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James Crowned Champion!
Posted on 05/03/2009, 3:00 am, by Ryan Cooley, under News.
After a grueling 17-race series filled with ups and downs and plenty of drama, James was crowned the 2009 AMA Supercross and FIM World Champion on Saturday night in Las Vegas! A capacity crowd in UNLV’s Sam Boyd stadium witnessed James ride off to a smart and conservative third place finish, which was all that was needed to finish the series with a four-point cushion over championship rival Chad Reed!
Each winning their respective heats to kick off the night, James and Chad headed into the final main event of the 2009 series with just six points separating them for the championship. When the gate dropped, it was Reed’s teammate, Mike Alessi, who snagged the holeshot, but James made quick work of him as they motored through the second of two whoop sections on lap one. Though out front with plenty of open track to try to sneak off from the rest of the pack, James opted to put in a conservative, championship-minded ride to eliminate the potential for mistakes.
Passed by a smooth and determined Ryan Villopoto on lap three, James sat comfortably in the second spot through lap 11 or so, when Reed eventually closed the gap and began applying pressure. Content to let Chad by rather than engaging in a risky battle, James slowed and opened the door several times, but it wasn’t until lap 14 that Chad finally made his way by with a desperate, final attempt at reversing his championship fate. The bump sent James momentarily into the Tuff Blocks, but not to be fazed, he regrouped quickly and cruise the final few laps to the finish, collecting the coveted number one plate in the process!
“You have no idea how tough this has been to come back from what happened at Anaheim 1,” James commented on the podium. “This is the toughest I have ever had to fight to win a title. It’s been a hard-fought championship for everyone. I just want to thank everyone that has been involved in everything we’ve accomplished this season.”
Posted on 05/03/2009, 3:00 am, by Ryan Cooley, under News.
After a grueling 17-race series filled with ups and downs and plenty of drama, James was crowned the 2009 AMA Supercross and FIM World Champion on Saturday night in Las Vegas! A capacity crowd in UNLV’s Sam Boyd stadium witnessed James ride off to a smart and conservative third place finish, which was all that was needed to finish the series with a four-point cushion over championship rival Chad Reed!
Each winning their respective heats to kick off the night, James and Chad headed into the final main event of the 2009 series with just six points separating them for the championship. When the gate dropped, it was Reed’s teammate, Mike Alessi, who snagged the holeshot, but James made quick work of him as they motored through the second of two whoop sections on lap one. Though out front with plenty of open track to try to sneak off from the rest of the pack, James opted to put in a conservative, championship-minded ride to eliminate the potential for mistakes.
Passed by a smooth and determined Ryan Villopoto on lap three, James sat comfortably in the second spot through lap 11 or so, when Reed eventually closed the gap and began applying pressure. Content to let Chad by rather than engaging in a risky battle, James slowed and opened the door several times, but it wasn’t until lap 14 that Chad finally made his way by with a desperate, final attempt at reversing his championship fate. The bump sent James momentarily into the Tuff Blocks, but not to be fazed, he regrouped quickly and cruise the final few laps to the finish, collecting the coveted number one plate in the process!
“You have no idea how tough this has been to come back from what happened at Anaheim 1,” James commented on the podium. “This is the toughest I have ever had to fight to win a title. It’s been a hard-fought championship for everyone. I just want to thank everyone that has been involved in everything we’ve accomplished this season.”
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