross season, Villopoto trails Dungey by 17 points.

Villopoto won his fifth AMA Supercross race of the year and his fourth in the last five races. Dungey finished second in Toronto.

Go to Haddock in the Paddock for more on the AMA Supercross race in Toronto.

-- Tim Haddock

Rookie Ryan Dungey wins AMA Supercross race in Atlanta

Rookie Ryan Dungey was back to his winning ways in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series, taking the Georgia Dome race in Atlanta on Saturday night.

Dungey won for the first time since Jan. 23 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. He has a 20-point lead over Josh Hill in the AMA Supercross standings.

James Stewart, the reigning AMA Supercross champion, missed his fifth race in a row. He is recovering from surgery on his wrist, a result of a race crash. He told Speed TV that his return to racing is "real soon."

Go to Haddock in the Paddock for comments from Dungey, Hill and Stewart after the race in Atlanta.

-- Tim Haddock

Villopoto wins AMA Supercross race in Indianapolis

Ryan Villopoto won the Monster Energy AMA Supercross race at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday night.

It was Villopoto's second win in a row and his third in the last four AMA Supercross races.

It was a hard-fought win for Villopoto, who crashed in his heat race and had to finish in the top two in the last-chance qualifier race to make it to the main event.

“Going out of the last chance I had the outside gate,” Villopoto said. “I was second-to-last to line up [for the main event] and I really just can’t thank the guys at Monster Energy Kawasaki enough. It was the fastest bike out there and I was able to get a good holeshot.”

Ryan Dungey finished second, followed by Kevin Windham. It was Dungey's first podium finish in four races. He won two races and was the runner-up in the season opener at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.

Dungey and Villopoto are tied for the lead in the AMA Supercross standings. Josh Hill is third in the AMA Supercross standings, 10 points behind the leaders. Hill finished ninth in the race at Indianapolis. He had four straight runner-up finishes and five podium finishes in the first six races of the season.

-- Tim Haddock

Photo: Ryan Villopoto. Credit: Jennifer Stewart / US Presswire

Villopoto wins AMA Supercross race at Anaheim; Hill and Dungey tied for first in standings

Ryan Villopoto won his second Monster Energy AMA Supercross race of the season. Josh Hill finished second for the fourth week in a row. 

Round 6 of the AMA Supercross season at Angel Stadium on Saturday night ended with Hill and Ryan Dungey tied for first in the standings and Villopoto sitting in third, three points behind the leaders.

Villopoto led from start to finish and built a nearly six-second lead at one point in the race. His win pulled him well within striking distance of the lead in the AMA Supercross standings.

“It’s a good spot to be in going back East,” Villopoto said. “I can’t ask for anything more.”

The next race in the AMA Supercross Series is in Indianapolis on Saturday night.

Hill has five podium finishes in six races. His runner-up finish coupled with Dungey’s fourth-place finish, put the two riders tied for first in the AMA Supercross standings.

“I’m happy,” Hill said. “I’ve been on the box every week but one.”   

After starting the season with three straight podium finishes, Dungey has not finished on the podium in his last three races. Hill’s second-place finish at Angel Stadium might have been the most challenging.

“I didn’t ride good all day,” Hill said. “I’m happy with second. I’m just pumped to be up here.”

Kevin Windham finished third, followed by Dungey and Davi Millsaps in fifth.

-- Tim Haddock

Josh Hill wins AMA Supercross heat race No. 2

Josh Hill, the second-place rider in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series standings, won his heat race, leading every lap Saturday at Angel Stadium.

Justin Brayton was second, followed by Ryan Villopoto, Ivan Tedesco and Michael Byrne.

Jake Anstett crashed in the heat race and had to be carried off the course on a stretcher.

Hill has posted three straight runner-up finishes in Supercross mains, but has yet to win a race this year.

-- Tim Haddock

James Stewart to miss second straight AMA Supercross race

James Stewart, the reigning Monster Energy AMA Supercross champion, will miss his second race in a row. 

Stewart broke his hand in a crash during races at Chase Field in Arizona last month. He raced the following week at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, but missed the race at AT&T Park in San Francisco. He had surgery on his right hand to repair a broken scaphoid bone Jan. 29, the day before the San Francisco races.

He will skip Saturday’s races at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego.

Ryan Dungey leads the AMA Supercross standings after four races. Ryan Villopoto won the AMA Supercross race at San Francisco on Saturday night.

Go to Haddock in the Paddock for more on the AMA Supercross races in San Diego and Stewart's recovery.

-- Tim Haddock

Ryan Villopoto wins AMA Supercross race in San Francisco; James Stewart has surgery

Ryan Villopoto won the Monster Energy AMA Supercross race at AT&T Park in San Francisco, his first victory of the season and the third of his career.

Ryan Dungey, the leader in the AMA Supercross standings, crashed and finished fourth.

James Stewart, the reigning AMA Supercross champion, had surgery to repair a broken wrist and missed the San Francisco race. The timing of his return to racing is unknown, and his team said he will be evaluated on weekly basis.

Go to Haddock in the Paddock for more on the race in San Francisco and Stewart's injury.

-- Tim Haddock

Dungey wins second heat race at Angel Stadium

Ryan Dungey, the leader in the AMA Supercross Series standings, won his heat race tonight at Angel Stadium.

The race featured the top two riders in the series standings. Ryan Villopoto, second place in Supercross this season, finished second in the heat race.

Michael Byrne was third, followed by Ivan Tedesco in fourth and Kevin Windham in fifth.

-- Tim Haddock